Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes

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Recipe by: Forks Over Knives

Ingredients 

Serving size:
12 cupcakes

• 1 lb. strawberries, hulled

• 1 cup pure maple syrup

• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice

• Sea salt

• ½ cup almond flour (from blanched almonds)

• ¾ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice

• 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1¼ cups oat flour

• ¾ cup sorghum flour

• 2 teaspoons regular or sodium-free baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ cup almond butter

• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 2½-inch muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside six nice strawberries for garnish.

2. In a blender puree the remaining strawberries. Strain puree through a fine-mesh sieve; discard seeds.

3. For frosting, place 1 cup of the strawberry puree in a small saucepan. Add ¼ cup of the maple syrup, the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook over low 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced by a third, stirring occasionally. Transfer sauce to a bowl; whisk in almond flour. Let stand 30 minutes. Place in a blender; cover and blend until creamy. Return to bowl; cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, for cupcakes, in a large bowl stir together milk, flaxseed meal, and vinegar. Let stand 10 minutes. In a second bowl whisk together the next four ingredients (through baking soda) and a pinch of salt. Add almond butter, vanilla, the remaining ¾ cup maple syrup, and the remaining strawberry puree to the milk mixture; mix well. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Stir gently until well combined.

5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack; cool completely.

6. Spread frosting onto cupcakes. Slice reserved strawberries. Top cupcakes with strawberry slices. Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve.

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