Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups All-purpose flour, sifted
  • 0.5 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 0.75 cup Coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp Sea salt
  • 0.5 cup Plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
  • 0.5 cup Avocado oil
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup Hot brewed coffee
  • 1 cup Fresh strawberries, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice
  • 8 oz Neufchâtel cheese, chilled
  • 1 cup Fresh strawberries, pureed and reduced to 0.25 cup
  • 1.5 cups Organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 0.5 tsp Vanilla bean paste

Instructions:

  1. Reduce the pureed strawberries for the frosting. Simmer over medium-low heat until the puree has reduced to 0.25 cup, achieving a thick paste. Cool completely.
  2. Macerate the filling by combining the finely diced strawberries with maple syrup and lemon juice. Set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin (plus 2 extra liners). Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until emulsified. Gradually stir in the hot coffee to bloom the cocoa notes.
  5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  6. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Using a cupcake corer, remove the center of each cupcake. Fill the cavities with the cooled macerated strawberry filling.
  8. Beat the chilled Neufchâtel cheese with the 0.25 cup of concentrated strawberry paste. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste, whipping until stiff peaks form. Pipe onto cupcakes using a star tip.