Dairy-free

Name: Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Buttercream
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar); 2 large eggs, room temp; 1/4 cup plant-based milk; 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 heaping cup mashed banana (3-4 medium bananas); 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) plant-based butter, softened; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 4-5 Tbsp plant-based milk; 1/2 cup white granulated sugar; 1/4 cup water; 1/4 cup coconut cream (from a shaken can); 1 cup whole pecans

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

May 1, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Fluffy and moist Banana Cupcakes topped with a simple vanilla buttercream and mouthwatering (and optional) caramel pecans! These dairy-free cupcakes can easily be made vegan or gluten-free, and if you like banana bread then you will love these!

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

Who doesn’t love a fresh piece of banana bread? Top that with a delicious buttercream frosting and portion it into individual little cakes? Yes, please! These banana cupcakes are the perfect way to utilize your browning bananas, and they’re made extra special with the frosting and caramel pecans.

If you’ve made banana bread before, then you’ll find this recipe to be very similar. The dairy-free frosting comes together like any other American buttercream – you’ll beat the plant butter with vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and plant milk. I promise it’s very simple!

How to make the caramel pecans:

For the caramel pecans, you’ll whip up a simple dairy-free caramel by boiling water and sugar until it reaches a deep amber color. You’ll want to use a medium heavy-bottomed sauce pan, and once the water and sugar are in your pot, you don’t want to stir it or touch it at all (this prevents unwanted crystals from forming).

Once the water and sugar caramelize to a deep amber color, you’ll remove your pot from the heat and immediately (and slowly) pour in the coconut cream. I like to shake my can of coconut cream and have it all measured out and ready to go.

Then you’ll put the caramel back on the heat and bring the temperature up to between 235°F and 245°F (soft ball stage) – this will make the caramel set to a chewy texture. Immediately toss your pecans in the caramel and then lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet to set. Do your best to separate the individual pecans while the caramel is still hot, so separate them right away – I like to use a fork (don’t touch the hot caramel!). The caramel will cool/set quickly, so your pecans will be set by the time you’re ready to frost your cupcakes.

Some of the ingredients + substitutions for these Banana Cupcakes:

All-purpose flour can be replaced with a GF all-purpose blend. For extra fluffy cupcakes, you can use 3/4 cup AP flour + 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (one of my faves!).

Cinnamon adds depth to these cupcakes and I don’t recommend skipping it! I like to use Saigon cinnamon.

Sugar adds necessary sweetness. You can use coconut sugar, raw cane sugar, or white granulated (cane) sugar.

Eggs add fluff to these cupcakes. For vegan or eggless cupcakes, you can use 2 flax eggs instead. Mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp warm water; mix and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.

Coconut cream (for the caramel pecans) is my favorite dairy-free milk for caramel. If you don’t follow a DF diet, you can use regular cream.

Yield: 12 Regular Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Buttercream

Moist and fluffy banana cupcakes topped with a classic vanilla frosting and mouth-watering caramel pecans! These simple cupcakes are just the excuse you need to put those bananas on your counter to use.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Cupakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
2 large eggs, room temp
1/4 cup plant-based milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaping cup mashed banana (3-4 medium bananas)

Vanilla Buttercream

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) plant-based butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4-5 Tbsp plant-based milk

Caramel Pecans

1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut cream (from a shaken can)
1 cup whole pecans

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and eggs. Whisk in the milk, oil, vanilla, and mashed banana. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix until no flour pockets remain.
Fill the cupcake liners/wells 3/4 full with the batter. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out with a few crumbs.
Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then carefully pull them out and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the caramel pecans (optional):

Prepare your coconut cream by shaking the can or (if solid) heating it until it's liquid. Measure out the coconut cream and set it up next to a folded dish towel/hot pad holder and wooden spoon (to mix the hot caramel).
Set up a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside (to cool the caramel pecans later).
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and water, swirling gently until the sugar is soaked. Bring the mixture to a boil and heat until it reaches a deep amber color - this can take up to 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on the sugar because once it begins to darken, it cooks quickly and can easily burn. Do not, at any point, stir or agitate the sugar while it's boiling (this prevents crystals from forming).
Immediately remove from the heat and place on your folded towel. Slowly pour the coconut cream into the mixture, stirring gently as your pour. Be careful as the hot caramel will bubble up!
Once the coconut cream is mixed in, place the caramel back on the burner and bring to a boil, using a candy thermometer to monitor the heat. Bring to the soft ball stage, 235°F to 245°F, and then immediately remove from the heat.
Add the whole pecans and gently toss in the caramel. Spoon them onto your parchment-lined baking sheet and use a fork to separate the pecans. Allow the pecans to set.

