OK, so I’m a little bit slow off the mark here but The British Bake Off has started once again, which obviously means that my Bake Off Series will recommence! I can’t believe that this will be the third year that I’ll be doing this and I’m so looking forward to it again this year! I’ve been absolutely obsessed with watching Bake Off for as long as I can remember, even before really getting into baking myself. I just love how incredibly creative and talented everyone is; it’s so inspiring!
Week one was cake week and so naturally, I decided that this would be the perfect excuse to whip up some cupcakes. I can still remember making my fist batch of cupcakes by myself. Admittedly, they didn’t exactly resemble those pictured in my cook book, but it did spark a passion for baking and decorating cupcakes in the future. I used to love buying the tubs of ready made Betty Crocker icing and getting all fancy with different piping nozzles and fondant flower decorations!
Whilst these cupcakes are obviously a little different from the ones I started off making all those years ago, I’ve chosen to keep the recipe super simple and straight forward for a really quick and easy bake. They’re light, fluffy, sweet & fruity, as well as being completely gluten, dairy and refined sugar free! Whilst alternative baking can pose a bit of a challenge at times, I really enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and baking methods.
Ingredients
- 100g vegan butter
- 100g coconut sugar
- 100g gluten free flour
- Tbsp Arctic Berries Blueberry Powder
- Tsp baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 2 whole eggs
- 4 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 3 Tbsp honey (can be subbed for maple syrup or agave)
- Non-dairy milk as needed
Method
Preheat your oven to 180c and line a cupcake tray with cases (or grease with a little vegan butter)
I like to use a food processor for this, but you can also mix everything by hand.
In a food processor, combine the vegan butter and coconut sugar and blend these until well combined. Crack in the eggs and blend again.
Now, add in your flour, berry powder, baking powder & salt and give everything one last blend so that you’re left with a nice, smooth cake batter.
Transfer this into your cupcake tray and pop into the oven to bake for around 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow these to cool completely whilst you make the icing.
In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter and honey until smooth and creamy. Gradually drizzle in a little non-dairy milk whilst mixing, to create a thick, velvety frosting.
Ice each of the cupcakes with your peanut frosting and garnish with toppings of choice. I’ve added some delicious fresh figs here, as they’re currently in season.
