Mini blueberry raw cupcakes

This time I have prepared not 1, but 2 new recipes of raw cupcakes for you :) These cupcakes are easy to make and are very refreshing on hot summer days. The portion is small, so invite your friends over for a little cupcake party:) They will be for sure happy to taste these healthy cuties with you:D 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes with blueberry "cheese" filling:

For the Crust

- 7-8 medjool dates 
- about 1/4 of a cup of coconut shred* (leftover shred after making coconut milk)

- 10 almonds, soaked overnight

- 4 dried prunes
- 1 tbsp coconut oil

For the blueberry "cheese" filling:
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 3-4 hours
- approximately 50ml lukewarm water

- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp of vanilla 
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (if you like it sweeter, you can add more maple syrup and less water)

*The ingredient list calls for a coconut shred, after making coconut milk. I will explain how to make nut milks in another post :)
 
Preparation:
Start with the crust: place almonds in the food processor until coarse meal is formed. Add the rest and blend until the dough is sticky, but not too watery. When ready, place a handful of the mixture in the middle of each muffin tray. Press the dough with your fingers to the sides, creating a smooth coat around the tray with a hole in the middle. Place the crust to the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the cashews, lemon juice, vanilla and maple syrup to the food processor. Start processing and add a desirable amount of water until a smooth puree is formed.  Pour the cashew "cheese" mix into crust till the top of the tray. Add a few blueberries, pressing some into the cashew mixture. 
Freeze the cupcakes for 3-4 hours until set.

Coconut blueberry ice cream cupcakes
For the crust:

- 1 cup coconut shred after coconut milk

- 1 tbsp maple syrup

- 1 tbsp white almond creme 

- 1 tbps coconut milk

- 1 tbps coconut oil

For the Blueberry ice cream

- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tbps coconut oil, melted

- 3 tbsp coconut milk

- 2 tbsp maple syrup

Preparation: 
Blend all ingredients for the crust in the food processor for a few minutes, until a sticky layer is formed. You can add more maple syrup and discard the coconut milk to have a sweeter crust. Place the mixture in the muffin trays filling till the middle. 
To make the blueberry ice cream, blend all ingredients in the food processor until creamy. Pour the ice cream on the crust and freeze for 3-4hours, until set.

Before serving, remove both types of cupcakes from the freezer and set on the counter top for about 15-20 minutes.The cupcakes stay fresh when frozen for a week.

Enjoy and share with your friends :)  

Birthday cupcakes

I've made these cute cupcakes for a birthday of my partner's daughter... She is super cute and I was trying to make her birthday dessert just as sweet as she is :))

I've found a cupcake set, which is a combination of pink and brown colors.. How do you like them? I find them adorable :)

The cupcakes are very easy to make and don't contain that much sugar as traditional cupcakes, although the frosting does have powdered sugar in it... bur for special occasions like this, I don't mind ;) 
Hint: Nowadays, a wide selection of cute cupcake sets are available. Try one, you will enjoy to dress up the muffins and will be surprised by the huge difference they make:) If you are like me and just can't make the frosting look that perfect, this is the way to decorate the cupcakes ;) You can write on each little label something different and make such a picture with retro effect ;)

I have taken the recipe from this page:

http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2013/02/chocolate-frosted-banana-cupcakes-vegan.html
I used spelt flour instead of white flour, which is a great substitution if you are trying to avoid wheat.
So let's see what will you need to make these cuties:

Banana Cupcakes:
- 3 bananas, mashed (extra-ripe)
- 2 cups white spelt flour, organic
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

- 1 cup sugar, organic
- 1 cup almond milk, vanilla (any non-dairy milk)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider or white vinegar

Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups avocado cubes
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted 
- 1 cup powdered sugar, organic
- 1/4+ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/3 cup cacao powder

 

To make the frosting: 

Mix all ingredients listed for "Chocolate frosting", but leave the powdered sugar and the cocoa out at the beginning. Blend in the food processor until smooth and silky. Slowly add the powdered sugar and the cocoa. Place the frosting in the fridge to cool.

To make the banana muffins:

Preheat oven to 350 degree. 
Combine first the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients: almond milk, vanilla extract, oil and vinegar to the bowl and beat until smooth. Do not use high speed blender. Beat on low.

In a separate small bowl, mash the bananas and sugar together until having a consistency of somewhere between thick, fluffy and spoonable.
Stir in the banana sugar mixture to the other parts. For extra smooth cupcakes you can beat on low for a second time.
Grease the cupcake tin and fill until the top to get 12 cupcakes and the over-spread look, or fill up to 3/4 of the way to get more cupcakes. 

Bake at 180 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool on a tray before applying the frosting.

Decorating the muffins: 

Meanwhile, the coconut oil should have done it's work and make the frosting nice and sticky. Before using the frosting, microwave it for a few seconds, or wait for about 20 minutes. This will help the frosting to become more creamy and flexible. You won't feel the avocados in the frosting, but you will feel the creaminess of them together with the buttery coconut oil ;)
Serve and store on counter top, in a sealed container for up to one day. After than, store cupcakes in the fridge. 

Enjoy :)