Once the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar. Beat in 3 Tbsp of the milk until combined.
Continue adding milk by the teaspoon until your frosting reaches a smooth, pipe-able, and stiff consistency. I like to take a knife or icing spatula and swirl the frosting in the bowl to test the consistency. If you're able to create swirls that stay in place, then your frosting should be good to go. If your frosting isn't stiff enough, add a little more powdered sugar, or add a little more milk if you can't easily swirl it.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and immediately top with the caramel pecans or other toppings. I recommend frosting and decorating these cupcakes the day you plan to serve/eat them.
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For a stiffer frosting, replace 2 Tbsp of the butter with vegetable shortening
For less frosting, cut the recipe by 1/3: 1 stick butter + 3 cups powdered sugar + 1 tsp vanilla extract + 3-4 Tbsp plant-based milk
For vegan cupcakes, use flax eggs in place of eggs. Mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp warm water; mix and allow to thicken for 5 minutes
For gluten-free cupcakes, replace the all-purpose flour with a GF all-purpose blend

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing (dairy-free)

April 29, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Sweet and tangy lemon cake in donut form! These Lemon Cake Donuts are topped with a simple (and equally tangy!) Lemon Icing. They’re quick and easy to make, and they’re a perfect treat any day of the week. Donuts on a Wednesday, anyone?

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

These lemon donuts are everything you want in a lemon dessert: tangy, light, and perfectly sweetened, and I love them. You all know how much I love chocolate (see here), but these donuts are irresistible – even for a chocolate lover like me! If you like lemon, then I have a feeling you will love these and also find them hard to resist!

These donuts come together by mixing the dry and wet ingredients separately and then combining them. If you’ve made baked donuts before, then you may be used to a thick, pipe-able batter. This batter, however, is thin enough to easily pour into your greased donut pan. I promise these donuts couldn’t get easier! And if you’re wondering, yes, these donuts are basically cake, which makes them totally delicious (and more fun to eat!).

Some of the ingredients + substitutes to make Lemon Cake Donuts:

All-purpose flour is the only flour I’ve tried for these donuts. If you’re wondering how to make them gluten-free then I recommend a GF all-purpose flour blend.

Cornstarch creates a more tender, cake-like donut. Instead of looking or feeling like a muffin, these donuts really are like cake!

Eggs bring fluffiness to these donuts. I haven’t tried any egg alternatives in this recipe, but I recommend using flax eggs if you’re looking for a vegan/egg-less recipe. 2 flax eggs = 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water; mix and allow to thicken for five minutes.

Oil adds much needed moisture. I’ve tested this recipe with melted coconut oil and olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable oil. If you decide to use melted coconut oil, it’s important that the rest of your ingredients be room temperature, including the eggs and milk.

Agave adds both moisture and sweetness. It’s sweeter than cane sugar and has a low GI. It’s better for you than honey or maple syrup, though either of those liquid sweeteners would be a fine replacement.

Sugar adds necessary sweetness. Feel free to use your favorite granulated sugar – raw cane, refined white cane, coconut, etc.

Lemon juice + zest add lots of natural lemon flavor! I recommend buying 5 or 6 lemons to juice and zest for this recipe. Zesting involves using a microplane or fine grater to grate/zest the yellow lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white underneath. Feel free to add as little or much as you’d like – you can even add it to the icing.

