Hazelnut Ganache Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting (gluten free, vegan)

makes 20 cupcakes mini cupcakes, 2” / 5 cm

Ingredients for the base:

• 1 cup of oat flour

• 1 cup of coconut flour

• 2 tbsp of cacao powder

• 1/4 cup of coconut or cane sugar

• nice pinch of salt

• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup of applesauce

• 1/2 cup of coconut oil, melted

Ingredients for the ganache:

• 200 gr of dark chocolate, chopped

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of hazelnut milk

Ingredients for the frosting:

• 1/4 cup of melted cacao butter or coconut butter/oil

• 1/2 cup of coconut yogurt or other thick yogurt of choice

• 2 tbsp of toffee/caramel plant based protein or 1 tbsp of maca powder

• pinch of salt

• 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon

• 1tbsp of coconut sugar

1. First, make the ganache. Finely chop the chocolate and transfer to a mixing bowl.

2. Heat the hazelnut milk in a small sauce pan over low heat until it starts to simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Then, gently stir with a whisk until completely melted. Transfer to a container.

3. Next, make the cupcakes. Place the oat and coconut flours, cacao, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the vanilla, applesauce and coconut oil mixing with a spatula until combined into a dough. Or mix using a food processor blending all ingredients until fluffy.

4. Fill the cupcake silicon liners or mould with the base mixture, leaving a small hole on the centre to put the ganache in.

5. Pour a tsp of ganache in each one and place in the fridge until firm.

6. Make the frosting in the mean time by either blending all ingredients together or mixing all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk except the cacao butter and then drizzling that in slowly whisking to incorporate. Transfer to a container and place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

7. Using a piping bag, pipe filling on top of cupcake until an evenly covered.

8. Decorate the top with hazelnut crumble, chopped chocolate or any other topping you may like. Enjoy!

Store the cupcakes in the fridge.

Note: You will have some ganache leftover. Set the container in the fridge to chill for an hour until firm. Scoop out around a tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into balls to make ganache truffles. Roll in cacao powder, coconut, cacao nibs, nut crumble or leave as they are. Store these in the fridge as well.