Lemon and Coconut Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 210g/7 1/2 oz 1 3/4 cups plain/all-purpose flour or gluten-free
- 2 tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 140g/5 oz/3/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 30g/1oz 1/2 cup desiccated/shredded coconut, plus extra to decorate
- 250ml/9fl oz/1 cup coconut milk or almond milk
- 125ml/4fl oz/1/2 cup safflower oil
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
Icing
- 90g/3 1/4 oz/1/3 cup vegan margarine
- 4 tsp almond milk or plain soy milk
- Finely grated zest of 1 lime, plus extra to decorate
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 250g/9oz/2 cups icing sugar
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F/Gas 4 and line 14 muffin cups with paper cases. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and coconut. Pour milk into a separate bowl and add the oil, almond extract, vanilla paste and vinegar. Mix well, then pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Divide the mixture among the paper cases until three-quarters full. Bake for 18 minutes, or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, put the margarine, milk, lime zest and juice in a large mixing bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Beat, using a whisk or hand-held electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Swirl the icing on to the top of each cupcake. Top with a sprinkling of coconut and lemon zest, and serve.
