Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes with Vegan Chocolate Buttercream

See that photo just above? Yeah, I ate that cupcake as I watched a particularly gruesome episode of The Sons of Anarchy. My mouth was tasting the deliciousness of chocolate and frosting, while my eyes were seeing all manner of violence - didn't stop me though, nope. I stopped the DVD and went back for seconds because they are soooo good and seeing as how they're vegan and soooo healthy,  another cupcake seemed like the right thing to do... for my health and all. You understand?  Oh, and see that platter up there, in the eighth photo? Yeah, I ate the missing cupcake while I was filling the sink to wash the dishes I used while I was making these. I needed that cupcake to give me a nutritious boost to get me through a dishwasher-stacking/dish-washing session. I should be bouncing out of my skin with healthfulness by the time I'm done.

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes with Vegan Chocolate Buttercream
slightly adapted from Joy Wilson's Joy the Baker Cookbook
Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 cup ripe avocado
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Buttercream:
3/4 cup vegan butter (I used olive oil Nuttelex)
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 to 2 1/2 cups icing sugar ( I used Low GI cane sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sprinkles

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a cupcake pan with paper cases. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Use a stick blender or blender to puree the sugar, oil, avocado, water, vinegar and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the puree into a large bowl and then add the flour mixture and stir until everything is well combined.

Pour the batter into the paper cases until they are two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or a skewer inserted in the centre of a cupcake come out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Buttercream:
Place the vegan butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and smooth. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cocoa and icing sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla. If the frosting seems to stiff, add soy or almond milk to thin it. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and meat the mixture until the frosting is fluffy.

Spoon frosting on top of cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles