These cupcakes are delicious but they take quite a long time to make, so be prepared for that! You can buy applesauce from the shop, but I prefer making my own but I’m sure they’d turn out just as well. These cupcakes are a little stodgy due to the nature of the applesauce, so you might want to experiment with adding a little more baking powder, but I like them as they are. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

For the applesauce

3 medium sized apples (preferably of different varieties such a braeburn, cox etc.)

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp sugar

For the cake

100g/4oz vegan margarine

100g/4oz caster sugar

100g/4oz plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract/essence

Apple sauce (that you made using the recipe above)

For the icing (optional but better with!)

75g/3oz butter

175g/3oz icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

For the applesauce

Wash the apples then peel, core and slice them Bring the apples to the boil, then gently simmer for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain the apples, then, using a hand blender/potato masher or spoon, mash the apples into a thick puree, then add the cinnamon and sugar, mix well Place in the fridge to cool

For the cake

Preheat oven to 180c/Gas mark 4 Place 12 muffin cases into a muffin tray. Beat the vegan margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy Add the applesauce and mix in well Add the vanilla essence Carefully fold in the flour and baking powder Add the mixture to the cupcake cases, put them in a muffin tray and place in the oven. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes (check regularly to see if they’re done after 20 minutes with a cocktail stick, if the stick comes out clean, they should be done). Lift them out of the muffin tray and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the icing (optional)

Cream the butter with the vanilla essence and the icing sugar until you have a smooth butter cream. When the cakes have cooled down, add the icing over the top, then sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of the icing. Eat and enjoy!