Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
I wish I could tell you how many times I tested this recipe before getting it right, but I lost count. However, my husband told me tonight, that I had perfected it.
The chocolate buttercream icing on these cupcakes blends so well with the lightly sweetened taste of the strawberries in the cupcake. I'm not sure if I like the cupcake or the icing the best, but the blend of the two is divine. And bonus...no artificial ingredients. Unfortunately, so many mixes use artificial ingredients to produce a fruit flavor, but making your own from scratch is really just as simple!
These would be delish for any celebration or for your own private "I need a cupcake" party!
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
makes 10 cupcakes
ingredients
icing:
3/4 cup organic palm oil shortening
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut flour
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips {enjoy life brand}
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
cupcake:
4 eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup freeze dried strawberries, coarsley chopped
directions
preheat the oven to 350º and line a muffin pan with 10 parchment muffin cup liners.
for the icing: in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together palm oil shortening & honey. add in vanilla, salt & coconut flour & mix well, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
in a double boiler, melt chocolate chips & coconut milk, then pour melted chocolate into the mixture with the shortening. mix well, scraping sides until chocolate is thoroughly blended.
place icing in a jar in the refrigerator for at least one hour. {this icing can be made a couple of days in advance so if it gets too firm in the fridge to spread, just set it out on the counter for a little while until it softens}
for the cupcake: place wet ingredients in a blender & pulse 3-5 times until combined, then add in flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. blend for about 30 seconds on low, ensuring that flour is completely mixed in.
stir in freeze dried strawberries with a spoon. pour cupcake batter into parchment cups & bake 15-17 minutes, testing the middle of cupcakes with a toothpick to make sure they are done.
allow to cool 20 minutes before icing. store in the fridge for up to 4 days.