Because your loved one deserves to experience some of the sweetest things life has to offer. Enjoy these Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Vanilla Frosting on Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion!

It’s a winter wonderland outside! With so much snow tricking down all day, it almost looks romantic. Since Valentine’s Day is only a couple of days away, I’m convinced that the universe is trying to set the mood for all the cozy lovers out there. Either that or our climate is just getting worse, but oh well.

These chocolate cupcakes were a dream both in my mouth and belly! I actually catered these to a client and they were also a hit. When you combine vegan approved ingredients into a cupcake and add in some extra fiber, you’re in for a sure win. That’s what these cupcakes were, a total win.

I have a pop up shop coming up in about a week and I am both nervous and super excited! I’ve never done a pop up shop before so I am happy that I get the opportunity to showcase samples of my healthy baked goods for others to try! I will keep your lovely faces posted with more updates. Wishing you all an amazing week!

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup light spelt flour (or whole wheat flour)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
3-4 tablespoons flaxseed meal (not seeds)
¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar
¾ cup organic cane sugar
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or grapeseed oil)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Raspberry Vanilla Frosting:

*1 cup organic powdered sugar
4 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup mashed fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk almond milk, apple cider vinegar, sugar, oil and vanilla extract on medium speed.

3. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, flaxseed meal and sea salt into the bowl. Sifting in the dry ingredients prevents the batter from getting lumpy.

4. Using a ¼ measuring cup, fill the cupcake liners with the cupcake batter. Place the cupcakes in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

5. When ready, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool on the counter for 1 hour. In the meantime, place all frosting ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on medium speed until the frosting thickens. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and transfer the frosting into the refrigerator until the cupcakes have completely cooled.

6. When ready, transfer cupcakes onto a cooling rack and frost your cupcakes with a piping bag or a spatula. Enjoy!

*Note: If you would prefer a sugar free option for the frosting, I would recommend using Stevia powdered sugar as a powdered sugar substitute. Simply blend 1 cup of stevia powder with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder until a powder-like consistency forms. However, I will advise that the frosting won’t taste the same as regular frosting. Some people are used to the taste of stevia which would make this sugar free option a hit for them. Some others may not be a fan of the taste of stevia in the frosting. The choice is yours!