Valentine's Day is nearly here and with that comes a lot of romantic ideas that can get expensive quick! So I wanted to share an affordable option for a fun Valentine's Day dessert for you and the one's you love without breaking the bank!
Valentine's Day Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
FRESH STRAWBERRY VANILLA CUPCAKE FILLING:
- 3/4 cup raw cane sugar or agave nectar
- 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
- 10 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries to garnish are optional, I opted to cut strawberries into heart shapes for a little Valentine's Day fun dessert! Plus I personally decided to add a little red food coloring to make the frosting pink!
INSTRUCTIONS:
CUPCAKES:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt then set aside.
- Next finely chop or puree your strawberries and set aside in a small bowl to fold into batter.
- Mix the sugar and coconut oil together, mixing together until completely light and fluffy. Then slowly adding the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Slowly start adding the flour mixture and the milk until fully combined. Finally carefully fold the chopped strawberries into the mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes. Set the muffins aside to cool and let the muffins cool completely before adding the icing.
FROSTING:
- Beat butter for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time until combined.
- Finally add the vanilla extract and food coloring mixing completely.
- Place frosting in a piping bag or a make shift piping bag, a sandwich bag with a corner cut off, generously topping each cupcake.
- Garnish with sliced strawberries, if desired or some fun sprinkles!
