Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Choco/Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting.

I am NOT a Vegan. With that said... I have several Vegan recipes that will delight even the most skeptics' tastebuds. I have learned to cook and bake vegan foods as my best friend/ roommate is Vegan. I like my food to taste "real" for lack of better wording. To do that I prefer to use natural ingredients. Tend to stay away from the Soy and I have yet to have even one non-vegan even guess that my food was vegan. I usually tell them after they say it tastes amazing. This recipe is one of my favorites. I gleaned a few recipes and mish-mashed them together to create this. For the adults... this can be turned into an alcoholic cupcake... super fun and easy to do... it has a lovely kick too ;) That portion of the recipe will be in the p.s notes. On to the recipe...

Cupcake Batter Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes):

3/4 cup Water

1/4 cup Applesauce (Unsweetened plain)

1/4 cup Coconut Oil melted

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup Unbleached Flour

1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder Special Dark (if you don't like dark chocolate you can use 1/4 cup cocoa powder and 2 Tbsp of Dark)

3/4 cup Raw Sugar

1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips (I prefer Nestles Simply brand)

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Whipped Cream Frosting Ingredients:

Chilled Mixing Bowl (trust me... if it isn't chilled you could end up with soup instead of frosting if the bowl is too warm)

1- 14 oz can of Coconut Cream (full fat chilled in the fridge upside down overnight)

1/4 -3/4 cup Powdered Sugar (pending on sweetness preference and texture)

1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)

3 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder Special Dark (or regular cocoa powder if you don't like dark)

1/4 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

To make the Cupcakes:

Preheat Oven to 350 F. Line the cupcake pan with liners ( I spray coconut oil spray on the pan and liners, gives a slight crisp to the outer shell of the cupcake). In a large bowl whisk the water, applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar together. Then let sit for at least 10 minutes, whisking again around 5 minutes in. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in your mixing bowl while you wait. Pour the wet into the dry and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips (if 1/2 cup isn't enough for you, then add until you think it's right... NEVER let anyone tell you how many chocolate chips you should have lol). Only fill the liners between 1/2 and 3/4 full, I use an ice cream scoop for even distribution. Bake about 20 minutes or until the center is done, check with a wooden toothpick. If the middle collapses (they do about half the time for me) use the handle of a wooden spoon and hollow out the center, then fill with frosting and top with frosting. I tend to do that anyway as I love the frosting to cupcake ratio to be more evenly distributed. Let cool on cooling racks completely before frosting... the frosting WILL MELT if not completely cool. They tend to taste better the next day if you can stop yourself from eating them all in day one. I like to clean my cupcake tools while waiting for the wet to complete setting time. After I put the cupcakes in the oven, I like to clean everything. I only have one mixing bowl, so I clean it and then put it in the fridge to chill during the full baking time. To cool my cupcakes fast, I put them on their cooling rack then into the freezer while I make the frosting.

To make the Frosting:

As stated on the ingredient list, chill the FULL FAT coconut cream overnight in the fridge with the can upside down. Do not shake the can. Flip the can over right side up and open it. Then scoop out the hardened cream on top. There will be fluid on the bottom ( you can use it for smoothies or whatever else you can think of), but for this recipe, it is not needed. If you did not get the full fat it is likely the cream did not harden. You can try to thicken it with tapioca flour however, I was unable to manage that. But I have heard it is possible. Place the cream in the chilled mixing bowl. Add in the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder until it stiffens. IF the frosting is too thick put in your vanilla extract. If it is the right consistency I wouldn't bother with it as it is optional. Fold in the unsweetened coconut flakes. I like to put the frosting in and on the cupcakes immediately then keep them in the fridge. You can do that or keep the frosting in the fridge until you are about to serve the cupcakes.

P.S. To make them alcoholic:

You just need coconut-flavored vodka. In place of the vanilla extract put in the vodka on both the cupcakes ( you can double the amount if you want to) and frosting. If your frosting gets too soft add a bit more powdered sugar or tapioca flour to thicken it back up.