Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Did you know that May is National Strawberry Month? Seriously, the last thing I need is another reason to eat strawberries.

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It doesn’t matter what month it is, I just can’t resist these bright red, intoxicatingly sweet and juicy berries. I especially love them fresh and perfectly ripened, smothered in whipped cream on top of fluffy vanilla cupcakes…I mean really, how can you go wrong with that combination?

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I have been wanting to make these cupcakes well before May or National Strawberry Month arrived and I attempted to make them gluten-free at first, which didn’t work out so well. So I opted for a vegan version instead and this time things worked out very well.

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So well, in fact, that Brandon made the bold statement that they were close to beating out my Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Well, I don’t know about all of that but these were pretty dang tasty.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes (Vegan)

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Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (1 tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons) or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened or 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Coconut Cream Icing**

  • 1 (13.5 ounce) can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk; chilled overnight in the coldest part of your refrigerator
  • 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced

Makes 10 cupcakes **For a great step-by-step tutorial on how to make whipped coconut cream, check out Angela’s post. I personally found it helpful to place the coconut milk all the way in the back of my refrigerator, overnight, to assure it solidifies properly. You can shake the can to feel if it is still liquid or not before opening. I also rinsed one of the bowls and mixing spoons after making the cupcakes and placed them in the freezer for about ten minutes before using them to make the icing. Keeping everything nice and cold really helps to thicken the coconut cream better.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease or place paper liners in a muffin tin.
  2. In a measuring cup, combine the almond milk with the vinegar and allow to sit for at least five minutes so that it is able to curdle.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, arrowroot powder or cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  4. Grab a separate large bowl and cream together the Earth Balance* and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for about a minute or until a slightly fluffy texture is achieved. Add-in the vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
  5. Then alternate adding small portions of the almond milk and flour mixtures while stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula in between mixing. Be careful not to over-mix the batter.
  6. Once all of the ingredients are well combined, fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full.
  7. Bake for 2o to 22 minutes and allow to cool before icing.
  8. To make the icing, remove the coconut milk from the refrigerator and flip the can upside down.
  9. After opening with a can opener, drain the excess liquid that is on top (you can save the liquid to cook with or make smoothies later). You should see a nice chunk of “cream” left at the bottom of the can. Scrape the cream out into a (preferably cold) large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer on high until whipped cream texture has formed.
  10. Add the powdered sugar along with the vanilla extract and continue to beat until mixed well.
  11. Add the diced strawberries to the coconut cream and spoon the icing on top of the cupcakes. If you are concerned with presentation, you can also add strawberry pieces on top of the whipped cream icing to make them nice and pretty.

These are best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one day. Although, I’m sure you won’t have a problem consuming them all the first day.

 

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