Lemon Rosemary Popcorn Cupcakes with Pumpkin Apricot Glaze (Chopped/Vegan Challenge)

Yes, this is actually my second entry for the Vegan/Chopped Brunch challenge. Initially when I read the challenge and the four theme ingredients (butternut pumpkin, fresh rosemary, popcorn and apricot jam) I couldn't think of anything and decided that I might not enter. But then as I pottered about my day my brain was set to thinking about the possibilities and I actually came up with quite a few things that I wanted to try! So yesterday I set about cooking two of them up and they both worked out beautifully. So I'm entering them both!

If you haven't already checked out my first entry then it's here: Pumpkin Rosemary Popcorn Crumble. You can also jump onto the Vegan Mofo page to see all the other entries, I think that there will be some interesting ones!

Cooking with popcorn is new to me! In fact I don't really like popcorn that much. I always think it smells so delicious but then the taste is a let down! So cooking with it was challenging, but I was adamant when I decided to enter that I didn't want to do any dishes which just incorporated the popcorn by sprinkling it on top - it had to be integral to the dish. Popcorn cupcakes are a beautiful way to do this. However, because of German Food Month on this blog, we have been eating a lot of cake lately. I really didn't feel like eating more cake! So I made a half batch of cupcakes - to save our waistlines! You can turn this into a full batch by doubling the recipe if you like.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy milk

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

2/3 cup wholemeal flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

1 1/2 cups popped popcorn (pop according to the packet instructions)

For the Glaze

50g butternut pumpkin (you can sub other pumpkin if you like), boiled and finely mashed/pureed, cold

2 tsp apricot jam*

2 heaped tbsp soft icing mixture

1 tsp lemon jucie

*For this recipe you want to try and use an apricot jam that doesn't have big chunks of fruit in it - if yours does then just try to pick around them 

To Make:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. 

2. Combine the soy milk, rosemary and lemon zest in a bowl and mix to combine.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb and popcorn and mix through.

4. Prepare cupcake baking tray with six paper cupcake pans. Fill the pans almost to the top with the mix (a lot of the bulk of them is the popcorn, so they won't rise too much).

5. Bake for 18 minutes (note: this time may increase if you make a full batch).

6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.

7. To make the glaze: combine the cold pureed pumpkin with the jam, icing mixture and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix with a hand held electric mixer or you can do it with a whisk if you don't have a mixer. 

8. When cupcakes are cooled spoon the glaze on top and decorate with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Makes 6 cupcakes.