Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes with Raspberry Glaze

For me, Valentine’s Day is all about love…. 💘 Love of chocolate, that is. That’s completely acceptable, right? However, my love of chocolate is quickly being edged out by Dandies Marshmallows. They’re so light and fluffy, made from all natural plant based ingredients and nothing artificial. Plus, the marshmallows are dressed in cute little bow ties on the bag 😂

I took a cue from Black Bottom Cupcakes, which are chocolate cupcakes with a flowing cream cheese center, and decided to use Dandies instead. The result? Moist chocolately cupcakes with a sweet and slightly chewy center, topped with homemade raspberry glaze and a dollop of cream cheese. Oh, and it’s super easy to make, and vegan & gluten free. I mean, it’s crazy that I’m single. Unless, this guy counts as my boyfriend…

Totally 💋 He thinks everything I do is great. Like these magical cupcakes. Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, but a simple brown rice flour or garbanzo bean flour would also work well)
• 1 cup coconut sugar + 2 tsp for the glaze
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Dandies Mini Vanilla marshmallows
• 1/4 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
• 6 oz container of fresh raspberries
• vegan cream cheese (I used Go Veggie)

And here are the 8 simple steps to an easy, delicious Valentine’s Day treat 💝

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper cups or coat with oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Stir together until blended.
4. In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, cook the marshmallows and creamer until it’s melted and has a fluffy consistency. Stir often to ensure the marshmallows don’t stick to the pan.
5. Fill muffin tins 1/3 of the way full with cupcake batter. Drizzle a couple spoonfuls of marshmallow creme over each cupcake, and top with more batter. Don’t fill all the way because the marshmallows rise quite a bit.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes, allowing the risen marshmallows to sink back down.
7. Put the saucepan back on medium-low heat and add the raspberries and 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until you have the consistency you want (about 5 minutes).
8.  Plate the cupcakes, spoon the glaze on top, and finish off with the cream cheese.

If you’ve got plenty of time to make these cupcakes, I would suggest making Dandies Marshmallow Fluff to use in the center or even as a topping. And if you need other dessert ideas, they’ve got some great ones, like these Heart-Shaped Crispy Treat Sandwiches. Yum! You can find Dandies at Whole Foods, Central Market, and most other natural food stores.

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💖

Jillian 💗