Dairy Free: Coffee Cupcakes

I do love me a coffee cake. Mid-morning, they're just about the best thing that can happen. These here are like eleven o'clock desk treats of happiness. Perfect if you need a pick me up (or if you don't; we want cake and we want it now). Because they contain no lactose, they're also deliciously light and perfect for anyone avoiding dairy.

Creamed coconut is super useful for dairy free cakes; you can find it in rectangular cardboard packets usually in the world food aisle of most supermarkets.

Dairy Free Coffee Cupcakes (makes 14-16 cakes)
You will need:
For the cakes:

• 125g creamed coconut 
• 100ml almond or soy milk 
• 100g caster sugar 
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten 
• 175g self-raising flour 
• 1 heaped tsp instant espresso powder (or 50ml strong coffee) 

For the icing:

• 2 tbsp icing sugar 
• 1 tbsp strong coffee 
• Dark chocolate (check to make sure it's lactose / dairy free) and coffee beans, to decorate

Make it!
The cakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F/ Gas Mark 4. Grease a 12 hole cupcake tin with coconut oil. (I used a silicon tray, but you might want to use paper cases in a metal tin). 
2. Warm the almond milk in the microwave or on the hob. 
3. Break the creamed coconut up into a bowl and pour over the almond milk, stirring until it has reached a creamy consistency. 
4. Pour into a large mixing bowl, along with the caster sugar, and beat together. 
5. Add half the egg, along with a tablespoon of the flour and beat again. Repeat with the rest of the egg. 
6. If using espresso powder, make up with 50ml of hot water into strong coffee. Stir into the mixture. 
7. Gently fold in the remaining flour until there are no streaks remaining. 
8. Spoon into the cupcake tray, filling 2/3 full. 
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean. 
10. Cool in the tin until ready to ice. 

The icing:

1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. 
2. Add the coffee and stir until the sugar reaches a thin paste. 
3. Spoon over the cooled cakes, and decorate with some grated dark chocolate and coffee beans.