Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Made with Let’s Do Organic Heavy Coconut Cream by @the_bananadiaries

These quick and easy vegan strawberry shortcake cupcakes are perfectly fluffy, sweet, and full of fresh strawberries!

Minimal work to make these cupcakes, the batter is ready in 5 minutes and made in just one bowl. 

The dairy free whipped cream is made with Let’s Do Organic Heavy Coconut Cream, which makes it so fluffy and light!

You’ll also never know that these cupcakes are gluten free and vegan!

Topped with fresh strawberries (with no added sugar to the filling) and a homemade dairy free whipped cream frosting, these strawberry shortcake cupcakes are a dream.

They make for the most perfect light and easy summer dessert! Ideal for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or any summer barbecue!

The base of the cupcakes is oat flour! Which makes them totally gluten-free! (just make sure you’re oat flour is gluten-free certified if you’re gf)

Because coconut whipped cream is a little less stable than traditional whipped cream, we recommend keeping the whipped cream in the fridge before piping onto the cupcakes and serving immediately.

You can then easily store the strawberry shortcake cupcakes in the fridge if you have any leftovers!

If you aren’t gluten-free, you can easily swap in all purpose flour. You’ll need either 188 grams if you’re using a kitchen scale (which we recommend), or 1 1/2 cups spoon & leveled.

You can also fill the cupcakes with strawberries instead of topping them. Core the vegan oat flour cupcakes by using a cupcake corer or a spoon and knife. Add the diced fresh strawberries to the middle of the cupcake, and pipe the coconut whipped cream on top!

What are you waiting for? Let’s get baking!

Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Makes: 10

Prep: 10 minutes, plus cooling

Bake: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Vegan Oat Flour Cupcakes:

1 cup (110 grams/mL) dairy-free milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, room temperature

2 cups (188 grams) oat flour

1 tbsp Let’s Do Organic Arrowroot Starch 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar or coconut sugar (see Notes)

1/4 cup (67 grams) vegan butter or coconut oil, room temperatureThese quick and easy vegan strawberry shortcake cupcakes are perfectly fluffy, sweet, and full of fresh strawberries! Minimal work to make these cupcakes, the batter is ready in 5 minutes and made in just one bowl. And the dairy free whipped cream is so fluffy and light! The perfect light and easy summer dessert!

1/4 cup (50 grams) unsweetened applesauce, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract + 1/8 tsp vanilla powder 

6 large strawberries, diced

Vegan Whipped Cream:

1 can Let’s Do Organic Heavy Coconut Cream, chilled overnight

½ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: whipped cream stabilizer, such as Whip it!

Directions:

1. Read through the instructions before beginning, and make sure to measure out all ingredients. 
2. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12 cup-cupcake tin with 10 cupcake liners. Prepare the vegan buttermilk by whisking together the dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. If using a stand mixer, make sure you’re using the whisk attachment. Otherwise, you can use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
3. Make the cupcake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, arrowroot starch,  baking powder, and baking soda until combined. Set aside. Add the vegan butter to a large bowl or a stand mixer bowl, along with the sugar. Use a hand mixer or the stand mixer to cream together until the sugar has almost dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add in the unsweetened applesauce and vanilla extract (and optional vanilla powder), and cream again until combined. Sift in half of dry ingredients and half of the vegan buttermilk mixture, and use the stand mixer or hand mixer to mix together on medium speed. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture, and mix only until the dry ingredients have JUST combined. 
4. Bake the cupcakes: Use a large cookie scoop or a spoon to fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 of the way full. Place the cupcake tin into the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Another way to test this is the tops of the cupcakes should be lightly golden and the cupcake should spring back at a light touch.
5. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before making the vegan whipped cream. While the cupcakes are cooling, make sure that the strawberries are diced.
6. When ready to make the coconut whipped cream, scoop the coconut cream fat into the bowl, making sure that the water stays in the can. Reserve the water on the side as needed and/or to use in a smoothie.
7. Use a hand mixer and cream the coconut cream fat in the bowl for 2-3 minutes, until whipped.
8. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract (and the whipped cream stabilizer if using), and use the hand mixer to cream the whipped cream again, for at least 5 minutes. The coconut cream should be fluffy and light. If the texture isn’t soft, you can add in 1 tablespoon of coconut water to help.
9. Assemble the cupcakes: Spoon a tablespoon of diced strawberries on top of each cupcake. Pipe or spoon the coconut whipped cream on top.
10. Serve and enjoy!