Lavender is the colour of the moment. Everywhere I look when we are out walking the dog I see wild lavender growing out of rocks.
Or the beautiful wisteria that has decided to bloom all at once. Just in time for Easter.
I wanted to make something sweet for Easter and that for me that means chocolate. I had an idea in my head of chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, sprinkled with crumbled up Flake (to look like a nest) and little mini eggs inside the nest.
The thing is that tidy, delicate and uniform is not my forte. Also, if it doesn’t work the first time, it’s never going to happen. So when my first attempt at a mini egg chocolate flake nest looked like a six year old had been let loose in the chocolate cupboard, I actually considered inventing some children and blaming them.
Already bored of the chocolate nest idea I started playing around with the icing and some of the lavender I had picked that morning. It turns out that the lavender ones looked the best, so I spent the next few minutes picking out all of the lavender coloured mini eggs. I don’t know what happened to the other colours, must of been those pesky kids again…
These cupcakes are actually vegan and made with spelt flour. The frosting is also vegan, made with an olive oil spread instead of butter which is why it is a bit softer than proper buttercream icing. As I didn’t know beforehand that I was making lavender chocolate cupcakes I didn’t add any lavender to the cake mix. I have added it into the recipe below but it is up to you whether you do or not.
Chocolate lavender Easter cupcakes
Makes 10-12, vegan (without toppings), wheat-free. Adapted fron Oh She Glows
Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 25 mins
- 1 cup oat milk (or any non dairy milk)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup sugar (raw cane if possible)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups spelt (or wholemeal) flour
- 1/3 cup pure cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1-2 tsp dried edible lavender (optional)
Preheat the oven to 170 C and line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, beat together the milk, vinegar, sugar, oil and vanilla with an electric whisk/mixer for a minute ot two.
Sieve the dry ingredients (except the lavender) into the wet and stir well to get rid of any lumps. Then stir through the lavender.
Transfer the mix to a jug and pour it into the cupcake liners about two thirds to three quarters full for each. Bake for about 25 minutes until the top springs back slowly when pressed with a finger. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 6 tbsp olive oil spread (or equivalent)
- 3/4 cup pure cocoa powder
- 2+2/3 cups icing sugar
- 1/3 cup oat milk (or other non dairy milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream the spread and vanilla together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add 2 tbsp of the milk and whisk again.
Alternate adding the sugar, cocoa and milk a bit at a time until it is all mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to get all of it combined well.
Store in the fridge until ready to use. Don’t start icing until the cupcakes are completely cool. Use a palette knife or piping bag to ice the cakes and decorate as you wish.
