This might be one of the best cupcakes ever. Moist, tender and delicious.  

• 1½ cup unsweetened almond milk, or 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 
• 2½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter 
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup vanilla soy or coconut milk yogurt 
• 1¼ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup sweetened coconut (if using unsweetened coconut you might need a little more sugar)
• 2 large bananas, ripe, mashed
• ½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).  Mix unsweetened almond milk and apple cider vinegar then set aside. If using coconut milk do not add vinegar.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a separate bowl, beat vegan butter and sugar together in mixer until fluffy. Add yogurt and vanilla to milk mixture. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together by hand. Stir in coconut, bananas and nuts.  Spoon batter (use an ice cream scooper) into lightly oiled baking pan (or liners). Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of cake. Cool before icing (recipe below).

Coconut Butter Icing

•   2 cups confectioners’ sugar 
•     4 tablespoons vegan butter, softened    
•     ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk 
•     1 teaspoon vanilla 
•     ½ cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened

Mix sugar and vegan butter with mixer on medium speed until fluffy, adding milk a little at a time until the desired smoothness is reached. Add vanilla. Stir in coconut by hand. Refrigerate until needed.

Hint:

Using cupcake liners is a good way to skip using cooking oil, but many times the cake will stick to the liner.