Vegan German Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
• ½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup granulated cane sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup almond milk mixed with 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (to make vegan buttermilk)
• 2 Tbsp ground chia seeds, mixed with 6 Tbsp water (to make vegan eggs)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut Pecan Frosting

• 1 (7.4 oz) can sweetened condensed coconut milk
• ¼ cup vegan butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch, whisked with a few Tbsp water
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and a muffin pan with baking cups.
2. Spread the pecans on the prepared baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chop and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a larger bowl, cream together vegan butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in vegan buttermilk, chia eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended.
5. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined, do not overmix. Batter will be thick.
6. Fill each baking cup about ¾ of the way full. Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
7. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, heat vegan butter, coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch slurry, and salt. Whisking constantly, bring to a low boil, continuing to whisk until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans, coconut, and vanilla. Allow to cool before frosting cupcakes.

Cupcakes may be frozen up to 3 months.

Makes 12 cupcakes

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