Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
Author: 
Serves: 12 cupcakes
 
All ingredients should be room temp so the coconut oil doesn't seize up.
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups white spelt flour or Candace uses all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened plain oat milk (Candace uses soy milk)
  • 1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 packet of natural 100% plant-based food coloring, I used Color Garden's (the book recommended ¾ teaspoon red gel-based food coloring, but that is not Pamela-approved!)
  • ¾ cup unrefined virgin coconut oil
  • 1¼ cups coconut palm sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • vegan cream cheese frosting, store-bought or recipe in notes
  • organic freeze-dried raspberries and or strawberries, crunched up or blended in a spiced grinder
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt. In a small bowl, stir together the oat milk, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil and coconut palm sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the applesauce and beat until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Slowly add half the flour mixture, then the oat milk mixture, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just blended after each addition.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among the liners, and bake until the tops are just dry to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
  6. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting with vegan cream cheese frosting and decorating with freeze dried raspberries and or strawberries.*
Notes
Vegan cream cheese frosting recipe: whisk together 16 oz vegan cream cheese at room temperature, I used Kite Hill plain almond milk cream cheese + 6 Tablespoons pure maple syrup + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
* You can also blend the freeze-dried raspberries and or strawberries with the vegan cream cheese to create an all pink frosting!
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/vegan-red-velvet-cupcakes-recipe/