Party cupcakes with cacao butter icing

When you think of birthday parties, the first thing that comes to mind is CAKE! Of course, growing up and going to friends’ parties, I couldn’t eat the cakes on offer and would turn up with my own little package of homemade cupcakes and other goodies.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 80g Lucy Bee coconut oil, softened
• 80g unrefined caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g gluten-free flour
• 1-2 tbsp almond milk

For the butter icing

• 65g cashew nuts, soaked in cold water for 2 hours
• 3 tbsp cacao butter, melted
• 2 tsp honey
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 10g Lucy Bee coconut oil
• 3 tbsp warm water

Method

1. Preheat the oven 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 12-cup cupcake tray with paper cases.

2. Put the coconut oil and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat using an electric whisk. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour, adding the milk if the mixture is too thick, then spoon into the cupcake cases. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool completely.

3. Place all the icing ingredients except the water in a blender and blitz until smooth. Slowly add the water until it reaches a butter icing consistency. Leave to stand in a cool place, before piping over the cupcakes.

4. Any leftover icing can be stored in the fridge, or frozen.

From Coconut Oil: Nature’s Perfect Ingredient. Recipe text © 2015 Lucy Bee Limited.