Warning: You are venturing into a domain of dangerously delicious dessert. There will be blood, nuts and more! Your only way out is to dive right in, which you will gladly do once you know all the treats behind the tricks. Inside these “blood”-splattered cupcakes are actually comforting spices, like cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. And that ghostly white topping? It’s merely a mask of coconut milk. As spooky as they may look, these vegan orange-pistachio cupcakes have nothing you’d be scared to eat.
“Blood” Orange-Pistachio Cupcakes
Cupcakes
1 ¾ cups oat flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cardamom
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
Zest of half a medium naval orange
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 ½ Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
2 ½ Tbsp. almond butter
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. coconut sugar (optional)
¼ tsp. cinnamon (optional)
Raspberry Couli “Blood”
1 pint raspberries
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Directions
- Place coconut milk in fridge for several hours or overnight to chill.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the first nine cupcake ingredients (all dry).
- In a separate, large bowl, mix together remaining cupcake ingredients (all wet).
- Fold dry ingredients into wet and mix until just combined.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into prepared cupcake pan.
- Place pan on a baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes. Cupcakes should bounce back a little when gently pressed.
- Let cool at least 1 hour while you prepare the whipped cream and raspberry “blood.”
- For the coconut whipped cream, open the coconut milk upside down. Pour the liquid into a bowl or container to save for later (smoothie, anyone?).
- Carefully scoop out the thick, solidified cream left in the can. Spoon it into a mixing bowl or stand mixer, making sure not to get any of the liquid mixed in. Liquid will make it more difficult to get the whipped texture you want.
- Turn your mixer to high speed and whip coconut cream 3-5 minutes, or until it becomes light and fluffy and soft peaks form.
- Stir in vanilla, coconut sugar and cinnamon. Whip some more until well combined. Taste and adjust sweetness accordingly with more vanilla or cinnamon.
- Place coconut cream in fridge to set until ready to use.
- To prepare the raspberry “blood,” place raspberries in a bowl and blend/mash gently with a fork or back of a spoon. Strain through a sieve, using a ladle to push the juice through.
- Add maple syrup to bowl of raspberry juice and stir. Adjust sweetness, as desired.
- Once cupcakes are fully cooled, frost them with coconut whipped cream. Dip clean fingertips into raspberry “blood” and flick fingers over cupcakes to create a splattered look.
- Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve.