Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

Apparently this week is National Cupcake week – a slightly tenuous reason for a celebration if you ask me, but then again the cake tin was looking all empty and lonely, and any excuse to bake is good ;-).

Earlier in the week I bought some rather delicious late-season local strawberries and really wanted to incorporate some into these cupcakes – to be honest, a little food colouring and/or strawberry essence would have increased the overall ‘strawberries and cream’ effect, but this natural version still gave a berry vibe to a basic iced cupcake

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes (dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan)

makes 12

• 1/2 cup oat milk
• 1/4 cup strawberry puree
• 1/4 cup soya yogurt
• squeeze of lemon
• 1/3 cup sunflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• large pinch of salt

– Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 4

– Line a muffin tray with cupcake cases

– Mix together the soya yogurt, lemon juice, oat milk and strawberry puree. Whisk in the oil.

– In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt. Stir in the sugar.

– Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until thoroughly combined.

– 2/3rds fill the cupcake cases with the mix.

– Bake for 20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

– Cool on a wire rack.

– Once cool, decorate with fluffy velvety white buttercream, strawberries and chocolate chips.