Patriotic Vegan Cupcakes

Fourth of July is a time near and dear to the heart of my childhood. It was the one time of year where I was permitted to play with fire. Our family didn’t have the money for return trips to the fireworks stands and I was the youngest of four which meant only a few firecrackers for me. So sometimes after our fireworks were spent, I was content just to walk around with the punk, the soft sticks they give out for free at firework stands. Punks burns slowly, allowing the person lighting off fireworks several blasts per punk. “Punk” was also a term of endearment bestowed upon me by my older siblings.  Me and my punk – two of a kind bringing a slow-burning light to the world.

That’s how we celebrated Fourth of July in a small town of less than a thousand people in a somewhat rural area of Missouri. I don’t live in that same small town and I no longer hang around with punks. Now, I find new ways to celebrate the origins of our country and it doesn’t usually begin with a trip to a firework tent. Instead I head up to the grocery store; followed by a few repeat trips when I realize more ingredients are needed.

The thrill I seek today is a burst of flavor; delighting the senses in a more savory (or sweet) manner. We continue to gather with family each year to celebrate this time-honored tradition but my goal for the day is usually to fix the best bowl of vegan potato salad that I can or to create some new, spectacular dessert to dazzle my little vegan family – my hubby and my daughter.

This year I decided to make Fourth of July Cupcakes. What could be better than bite-size red, white, and blue deliciousness! In the process, I created one of my favorite vegan vanilla cake recipes to date. It’s something I’ve been working on for some time — creating a vanilla vegan cake that didn’t fall in the middle. Eggs are not easy ingredients to replace, especially in cakes. But I think the challenge is well worth the effort because I feel the end result is a more peaceful and healthier cake.

I found the explosion of flavor I was looking for by adding a teaspoonful of raspberry jam to the cupcakes before baking adding a nice, colorful touch to the cupcakes. I also flavored the Cream Frosting by using So Delicious Coconut Milk Hazelnut Creamer. What a nice touch!

This punk offers you all a happy and safe Fourth of July.  I think I’ve found a new way of spreading that slow-burning light – sharing recipes for healthier ways to eat that add a little balance in the world. I hope you’ll agree when you try these cupcakes with just the right balance of crispiness on the outside, tender cake in the middle and raspberry goodness throughout.

Patriotic Vegan Cupcakes

• 1 batch Easy Vegan Vanilla Cake
• 1 batch Hazelnut Cream Frosting
• Raspberries, elderberries, or blueberries for garnishing

Fourth of July Cupcake Assembly

After the cupcakes have cooled, cover them with the Hazelnut Cream Frosting. Place 3 fresh raspberries on the top of each cupcake. I happened to have some eldberries on hand which I placed in the center of each cupcake, but if you don’t have any of those handy, you can use blueberries as well. The combination of colors and flavors work very well together.

Final step? Enjoy!