Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcakes with Amaretto Sauce

Vegan Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcake

This recipe is from Chef Chloe's blog.  She is an award-winning vegan chef and this particular recipe won her Cupcake Wars!  Although it seems rather long and involved, the cupcakes were really a breeze to make.  I have made some variations to her icing, as her ingredients listed on her website came up short. The cake recipe is actually a very good basic, vegan recipe that can be used for just about anything.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk (or any non-dairy milk)
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

*Soaking Liquid

• 1/3 cup amaretto liquor
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• *Raspberry Sauce
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• ½ cup agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of salt

*Frosting

• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons amaretto liquor
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening or margarine
• 3 cups organic confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

*Garnish (optional)

• 12 fresh raspberries
• ½ cup raw cacao nibs or ground bittersweet chocolate

Directions

    *Cupcakes

1. Preheat over to 350.
2. Sift or whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Combine the wet and dry mixtures and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Distribute batter into lined cupcake baking pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
   *Soaking Liquid
3. Combine amaretto and espresso powder and set aside.
   *Raspberry Sauce
4. In small saucepan, cook raspberries and agave on medium heat on raspberries wilt down. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes a pourable consistency. Remove pot from heat and mix in vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more agave if necessary. Let cool in refrigerator.
   *Frosting
5. Combine espresso powder, amaretto, and vanilla in small bowl and mix or swirl bowl until espresso powder has dissolved (about 1 minute). Beat shortening in large bowl with an electric mixer for about 1 minute, then add confectioner's sugar. Add the espresso mixture to the frosting a little at a time as you beat it. If it is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired buttercream consistency is achieved, about 5 minutes.
   *Assembly
6. Using a spoon, cut out a small hole from the top of each cupcake (scoop out about 1 tablespoon of cake) and discard. In the hole of the cupcake, layer approximately 2 teaspoons of cacao, 1 teaspoon of soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon of raspberry sauce, and piped frosting on top. Garnish with a raspberry and cinnamon. Enjoy!