Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate & Vanilla Buttercream
 
 
Makes 12 cupcakes. Buttercream recipes are for 12 cupcakes each.
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Ingredients
Cupcakes
  • 200 grams unbleached all purpose flour*
  • 1 cup organic granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk (warmed to room temperature)
  • ½ cup organic refined coconut oil, melted**
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream
  • ⅓ cup organic refined coconut oil, solid
  • 1½ cups organic powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened, natural or Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
  • ⅓ cup organic refined coconut oil, solid
  • 1½ cups organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plain, unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • sprinkles for topping (optional)
Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to almond milk and set aside. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a large bowl. Sift flour mixture 4 more times. (Do not skip this step, thoroughly sifting the flour is essential to achieving a light, cakey texture.)
  2. In a large bowl combine sugar, vanilla extract, almond milk and melted coconut oil. (Before adding almond milk make sure it is at room temperature or else it will cause the coconut oil to harden. Warm in the microwave in 10 second increments if it is cold to the touch.) Thoroughly whisk together all ingredients.
  3. In three additions, add flour mixture to wet ingredients, whisking thoroughly after each addition to break up any clumps. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners. Using a ¼ measuring cup, divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cupcakes will only be very lightly golden on the top.
  4. Remove cupcakes from tin and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream
  1. Combine coconut oil, cocoa powder, almond milk, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar and beat on medium-high with a double whisk hand mixer. Add remaining cup of powdered sugar in 2 increments. Continue to beat on medium-high until buttercream is light and fluffy.
Vanilla Buttercream
  1. Repeat process described for Chocolate Buttercream.***
  2. Frost cupcakes using an offset spatula or knife. Top with sprinkles. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If it's particularly warm in your kitchen, keep cupcakes in the fridge and remove about 20 minutes before you plan to eat them to allow the buttercream to soften back up.
Notes
* Use a kitchen scale to weigh the exact amount of flour. If you do not have a kitchen scale, measure out approximately 1¼ cups, plus an additional 2 tablespoons flour by scooping with a measuring cup and leveling off the top.
** Refined coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Unlike unrefined coconut oil, it does not have a strong coconut smell or flavor.
*** If your powdered sugar and cocoa powder are at all lumpy, sift them through a fine mesh sieve (whatever you used for the flour & cornstarch) before adding to the coconut oil.
**** If coconut oil is too soft/melty, place in the fridge for five minutes and then continue to beat with the hand mixer. Even once thoroughly mixed, you may notice a few tiny clumps of coconut oil in your frosting (only visible in the chocolate buttercream). It's ok, cover them up with sprinkles!
Recipe by The Mostly Vegan at https://www.themostlyvegan.com/vanilla-cupcakes-with-chocolate-vanilla-buttercream/