100% Vegan cupcakes assembled to be gobbled up sushi style!

Mini coconut cupcakes complete with "Wasabi" frosting and dark chocolate "soy sauce" all from scratch!

Step 1: Gather Supplies!

As always when gathering ingredients, try to buy local, organic, and Eco-friendly!
These cupcakes are 100% Vegan, but you can always try substituting with butter instead of margarine; almond milk instead of soy...etc.

This recipe makes 24 mini cupcakes and about 6 "tamago" or "sashimi" cakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 Coconut Oil
1 cup Coconut Milk
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Coconut Extract
1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1/2 cup Toasted Coconut

Frosting Ingredients:

1/4 cup Non-hydrogenated Shortening
1/4 cup Non-hydrogenated Margarine
1 3/4 cups Powdered Sugar
3/4 tsp Vanilla
1/8 cup Soy MIlk
Lime Green Food Dye

Topping Ingredients:

-Shredded Coconut
-Chocolate (vegan and fair trade)
-Various Fruits

Try different fruits in season or from your or a neighbor's garden. A little fruit goes a long way with these and you can be really creative! I have used the following successfully:

-Blackberries
-Strawberries
-Pineapple
-Mango
-Grapes
-Kiwi
-Mandarin Oranges

Additional Supplies:

-Mixing Bowls
-Measuring Cups & Spoons
-Mini Cupcake Pan
-Mini Bread Loaf Pan (mine was about 3x6 in )
-Mixer
-Mini Green Cupcake Liners (if you can't find these, you have other options )
-Optional: "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" (For these cupcakes I slightly altered the recipe on page 87 and used the frosting on page 142 GREAT BOOK!!! )

Step 2: Get Baking!

Alright, you are ready to start!

1.Preheat your oven to 350F and line your mini-cupcake pan with green liners (if you don't have them, grease the pan and go liner free, later you can add paper or just frost sides and roll them in the coconut too) Also grease your mini bread loaf pan, I use shortening and flour to do so.

2. In small bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt

3. Melt the 1/4 cup coconut oil in small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, turn off heat, leave pan on stove so it stays nice and melty.

4. In separate medium bowl mix together 1 cup coconut milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 tsp coconut extract. (I use a hand mixer) Stir in the melted coconut oil. Add the flour mixture half a cup at a time, beating it in each time. Mix until smooth, then fold in the 1/2 cup shredded coconut.

5. Fill cupcake liners about half to two-thirds full. Also pour remaining batter into mini bread loaf pan. Bake for about 21-25 minutes, bread pan will most likely take at least 5 minutes longer. Check with toothpick to see if they are done, if toothpick comes out clean, they're done! Let them cool.

Step 3: Prepare Toppings!

While the cupcakes are baking and cooling prepare the "toppings" that will help achieve that sushi look.

Toast the coconut:

Preheat small frying pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup coconut into the pan and constantly stir it for about
1 1/2 minutes. When it is evenly honey brown, turn off the heat, stir a little more and transfer to plate or small bowl.

Make the frosting:

Beat the 1/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar and beat for about 3 minutes. Lastly add 3/4 tsp vanilla and 1/8 cup soy milk and beat for about 5 more minutes until fluffy.

Prepare Fruit:

Rinse and cut into sushi-like slices

Step 4: Assemble Your Sushi!

The Best Part! (besides sharing and eating them)
With all of your fruit and coconuts sit down and get creative!

1. Remove the cupcakes from their pan and also remove the other cake from the bread pan and slice into smaller rectangles.

1. Frost the cupcakes in the fluffy frosting and then either sprinkle or roll the cupcake into the coconut. Use the toasted coconut for some, and the regular for others.

2. Choose some little slices of fruit for the center of the sushi rolls, and larger pieces for the rectangle sushi cakes. Press them atop the coconut.

3. For the rectangle sushi cakes; cut extra green cupcake liners into little strips or use other green paper and place around fruit. A touch of frosting can work like glue if it keeps falling off.

4. Take some frosting to the side and dye it lime green for the "Wasabi."

5. Melt some vegan chocolate in the microwave for 1-3 minutes so it looks like sweet soy sauce.

6. Some additional strawberry slices could be pickled ginger.

7. Make sure to carefully arrange your sushi cakes with chopsticks, sake, and so forth. Just like real sushi, these deserve attention to presentation. It will make them more authentic.

8. Share and devour! The first time I made them was for my boyfriend's birthday which was celebrated at a sushi restaurant. They were a hit!

Good luck baking and hope you enjoy them!