Yield: 12 Regular Donuts

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

Sweet and tangy baked donuts flavored with fresh lemon juice and zest! These irresistible lemon cake donuts are topped with a simple lemon icing and couldn't be more delicious!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Donuts

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plant-based milk
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup agave
1/4 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest from 2-3 lemons

Lemon Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

Instructions

Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your donut pan(s) with nonstick spray (I used olive oil spray).
In a large bowl (I like to use a large glass bowl with a pour spout for easy transfer of the batter to the donut pan), sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a large whisk and then set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the milk, oil, agave, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Add liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix with a large spoon or spatula until no flour pockets remain; stir in the lemon zest.
Pour the batter into the donut pan wells, filling them nearly to the top. Bake donuts at 350°F for 8-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out with a few crumbs.
Let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn the pan over onto a cooling rack, banging the pan lightly on the rack (or in the air) until all of the donuts release. Turn donuts right side up and allow them to cool. If you have more batter, bake the rest of the donuts now.
Once your donuts are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Mix until no sugar lumps remain, adding more lemon juice 1/2 tsp at a time until you have a thick but pourable icing. When you lift your spoon up, the icing "ribbons" should take around 3 full seconds to disappear.
Dip the top of each donut into the icing, submerging it until the icing fills the hole. Lift up, shake the excess icing off, and then flip the donut right side up to set on the cooling rack. Alternatively, you can spoon the icing over the tops of each donut (this method is definitely easier!).
Top your donuts with lemon zest (I used dried lemon zest that had been zested the day before), sprinkles, or coconut flakes and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies (dairy-free)

April 24, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

These soft and chewy strawberry sugar cookies are naturally flavored and topped with a delicious, dye-free strawberry icing! They’re the perfect cookie for your Spring-time berry cravings!

Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies

We love eating berries at our house. For us, Spring and Summer mean lots of fresh, affordable berries at our local supermarkets, so our refrigerator is always well-stocked. And, for me, berries = Spring! Around this time last year, I attempted to make these strawberry sugar cookies and then forgot about the recipe. Now that it’s Spring time again (and we’re enjoying berries on the daily) I felt inspired to re-bake these strawberry cookies and share them with you all – this time adding a sweet strawberry icing!

Now for these cookies, you actually won’t use fresh strawberries; you’ll need a small bag of freeze-dried strawberries, which pack a bigger flavor punch. And since they’re dried out, you don’t need to worry about adding too much moisture to your cookies.

What are freeze-dried strawberries?

Freeze-dried strawberries are crunchy, dried, and perfect for adding big flavor to your baked goods. The process of freeze-drying removes all the moisture from the fruit but does not leave it frozen. Freeze-dried strawberries are not the same thing as frozen strawberries! You can usually find freeze-dried strawberries in small bags close to the dried fruits and nuts at your local grocery store. If you’re in the U.S. you can find them at Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and Target.

How to make Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Grind up the freeze-dried strawberries using your favorite food processor or blender. If you have neither, try adding the berries to a plastic baggie and smashing them with a rolling pin, or use a mortar and pestle to grind them up. For these cookies, the smaller the chunks, the better – you’re looking for a coarse powder.
Make your cookie dough by combining the wet ingredients and the strawberry powder. Then combine the dry ingredients. You’ll use a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula to mix everything together.
Allow your dough to sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes so that it can dry out just a bit. This way it becomes less sticky and easier to handle.
Bake the cookies for only 6 or 7 minutes. That’s right – you don’t need to bake them for long! The cookies will puff up and crack slightly.
Ice the cooled cookies. Use a spoon to swirl the icing on top of each cookie – you want the icing to be just thin enough that it spreads smooth but thick enough that it won’t drip off your cookies.

Some of the Ingredients + Substitutes for Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies:

Flour is the main component of these cookies. I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour. If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, I recommend a GF all-purpose blend.
Egg + egg yolk both keep these sugar cookies chewy and soft. The extra yolk brings moisture for maximum chewiness! I don’t recommend any substitutes.
Sugar is what makes these sugar cookies! I like to use raw can sugar as it’s what we keep stocked in our pantry, but you can use regular white cane sugar or even coconut sugar (though coconut sugar will result in brown cookies).
Vegetable oil adds tons of moisture and chewiness to these cookies. I like to use avocado oil or light olive oil. I don’t recommend coconut oil for these cookies.
Freeze-dried strawberries are processed/ground/blended into a powder to give these cookies their strawberry flavor and beautiful icing! For this recipe, you need to use powdered freeze-dried strawberries – do not attempt to use fresh strawberries as that will add too much moisture to these cookies.

