Succulent Cupcakes

Plant your very own cactus this Earth Day with these adorable and eco-friendly gluten free Succulent Cupcakes!

Since my wedding back in September, I’ve been in love with the succulent and cactus species. Like, “crazy lady” in love. You know the kind; the one who stops to oooooo and aaaaahhh at each plant in the store; heck I was crossing the street yesterday and saw such a fun new kind of succulent that I held up traffic as I greeted it and introduced myself. And just to answer the question you are probably thinking, yes, I DO hug trees. I can’t help it. So since Earth Day is approaching in a couple of weeks, I wanted to pay homage to my favorite green friends and turn them into cupcake form. I’m not a fondant person nor am I a fancy frosting piper so I needed a simpler cactus option for these Succulent Cupcakes.

Enter the kiwi. A mere skinning of this beautiful green fruit, a few chocolate sprinkles, and a berry on top and now we have the perfect cactus design! I kinda love these cupcakes (yup, “crazy lady” love). I  might even keep a few for my own collection… 

Made with my gluten free vegan chocolate cupcake recipe, using Silk Almond milk gives that extra creaminess to the cake and frosting that these Succulent cupcakes need and deserve. 

Succulent Cupcakes

• Author: Fork & Beans
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. Cara’s Light Flour Blend
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 c. Silk Almond milk, unsweetened
• 1/3 c. oil
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1/2 c. non-hydrogenated shortening
• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. Silk Almond milk, unsweetened

For the Cactus:

• 1 whole kiwi, skinned
• 1 berry (red and yellow raspberries, blackberries)
• dairy free chocolate sprinkles
• cacao nibs for the rocks

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a muffin tin.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
3. Pour into the muffin tin evenly and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back after gently pressing down.
4. Remove from the pan and allow to fully cool on a wire rack before frosting.
5. Whip up all of the ingredients for the frosting together with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
6. Spread frosting on the cupcakes. Place the kiwi on top and immediately coat the edges of the frosting with cacao nibs.
7. Add chocolate sprinkles for the pricks and top with a berry of your choice.

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Notes

These cupcakes are best if eaten immediately.
If you want to make these ahead, make the cupcakes and frosting separately and then assemble right before you are going to serve.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Succulent Cupcake
• Calories: 418
• Sugar: 44.8g
• Sodium: 134mg
• Fat: 15.8g
• Carbohydrates: 70g
• Fiber: 5.1g
• Protein: 3.4g

My favorite part about Earth Day? Finding unique and creative ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. A great way to use up typical items for a different use is to clean out an empty Silk dairy free yogurt alternative container and actually plant a real succulent plant of your own (just make sure you create a small hole on the bottom). They make the PERFECT starter home for your newly formed green friends.

Now that is what I call dual usage! A lovely dairy free treat turned succulent embracer. Happy approaching Earth Day, everyone. 

This is a sponsored This post has been sponsored by Silk. All opinions and text are my own. Thank you for supporting Fork & Beans as we continue to rely on the support of incredible brands to keep this site moving along. You can read more about our sponsors here.

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