Vegan Beet Cupcakes

Another recipe from CSA member Maureen Contini that she brought to us at breakfast in the summer.

2 medium beets
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup raw turbinado OR granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola or melted coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup + 1 heaping Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
Scant 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 + more for topping
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 375°F, remove the stem and most of the root from your beets, and scrub and wash them underwater until clean.
Wrap beets in foil, drizzle on a bit of canola oil, wrap tightly, and roast for one hour or until a knife inserted falls out without resistance. They should be tender. Set in the fridge (in a bowl to catch juice) to cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, either finely grate or puree beets in a blender (adding orange juice or water to encourage mixing). Measure out 1/2 cup and set aside.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the almond milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup beets and beat until foamy.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a sifter and slowly sift it into the wet ingredients while mixing with a hand-held or standing mixer. Beat until no large lumps remain.

Pour batter into liners, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Do not try and unwrap them or they will stick to the paper.

Dust with cocoa and serve.

From: Minimalistbaker.com