Award Winning Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcakes

Chef Chloe's award winning recipe from Food Network's Cupcake Wars. It's a moist vanilla cake soaked with esspresso and amaretto, stuffed with a fresh raspberry filling, ground chocolate, and topped with fluffy tiramisu buttercream. Totally vegan and totally delicious!

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk, non-dairy milk, or water
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Soaking Liquid

• 1/3 cup amaretto
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

Raspberry Sauce

• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup agave or sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of salt

Frosting

• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D' Oro brand. If you can't find espresso powder, you can use finely ground instant coffee.)
• 2 tablespoons amaretto liquor
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil (I use Spectrum Organics brand, but feel free to use any brand that you find at your local natural foods market. If you cannot find refined coconut oil, use non-hydrogenated margarine or shortening.)
• 4 cups organic confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

Garnish (optional)

• 12 fresh raspberries
• 12 small mint leaves
• 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs or ground bittersweet chocolate

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat over to 350.

Sift or whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Combine the wet and dry mixtures and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Distribute batter into lined cupcake baking pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Soaking Liquid

Combine amaretto and espresso powder and set aside.

Raspberry Sauce

In small saucepan, cook raspberries and agave on medium heat on raspberries wilt down. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes a pourable consistency. Remove pot from heat and mix in vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more agave if necessary. Let cool in refrigerator.

Frosting

Combine espresso powder, amaretto, and vanilla in small bowl and mix or swirl bowl until espresso powder has dissolved (about 1 minute). Beat coconut oil in large bowl with an electric mixer for about 1 minute, then add confectioner's sugar and espresso mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired buttercream consistency is achieved. I usually beat on high for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides with a spatula often. Pipe or frost with a knife.

Assembly

Using a spoon, cut out a small hole from the top of each cupcake (scoop out about 1 tablespoon of cake) and discard. In the hole of the cupcake, layer approximately 1 teaspoon of soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon of raspberry sauce, 2 teaspoons of cacao, and piped frosting on top. Garnish with a raspberry and mint leaf. Enjoy!

More of Chef Chloe's delicious recipes can be found on her blog!