Yield: ~16 Cookies

Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Soft and chewy strawberry sugar cookies topped with strawberry icing! Naturally flavored and dye-free, these strawberry gems are the perfect Spring cookie!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Cookies

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup cane sugar (raw or refined)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberry powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Strawberry Icing

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
~2 Tbsp plant-based milk

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix in the freeze-dried strawberry powder and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients and use a large wooden spoon to work the ingredients together - the dough may seem dry at first but keep mixing*.
Allow the mixed dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, which gives it time to dry out a bit and make it easier to handle. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll dough balls 1 1/2 Tbsp in size. Bake eight at a time on your prepared baking sheet for 5-7minutes at 350°F. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack. Continue until all cookies are baked.
Once your cookies are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, vanilla extract, and 1 Tbsp of the milk. Mix until combined. Then add more milk, 1 tsp at a time, until you've got a thick glaze - when you drizzle the glaze on itself, it should take a few seconds for the ribbons to disappear.
Spoon the glaze/icing onto each cookie, using the back of your spoon to spread the icing over the cookie surfaces. Enjoy right away or allow icing to set.
Store any leftovers in a single layer in an airtight container, being sure you don't store them until the icing is set.

Notes

*if your dough still seems dry, you can add a tiny bit of water - 1/2 tsp at a time - until the dough comes together

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats (dairy-free)

April 10, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats

My toddler has been on a marshmallow kick lately. And by that I mean she’ll randomly think about marshmallows, talk about marshmallows, ask for a marshmallow, and pretend she’s roasting marshmallows on a stick (we’ve never actually done this). Every time we go down the baking aisle and see the bags of mallows, she begs for me to buy some. Whenever I give in (an undoubtedly let her eat a few in the car), I’m left with a bag of marshmallows that’s 95% full and taking up precious pantry space.

This time I decided we would make rice krispie treats. They’re easy. Sort of fun for her (because she gets to eat marshmallows while we “bake”). And they’re one of those treats that us ’90s kids get all nostalgic about. Oh, and they can easily be made dairy-free – or vegan with the right brand of marshmallows – with plant-based butter. And since I’ve been so into orange here lately, I figured we’d spice things up a bit by adding fresh orange zest to these treats. The end result is a delicious, orange-spiked rice krispie treat that tastes like an orange creamsicle. In other words, so much flavor bang with hardly any extra work. Yes!!

Most marshmallow brands have the same (or extremely similar) recipe on the backs of their bags. My recipe follows this standard, aside from a few extra mini marshmallows added in at the end and, of course, the orange zest. While you’re melting the marshmallows into the butter, you’ll add in fresh zest from three medium oranges. Once the marshmallows are melted, you’ll mix in the cereal and extra mini mallows, and then all you’ve left to do is gently press the mixture into a greased baking dish! Then slice and enjoy your gooey, orangey marshmallow treats!

More citrus recipes:

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes (vegan option)

Soft Iced Lemon Cookies

Soft & Chewy Orange Sugar Cookies

Orange Loaf with Almond Buttercream (vegan option)

Yield: 9-16 Treats

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats

Gooey rice krispie treats made with fresh orange zest and extra marshmallow! A super quick and easy dessert easily made dairy-free or vegan.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups marshmallows (10oz bag or 45 large mallows) + 3 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup vegan butter
Zest from 3-4 medium oranges
6 cups crisp rice cereal

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8" dish or pan with non-stick spray. Then add parchment paper - cut one long piece and fold the excess over the two sides for easy removal of the treats.
In a medium bowl, toss together the rice cereal and 3 cups of mini marshmallows; set aside.
In a large sauce pan or stock pot, melt the vegan butter over medium-low heat. Add the 6 cups of marshmallows and zest from 3 oranges and stir until the marshmallows are totally melted.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the rice cereal/mini mallows until everything is well combined.
Scoop the mixture into your prepared baking dish/pan. Use the back of a greased spoon or spatula to gently press the mixture into the pan - I spray mine with non-stick spray. You want to press the mixture into an even layer without over-pressing it (this would create harder, more compact treats).
Top the treats with the leftover orange zest (from 1 orange).
Allow the treats to cool/set for at least 10 minutes before slicing into 9 or 16 squares. For perfect slices, remove the whole dessert from the pan and slice on a cutting board.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

