Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes

This recipe is inspired by secretly healthy red velvet cupcakes recipe on 'Chocolate Covered Katie', which is this amazing blog dedicated to healthy desserts. Red velvet cupcakes are a family favourite and I wanted to make some that were as delicious as the original cakes without the gluten or sugar.

Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup spelt flour or gluten-free flour plus 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 3 tbsp of cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup of stevia 
• 1/4 cup of cashew cream (see recipe below)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup beetroot juice 
• 2 tbsp water 

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup of raw cashews (soaked in water for at least 2 hours)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of water

Directions:

1. To make the cashew cream, drain the cashews and blend with lemon juice and water until smooth and creamy. 
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a muffin tin with patty cake wrappers. 
3. In a large bowl, sift and combine flour, cacao powder, baking soda and stevia. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and whisk until combined. 
5. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined. 
6. Put batter into each cupcake wrapper (about 2/3 full) and bake for 15 minutes, until risen. Let sit for 10 minutes to cool before removing from the mufin tin.

Left over cashew cream can be used as a delicious dressing for salads.

To ice the cupcakes, use vegan cream cheese or low-fat cream cheese whisked with some stevia to make a tangy icing.