Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cups (vegan, gluten free)

It’s a week filled with love, and on the blog chocolate love! With my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup-Cakes being a family favorite, and favorite with everyone who has tried them, I’ve had other versions on my mind and now was the time to whip up one of them, Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cups! With pretty pink filling and the delicious combination of raspberries and chocolate they are perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day! Made with simple ingredients these are a quick and healthy alternative to boxed chocolates. These are like bigger and sophisticated versions of peanut butter cups, of course without the peanut butter but if you are a big peanut butter can you can just whip up my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup-Cakes. The chocolate is make with maple syrup, coconut oil, full fat coconut milk and cacao (or cocoa). The filling is full fat coconut milk, raspberries, and coconut whipped cream, and sweetened with a little maple syrup or sweetener of choice. So yes they are vegan, nut free, grain free, and gluten free oh but don’t worry they are DELICIOUS!
Balance is key in our lives and chocolate is definitely part of that balance. Not that these need to be justified but there are so many health benefits to cacao, maple syrup, coconut oil, and raspberries. Heart healthy, mood boosting, packed with antioxidants, and with healthy fats they will leave you full but not bloated and empty an hour later.

Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cups
Makes 12 standard size cupcakes
3/4c pure maple syrup or agave (used maple syrup)
1/2c canned full fat coconut milk (used So Delicious Original Culinary Coconut Milk)
1c coconut oil, melted
1 1/2c cocoa/cacao powder (used Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder)
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Raspberry Cream Filling
1/2c canned full fat coconut milk (used So Delicious Original Culinary Coconut Milk)
1/2c frozen raspberries, thawed
1 tub (9oz) coconut or dairy free whipped cream (used So Delicious Original Coco Whip)
1 TBSP maple syrup, honey, or liquid sweetener of choice, optional

Garnish
12 fresh raspberries

Place the tub of coconut whipped cream in the refrigerator to thaw out an hour or two ahead of time. You don’t want to use frozen as it won’t fold in. Blend raspberries, maple syrup, and coconut milk until smooth in a Vitamix. Pour into a bowl fold in coconut whipped cream, just until combined. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and spread the mixture into the pan. Place fillings in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set. Once filling has set cut out circles with a round cutter, I use a 1 1/2″ biscuit cutter, placing close together to get as many as possible. You want the fillings to be ready, place in the freezer until ready so they don’t soften too much. In a large bowl mix together maple syrup, coconut milk (again shaking or mixing if you haven’t), melted coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. Add in cocoa powder and whisk or use a hand mixer to mix together until smooth but not over mixing adding a lot of air bubbles. For standard cupcake size spoon approximately 1 tablespoon (no more than 1.5 tablespoons) into the bottom of each silicone, or paper muffin tin. I like silicone as they come out nice and clean, if using paper liners I would use a lined or sturdy one and place in a muffin tin so they don’t fold in or loose shape. Tap the bottom to smooth out chocolate. It should still be soft. Grab the fillings and carefully press them into the chocolate, not pushing all the way to the bottom but so it just molds up around the sides of the filling but not all the way up the sides. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remix the chocolate and heat for 30 seconds if needed but it should be the consistency of frosting. Place chocolate into a plastic frosting bag and cut the tip or a gallon ziploc bag and cut the tip (about the size of a pencil). Pull the cups out of the freezer and squeeze chocolate in the space around the filling, around the edge of the cupcake mold, than in a circle from the outside in on the top. Gently tap the cups to level out, I hold the edges of the silicone mold and just tap twice and place them back on the baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 1 hour or until ready to enjoy. We like them straight from the freezer, or thawed for about 5-10 minutes. Garnish with a fresh raspberry. Enjoy!

To make in a pan you will want to make the chocolate, pour 1/3- 1/2 of the chocolate in the bottom of a 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes to just set the top. Make the filling as instructed above and spread out on top of the chocolate, place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Slightly heat up the remaining chocolate, remix, and spread on top of the raspberry filling. Place back in the freezer for at least an hour or until ready to enjoy. Remove from the freezer, pull bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into desired size. These can be enjoyed straight out of the freezer, especially if you just made them, but if you make them ahead and have them in the freezer for awhile I like to pull them out about 10-15 minutes (depending on the weather, in the warmer months you will need less time) before enjoying to soften up so the middle gets to be a mousse like texture. Enjoy!