Vegan chocolatey cupcakes

Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4. Sift the flour, 5 tbsp cacao powder and baking powder into a large bowl, then add the salt. Work in the brown sugar, using your hands to break up any clumps. Make a well in the middle.

Finely grind the chia seeds in a coffee or spice grinder, or by hand with a pestle and mortar. Mix with 100ml coconut milk and leave it to thicken for just a few seconds. Pour the chia mix, 110g of melted dairy-free butter and another 125ml coconut milk into the well. Whisk to a smooth batter. Spoon into the cases and bake for 22 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the frosting, sift 1 tbsp cacao powder into a mixing bowl. Gently heat 50ml coconut milk and the chopped cacao in a small pan, stirring with a spatula until melted. Whisk the hot cacao mixture vigorously into the cacao powder until smooth and creamy, then whisk in 35g dairy-free butter. Finally, sift in the icing sugar and whisk again until smooth and creamy. Leave the frosting to cool until it’s of a spoonable consistency, then, using a teaspoon, swirl it onto the cooled cupcakes and top with cacao shavings, if preferred.