Cacao Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream

Recipe by Vibrant Plates

Surprise your loved one with these Easy Cacao Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream. Vegan base and a delicious strawberry cream!

Ingredients

• 1½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cacao powder
• 0 of salt
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup milk of choice
• ½ cup sunflower seed oil
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 150 g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 50 g sugar
• 250 ml whipping cream
• 125 g mascarpone cheese
• decoration of choice (such as sugar hearts or fresh strawberries).

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F (fan oven to 160°C / 320°F. Line a muffin tin with paper molds.
2. For the {vegan} base: In a bowl place flour, baking powder, cacao powder, pinch of salt and sugar. In a separate bowl mix together vanilla essence, milk and oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. Now add vinegar and mix it in quickly and immediately pour the mixture into the baking tin and place in the oven. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, then remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool down completely.
3. For the cream: Whip whipping cream, then add mascarpone and combine well. Place into the fridge to set. In a pan, add strawberries and 50g sugar and cook on medium, stirring regularly, until the strawberries reduce and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. When cooked, puree with a stick blender and set aside to cool. Add the cooled strawberry puree to the mascarpone cream and combine well.
4. Decorate your cupcakes: Put strawberry cream in a decorating bag, cut of the bottom corner and squeeze the cream on top of the cupcakes. Then add topping of choice, such as sugar hearts or fresh strawberries on top. Repeat until all the cupcakes are decorated.

View the recipe instructions at Vibrant Plates