I haven't seen my darling Mummy in days. She has a lung condition and we've locked her and my stepdad - who has a history of heart problems - down. 

We're in touch via the phone and she's sounding increasingly sad. And who can blame them?! They're both generally super busy with their friends, chores, fitness and other daily tasks. They don't do sitting in an armchair like my grandparents would have done. 

My children were moaning that 'everything fun has gone' - after their school has had to cancel sporting events. I think that's true for my parents - all the fun stuff in their life has been taken away from them. So I'm worried about them and how they will cope with being housebound for so long. Will it turn them into their parents, shuffling about in slippers and drimelling after every meal? 

I'm thinking of ways to keep them and their minds occupied and to make them feel loved. 

First hurdle is to make Mother's Day special. 

I was very taken by the recipe below for vegan cupcakes. They are so pretty.

We're not vegan and nor is Mama, so Miss K and I will probably make a regular vanilla cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream. It will be a great way to occupy my nine year old daughter and a way for her to show Grandma just how much she misses and loves her.

This recipe is from vegan blogger, Gemma Gonzalez, who blogs as Cinnamon Girl. She frosts the vegan vanilla cupcakes with cashew buttercream. Not what I would usually be faffed with but we have so much time at the moment, you may fancy giving it a go.

Gemma tops hers with popcorn from Popcorn Shed, suggesting a mix of Mini Pop! Sea Salt flavor and Pecan Pie gourmet popcorn.

She writes "Be a good son/daughter and prepare these cupcakes to make up for all those sleepless nights, tantrums, teenage rebellion…and so much more! ;-) "

(Makes 12 cupcakes approx.)

Ingredients

- For the cupcakes:

1 ¼ cups spelt flour, sifted.
2 tbsp potato starch.
1 tsp psyllium husk powder.
½ tsp pure vanilla powder.
¾ tsp baking powder.
½ tsp baking soda.
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt.
240ml unsweetened almond milk.
1 tsp apple cider vinegar.
80ml mild-tasting extra virgin olive oil.
½ cup raw cane sugar.

- For the cashew buttercream frosting:
1 1/3 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight.
½ cup unsweetened almond milk.
¼ cup agave syrup.
¼ tsp pure vanilla powder
1 tbsp lemon juice.
A small pinch of salt.
210ml coconut oil, melted.
3 tbsp cacao butter, melted.
Blue spirulina powder (natural food colouring), optional.

Toppings:
Popcorn Shed’s Mini Pop! Sea Salt popcorn.
Popcorn Shed’s Pecan Pie gourmet popcorn. Please note, this product is vegetarian and not vegan and is optional.

Method:

To make the vegan vanilla cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 180 ºC and line a 12-cavitiy cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl sift together spelt flour, potato starch, psyllium husk powder, vanilla powder, baking powder, baking soda and a small pinch of salt. Mix with a wire whisk until combined and set aside.

In a separate bowl vigorously whisk the milk, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and cane sugar. Pour this wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until no large lumps remain.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full (so they rise evenly) and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.

Carefully unmould and transfer to a cooling rack so they cool completely.

To make the cashew buttercream frosting:

Soak the cashews in 2 cups of water with a small pinch of salt overnight.

Rinse well and place the cashews into your high-speed blender or food processor with the almond milk. Blend really well until you get a smooth cream with no lumps, you might need to stop and scrape the sides of the blender jug or bowl a few times. Add in the agave syrup, vanilla powder, lemon juice and salt. Blend again until completely combined and gradually pour in the melted coconut oil and cacao butter. The buttercream should look smooth and creamy.

Finally add in a small amount of blue spirulina powder until you get a nice pastel blue tone.

Transfer the cashew buttercream to an airtight container, cover the surface with plastic wrap, put the lid on and refrigerate until the cream sets and thickens. If it’s too hard right before frosting the cupcakes let it thaw at room temperature until it has a pipeable consistency.

Frost your cupcakes with the blue buttercream, top with Popcorn Shed’s Mini Pop! Sea Salt popcorn, gourmet Pecan Pie popcorn and puffed quinoa.

Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

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