Makes 12 cupcakes
· 250g self raising flour
· 170g caster sugar
· pinch of salt
· ½ teaspoon baking powder
· 75ml sunflower oil
· 10ml cider vinegar
· 100ml Pepsi Max Cherry, reduced from 500ml
· 100 ml soy milk
· few drops of cola flavour and cherry flavour - Foodie Flavours or Factory Flavour
Pour 500ml Pepsi Max Cherry into a saucepan, simmer and reduce to about 110ml. Allow to cool. Use 100ml in the cupcake batter and reserve a couple of tablespoons for the frosting.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12-hole tin with cupcake cases. Light paper cases work better than foil cases.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then mix of the wet ingredients in a large jug. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, working as quickly as you can.
Using the jug, fill each cupcake case about two thirds full and bake for 20-22 minutes until springy to the touch, when a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Frosting recipe - this is enough buttercream to ice about 12 cupcakes
· 100g dairy free butter eg Flora Plant or Naturli block at room temp (NOT margarine)
· 200g icing sugar
· a teaspoon of vanilla extract
· 2 tablespoons of reduced Pepsi Max Cherry
· few drops of cola flavour and cherry flavour
Using an electric mixer, whip the butter and vanilla for a couple of minutes until creamy, then add half the icing sugar, the Pepsi reduction and the flavouring. Add the rest of the sugar and beat again for a minute until the mixture is smooth. If it is too stiff to pipe, add a little more water and beat again. If it is too soft, add more sugar and beat again.
If you want to put the logo on, get them printed on sugar paper (I use EatYourPhoto) and put them on a sugarpaste disc.