Recipe Revealed ~ The Most Delicious Dairy-Free Chocolate Cupcakes I've Ever Eaten

So I promised you the recipe for my insanely deliciously dense chocolate cupcakes (no dairy!)... Here it is. Get ready.

~ Chocolate Cupcakes (dairy-free) ~

50g self-raising flour

50g ground almonds

30g cocoa powder

140g golden caster sugar

a pinch of salt

1 egg

200ml coconut milk (half a can)

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

For the frosting:

Whipped coconut milk and cocoa frosting

or

300g icing sugar, sifted

100g dairy-free spread/goats butter

40g cocoa powder, sifted

40ml rice milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Line a cupcake tray and set aside.

In a bowl, sift together all dry ingredients and mix well.

In another bowl, combine wet ingredients.

Slowly add wet bowl to dry bowl and mix well until fully incorporated.

Spoon mixture into the cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 mins (I like mine to have a bit of a gooey fondant-esque centre so I take them out after 15 mins.  If you like yours well done, bake for 20 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean).

A few words on frosting:  Dairy-free frosting can be tricky.  If you are substituting butter for a dairy-free alternative (which tend to have more of a soft margarine-like consistency) it can be much harder to achieve a firm frosting that keeps its shape once piped.  Make sure you refrigerate the frosting for a good hour or two before attempting to pipe, or alternatively, simply slather it on, Hummingbird Bakery style.  If you're using goats butter, the consistency will be fine, as if you were using regular butter, but watch out for a very subtle goaty kick!  I personally don't mind this, and if you're the kind of person who likes cream cheese frosting, you probably won't even notice.  Another option for frosting, my current favourite in fact, has a whipped coconut milk base (see above link for recipe).  You'll need to have a bit of foresight for this though as the opened, unshaken can of coconut milk needs to be in the fridge overnight to get sufficiently firm.  No impromptu cupcake baking with this method I'm afraid.

So there you have it my friends.  My secret recipe is out.  Spread the love.  Sharing is caring.  And above all, enjoy!