Coconut, Lemon & Red Rice Cupcakes

Heat your oven to 340˚F/170˚C. Line a standard muffin pan with 6 cupcake liners or use silicone cupcake molds on a baking tray.

Make your flax “egg.” Mix flaxseed powder with 2 Tbsp of water and let it soak for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut oil, coconut sugar, coconut milk, the flax egg, lemon juice, and 7 to 8 drops of the essential oil. Whisk until smooth.

In another medium mixing bowl, sift in the red rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of pink salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are well-mixed.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a hand whisk, whisk for 1 minute until smooth. Do not over-beat the batter, or your rising agents will settle to the bottom.

Divide the batter between the molds — do not fill to above ¾ of the way up. Bake for 20 minutes and check if a toothpick comes out clean. The cupcakes may take up to 25 minutes to be done. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for half an hour.

To make the cashew cream frosting: While the cupcakes are baking, add the soaked cashews to your blender and add a splash of warm water to help blend them into a smooth paste. Add the coconut milk, cashew butter, coconut sugar, and the essential oil. Blend again for about 2 to 3 minutes until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency. Gently stir in the zest and desiccated coconut. Cool the frosting in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and sprinkle them with a bit of zest and coconut. If you want to use a piping bag, fix the nozzle, add the frosting to the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. The frosted cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.