Chocolate-Amaretto Cupcakes

Source: http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2009/09/chocolate-amaretto-cupcakes.html

For the cupcakes:

1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. amaretto liqueur (see our Sept/Oct 2010 issue for a homemade recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. almond meal or finely ground almonds
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

For the frosting:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
2 1/2 – 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1-2 Tbsp. amaretto liqueur
2 Tbsp. heavy cream or soy creamer

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, oil, amaretto and vanilla extract and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and mix until no lumps (or very few) remain.

Pour into liners, filling each with about 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting, cream butter until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in cocoa powder, along with 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in amaretto to taste. Continue adding sugar 1/2 cup at a time, adding cream as necessary, until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.