dairy + gluten free: salted chocolate lavender cupcakes & whipped honey coconut cream

Morning, noon, and night. Recipes. For love potion, for disaster. Or for, well, cupcakes fit for the food intolerant that are fit for everyone as well. I’ve done my fair share of gluten free & dairy free baking due to an affection for a few of those afflicted by allergies, celiac, or a tender conscience. It’s not common place, but I do it. Gladly, really. In the end it’s all just science, this chemical reacting with that and heat, heat, heat. And then you lick your fingers, leave crumbs. It’s all cake in the end. You’ll like these. They aren’t “good for gluten free vegan”. They’re just good.

When Tiffany & Kappel decided to come down for a visit we brain stormed on a friendly food for baking. No dairy, no gluten, no eggs between the two of them. At first I voted nougat, but damn eggs. I recalled some vegan cupcakes I’d baked for a bridal shower in a different life. We decided to make them our own with coconut oil, hemp seed milk, and lavender. I’d always wanted to whip coconut cream, so that was a simple solution for frosting. The vegan’s chantilly if you add agave instead of honey. But I went with honey.

Baking with Tiffany in my kitchen is quickly becoming one of my favorite past times. We listen to old Phil Spector recordings (The Cystals & Ronettes are favorites) and do the twist. No pretense. No boring, boring agendas. Just two chicks that really get a thrill out of baking stuff, standing on ladders, holding their breath, and photographing said baked goods. Match made in heaven.

I’m enjoying making a home of this Tennessee house while I’m here. I’ve been popping down to my favorite breakfast place/coffee shop The Farmer’s Daughter & Copacetic Coffee for my daily cortado. Taken yoga back up again. Gone to dinner with my mom, aunt, and sister-in-law. Really succeeded at being human these past few weeks. But all the while a road is winding in the back of my mind. Geometric airport light looms. Days alone stretch out before me. Foreign tongue & coin jangle. I like this home thing. But I fidget still for the adventure. I’m so happy I can have my (vegan, gluten free) cupcakes and eat them too.

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Yield: 12 cupcakes

These cupcakes are gluten free, dairy free, vegan—you name it. Pretty much anyone can eat them. Omit the honey & substitute agave in the frosting to make the whole thing vegan. But whether your are dietary restricted or an unapologetic omnivore (such as myself), you will enjoy these cupcakes. The frosting is dangerously addictive, and if you don't tell people, I'm guessing they wouldn't even know that these are gluten & dairy free.

Ingredients

• for cupcakes
• 250 grams (2 cups) AP Gluten Free Flour (can sub regular flour, just omit the xanthan gum)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender, ground to a powder
• 270 grams (1 1/3 cup) granulated cane sugar
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 320 grams (1 1/3 cup) hemp seed milk (can sub coffee, water, almond or coconut milk), room temp
• (150 grams) 1/2 cup 2.5 Tablespoons melted coconut oil, room temp
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• for frosting
• 2 cans full fat coconut milk
• 85 grams (1/4 cup) raw honey (sub agave, about 3 tablespoons, for honey to make it vegan)

Instructions

1. The night before making these (or at least five hours prior) put the cans of coconut milk in the fridge. They need to chill completely for the frosting.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake papers. I lightly grease them with a propellent free, non-stick spray.
3. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, lavender, sugar, and cocoa powder to combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl combine the hemp seed milk, coconut oil, vinegar, and vanilla. It's imperative that the milk not be cold, or the coconut oil will solidify. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine.
4. Fill each cupcake tin with 1/3 cup batter, and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean save a few clinging crumbs. It shouldn't be wet.
5. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting or it will melt.
6. While the cupcakes cool, make your frosting. Turn your chilled cans of coconut milk upside down and open them with a can opener. Pour out the liquid. Scrape the solids left into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy on high, add the honey or agave, and then whip to combine thoroughly. Alternately you can use an electric hand mixer.
7. Frost the cupcakes with the whipped coconut and garnish with a few lavender buds if you like the taste of lavender, otherwise skip this as they can be strong. Now go forth and convert the doubters of gluten free, dairy free baking. Because these please everyone, not just the food intolerant. I would know, being a doubter myself. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from Chef Chloe's Chocolate Cupcakes