YOU'LL NEED:

⅔ cup almond milk + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (this is your plant-based buttermilk alternative)

1 cup self-raising flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1½ tsp baking powder

¼ cup vegan butter

½ cup coconut sugar

⅓ cup applesauce (can also use blended tin pears or apples)

2 -3 pots of Fancy Plants Chocolate Silky Pot

Vegan Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup vegan butter

2 ¾ cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp almond milk

Food colouring + toppers if desired

Here's how:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°c and line cupcake tin with liners.

2. In a medium bowl, hand mix the vegan butter and coconut sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the applesauce and combine. Next, add the vegan buttermilk, and stir to combine.

4. Gently add the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Combine, but be sure not to over mix the batter.

5. Pour the batter into cupcake liners, filling the liners 1/2 of the way. You should get about 8 cupcakes in total.

6. Place a generous heaped dollop of Fancy Plants Chocolate Silky Pot (aka lava) to each cupcake. Place the remaining cupcake batter on top of the lava.

7. Bake cupcakes in the oven at 170°c for 25-30 mins, depending on desired gooeyness.

8. If eating right away: Remove cupcakes from the oven and let cool for 2-3 mins in the cupcake tin, then dig in and enjoy that oozing lava centre.
   If icing: Remove cupcakes from the oven and let cool for 5 mins before transferring to a cooling rack. Once the cupcakes are cooled completely, begin making the frosting.

To make the vegan buttercream frosting:

1. Combine the vegan butter, icing sugar and almond milk.

2. Beat the mixture until pale and fluffy (add food colouring if needed).

3. Fill a piping bag and make the final touches on your cupcakes.

Serve and enjoy!