Natural Red Velvet Cupcakes

Natural Red Velvet Cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hour

Yield: 24 mini cupcakes + 3 regular sized cupcakes, or 12-14 regular sized cupcakes.

Ingredients

• - 3/4 cup freshly puréed beets (boiled until tender, then puréed)
• - 1/3 cup oil (I used coconut)
• - 1 1/4 cup sugar
• - 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• - 1 1/4 cup flour
• - 1/4 tsp salt
• - 1 1/2 tbsp natural cocoa powder (NOT dutch processed)
• - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• - 1 cup almond milk (or other milk alternative)
• - CREAM CHEESE ICING
• - 1/4 cup Earth Balance
• - 1 block cream cheese (250g) - use vegan cream cheese to keep vegan
• - 1 to 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• - a splash of vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Mix the beet purée and oil until incorporated.
2. Add sugar, vanilla extract.
3. In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk until incorporated into the batter.
5. Divide among cupcake liners, filling them 3/4 full, and bake for 15-20 minutes (for mini cupcakes) and 20-25 minutes (for regular sized cupcakes) until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle.
6. To make the cream cheese icing, whip together all ingredients (add the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency)
7. Pipe onto cupcakes as desired. The beetroot may discolour the frosting if left for too long, so if you are piping this ahead of time, do not do so more than 24 hours ahead of time.
8. Keep the cupcakes in the fridge and let sit at room temp at least 30 minutes before serving.