Isa Chandra Moskowitz says: “These cupcakes are like when it’s summer and you want something cold and refreshing, but you eat a cupcake instead! The cake is a bright burst of lemon, and the buttercream is only four ingredients and so strawberry-forward. Picture a million strawberry and lemon emojis here.”

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

150g granulated sugar
240ml rice milk, at room temperature (or favourite nondairy milk)
120ml refined coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
120ml fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
190g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

For the strawberry buttercream:

165g fresh strawberries, chopped, stems removed
180ml refined coconut oil, softened at room temperature
410g confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 strawberries, halved, for decorating

Method

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Vigorously beat together sugar, milk, and coconut oil until it resembles applesauce. Mix in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Sift in about half the flour, all the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. Mix until relatively smooth. Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth and no large lumps remain.

Lightly spray the liners with nonstick cooking spray and pour batter into the liners, about three-quarters full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Make the buttercream: in a food processor, puree the strawberries. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and beat with the coconut oil using an electric mixer. Gradually add the confec¬tioners’ sugar, scraping the bowl as you go. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy. If the buttercream seems loose, place in the refrigerator to set a bit, then fluff with a fork.

Spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes using the back of a spoon (or your preferred method). Top each cupcake with a strawberry half!

From I Can Cook Vegan by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (£22.99, Abrams Books), out now

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