Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup strong, very hot coffee
½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup Cold-Pressed Sunflower Oil
½ cup Liquid Muscovado Sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine all the liquid ingredients and whisk.
- Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth and homogeneous. Using two spoons, divide the batter among the paper liners. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Pistachio Buttercream
Ingredients:
½ cup vegetable butter
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp pistachio paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla essence
Water, as needed to achieve the desired consistency
Preparation:
- Beat the vegetable butter in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until light and fluffy.
- Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth.
- Add the pistachio paste and beat.
- Add the lemon juice and vanilla essence and beat again.
- If necessary, gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the buttercream is smooth and fluffy.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.