Chocolate Amaretto Cupcakes

RECIPE: Lindsay and Taylor Landis, Love and Olive Oil

Photo: Lindsay Landis

August 04, 2010

The chocolate cupcake, with an almondy twist.

Lindsay and Taylor Landis were looking for a little extra something to add to their favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and hit jackpot with amaretto in the batter and frosting.

Ingredients

Yield:12

Cupcakes
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. amaretto
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. almond meal or finely ground almonds
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
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Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
2 1/2 – 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1-2 Tbsp. amaretto liqueur
2 Tbsp. heavy cream or soy creamer

Tools:muffin pan, bowl

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, oil, amaretto, and vanilla extract and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and mix until no lumps (or very few) remain.

Pour into liners, filling each with about 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting, cream butter until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in cocoa powder, along with 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in amaretto to taste. Continue adding sugar 1/2 cup at a time, adding cream as necessary, until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.