goji berry toasted coconut cupcakes

cupcakes - i mean come on who doesn't love cupcakes

they are little personal portable cakes

in honor of heart health & love

these cupcakes are for you

goji berries are said to have healing powers - a super food

possibly able to prevent cancer and heart disease

vibrant pink, tasty and a super food - i would say February is definitely the month to showcase this powerhouse of a berry

combined with toasted coconut it makes a pretty tasty cupcake too

goji berry green tea is steeped in almond milk

adding another layer of flavor

did i mention green tea has the potential to fight heart disease too?

i should have named these "super heart cupcakes"

make 12 - keep one and give 11 away to the special people in your life

baked until golden & a bit soft to the touch

try to fight the urge to over bake these guys

we like our cupcakes nice and moist

icing is made with toasted coconut, finely ground freeze-dried goji berries & powdered sugar

this was my first time experimenting with dried goji berries

boy was i surprised to find when finely ground they were orange-

like 1984 neon orange

at least we can feel good about using natural coloring

versus the stuff that they come up with in a lab

speckled pink orange frosting

or would you call that tangerine?

sprinkled with toasted coconutty goodness

please make these in honor of your heart this month

your heart & your senses will surely thank you

Goji Berry Toasted Coconut Cupcakes

makes 12

you will need:

2 tea bags goji berry green tea ( i used stash)

3/4 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cake flour (3/4 cup flour + 1/4 cup cornstarch)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

4 tbsp vegan butter - softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup soy yogurt

1 cup toasted unsweetened coconut divided

(1/2 cup for cupcakes & 1/2 cup for frosting)

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp vegan butter softened

3 tbsp almond milk

1/2 cup freeze dried goji berries finely ground into a powder

assembly:

pre heat oven to 350*

in a small sauce pan over medium heat warm milk until steaming and add tea bags

steep for 15 minutes and wring tea bags out then toss the used bags

set milk aside to cool

in a medium bowl combine flours through salt- whisk

in a small saute pan over low-medium heat add coconut and toast until fragrant and pieces begin to turn golden brown- stir frequently, careful not to burn

set aside

in the bowl of a mixer cream butter & sugar

add yogurt a 1/4 cup at a time until well mixed

stir in vanilla extract

on stir speed add the flour and milk to the sugar alternating between the flour & milk starting and ending with flour  - careful not to over mix

add a 1/2 cup of toasted coconut and mix until just combined

line a 12 cup cupcake pan with liners

add about 1/3 cup of batter to each liner

bake for 13-15 minutes

or when the top is touched there is a slight give

remove from oven and cool on a wire rack

to make the icing

mix all ingredients in a stand mixer on medium - high speed until thoroughly mixed

frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with toasted coconut

enjoy!

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