Amazingly Awesome GF Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Maple Cream Frosting

Vegan's easy, but gluten-free, too? With perfect crumb, spongey texture and rich chocolatey goodness, you'd never know this cupcake was both (and delicious, too!).

I've been tweaking this recipe for years and have finally come up with a foolproof combination of cakey, moist crumble that works well as cute little cupcakes. I usually make this for birthday cakes and other special occasions (i.e., Mother's Day), but I think this recipe worked even better this way and I may just make it the standard from now on. It's really quick and simple, too.

Amazingly Awesome Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Maple Cream Frosting

2 cups Red Mill all purpose gluten-free flour
1 cup white rice flour
6 Tbl cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
2 Tbl apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups Sucanat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with 24 cupcake papers. In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together wet ingredients and Sucanat. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps. Evenly distribute batter among 24 cupcakes. Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until center is springy when touched.

Coconut Maple Cream Frosting

(These are rough estimates)

1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine
1/4 cup Tofutti cream cheese
2 cups organic powdered sugar
1 Tbl maple syrup
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Using a mixer, cream margarine and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and cream together with margarine and cream cheese. Add maple syrup and cream with remaining powdered sugar until thick and spreadable. Refrigerate a half an hour before icing cupcakes. Sprinkle tops with shredded coconut.