Sunflower Maca Cupcakes with Vanilla and Chia Seeds

Makes
12

Prep Time (min)
25

Cook (min)
25

Carb Grams (g)
43

Cook Difficult
7

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs (can be replaced with flax eggs or egg substitute)
½ cup sour cream (can be replaced with coconut cream)
1 cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maca powder
Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
1 cup sugar
5 egg whites
4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
Yellow gel-paste food coloring

Utensils

Stand mixer,
Pastry bag
Paper liners,
Muffin tin,
Mixing bowl,

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
First, prepare the cupcakes. In a large bowl, combine together all dry ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a paddle attachment on, beat well on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually, add the flour mixture and continue to beat until completely smooth. Divide the batter between cups filling ¾ of each cup and bake for 20-25 minutes.
When done, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Using a sharp paring knife, cut the top of each cupcake to flatten the surface as evenly as possible. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat well for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag and pipe 3-4 circles of petals over each cupcake.
Fill the middle with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, or chocolate chips and finally refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Sunflower Maca Cupcakes with Vanilla and Chia Seeds

Sunflower Maca Cupcakes - Ingredients

This is probably the best recipe to have some fun with your kids. Preparing the Swiss meringue buttercream is quite easy but creating little petals using this fine vanilla mixture is a true work of art – and the little ones will love getting their hands dirty and eating these adorable cupcakes afterward. You can use your favorite cupcake recipe for the base.

I have decided to use one of the best chocolate cupcake recipes I’ve tried in my life and which goes perfectly with the sunflower meringue. However, basic vanilla, cherry, or any other cupcakes you love will be just fine (even store-bought ones will work perfectly, but in that case, add some maca powder in the buttercream).

Sunflower Maca Cupcakes - Mix

These sunflower cupcakes can stand in the fridge up to a week without losing their flavor or texture which makes them perfect for planning a birthday party for your kids in advance.

Nutrition information per serving: Kcal: 486, Protein: 5.6g, Total Carbs: 43.3g, Dietary Fibers: 2.1g, Total Fat: 34.6g

Have some fun and combine Swiss meringue buttercream with other colors to create cheerful flowers the entire family will enjoy. Another great idea is to add one tablespoon of matcha green tea powder in the mixture and have a wonderfully delicious green topping for your favorite cupcakes. The choice is yours – experiment, have fun, and enjoy this beautiful recipe.