I bought two bags of marshmallows for this recipe. In total you will need 9 cups of marshmallows.
The extra mini marshmallows are optional but I totally recommend adding them for ultra marshmallow goodness!
For vegan treats, use vegan marshmallows

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Chocolate Coffee Donuts with Coffee Icing (DF + vegan option)

March 31, 2020 by Rachael Ng 2 Comments

There’s something about a sprinkled donut that will always lighten my mood. It’s a tense time in the world right now, and we’re avoiding leaving our house as much as we can. This means we’re definitely not going out of our way to stop by the local donut shop. These Chocolate Coffee Donuts totally hit the spot, though, and they’re better for you than what’s traditionally found at a shop. A bit of work? Yes. But I promise you that homemade baked donuts are actually so easy!

Since these donuts are baked in a donut pan, they really could not get easier. The directions are like other quick bread recipes where you’ll mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine them. Once the donuts cool, it’s time to dip those babies in some coffee flavored icing!

It’s easiest to mix the icing in a cereal bowl – you want the bowl to be deep enough to dip the donuts. Then go slow, dipping the top of each donut until the glaze fills the hole. Lift the donut up and let the extra glaze drip off, shaking the donut a little to help. As long as your icing is thick enough, it shouldn’t drip or run down the side of your donuts. You’ll want to sprinkle the donuts after each donut dip to ensure the icing doesn’t set before you can get your sprinkles on.

Yield: 12 Donuts

Chocolate Coffee Donuts with Coffee Icing

Baked chocolate donuts flavored with plenty of cocoa and strong black coffee. A sweet, coffee-flavored icing (and chocolate sprinkles!) tops the donuts to balance the deep coffee flavor.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

Donuts

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup plant-based milk
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt
2 large eggs (or flax eggs)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Coffee Icing

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
~3 Tbsp plant-based milk
1-2 tsp instant coffee granules (to taste)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Bake the Donuts

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a regular donut pan with non-stick spray - I like to use olive oil spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and honey. Whisk in the milk, instant coffee, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Finally, stir in the applesauce and set the wet ingredients aside.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients and use a large spoon or silicone spatula to gently mix the batter until no flour pockets remain.
Spoon or pipe the batter into the greased donut wells - I like to add my batter to a piping bag (no piping tip necessary) for clean and easy filling - and fill each well to the top.
Bake donuts at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Allow donuts to cool in the pan for five minutes and then turn the pan over to release the donuts onto a cooling rack.
Allow your donut pan to cool completely and then repeat steps 4-5 for the remaining donuts.

Ice the Donuts

Once all of your donuts are baked and totally cooled, you can begin making your icing. In a small, microwaveable bowl, combine 3 Tbsp warm milk with 1-2 tsp instant coffee granules; set aside.
In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and stir. Add the milk/coffee 1 tsp at a time until your icing reaches a thick yet pourable consistency - it's important that the icing isn't too thin since we want a decent layer of icing and not a thin glaze.
Carefully dip the top of each donut in the icing, allowing the excess icing to drip off. Turn each donut right side up and immediately sprinkle with the topping of your choice. I like to do this one donut at a time so the icing doesn't set before I can get my sprinkles on! If your icing starts to get too thick, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds to thin it out.
Enjoy the iced donuts immediately. I don't recommend icing these in advance. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

These donuts are best to eat the day you bake them. If you live in a warm climate (or your home is on the warmer side) you'll want to store the iced donuts in the refrigerator.
For vegan donuts, use 2 flax eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water, allow to thicken for five minutes

Dairy-free

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

How to make the caramel pecans:

Some of the ingredients + substitutions for these Banana Cupcakes:

Ingredients

Banana Cupakes

Vanilla Buttercream

Caramel Pecans

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

Meanwhile, make the caramel pecans (optional):

Once the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting:

Notes

Recommended Products

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Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

Some of the ingredients + substitutes to make Lemon Cake Donuts:

Ingredients

Lemon Donuts

Lemon Icing

Instructions

Recommended Products

Did you make this recipe?

Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies

What are freeze-dried strawberries?

How to make Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Some of the Ingredients + Substitutes for Iced Strawberry Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients

Strawberry Cookies

Strawberry Icing

Instructions

Notes

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

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Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats

More citrus recipes:

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Ingredients

Donuts

Coffee Icing

Instructions

Notes

Recommended Products

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