My son’s second birthday was coming up and I wanted to make some special cupcakes. It was a Toy Story themed party and we had the decorations up and ready. The only thing that was missing was the cake.

For food we wanted to make Orion’s favourite since it was his birthday. For the cupcake I decided to hide some veggies in it and make it something that he would eat. Therefore the Spinach Cupcake was created.

Allow the frozen spinach (1 cup) to defrost. Place in a blender and add a bit of the oat milk to help puree it. Puree the spinach until is a green slurry.

Put the remaining oat milk (1/2 cup in total) into a measuring cup, along with 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup sugar. Into the bowl, add 1 egg and half of the liquid. Mix to combine. Continue to add the liquid until everything is mixed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees C. Portion out the cupcakes into baking tins filled with liners. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool completely before icing. These can be frozen ahead of time and used later. Make sure to let them completely defrost before icing.

For the icing, add the 1/2 cup butter in a mixing bowl and beat using a hand mixer. Mix until the butter is creamy. Add 8 ounces of cream cheese to the butter and mix to combine. Slowly add the 4 cups of powdered sugar. Stopping in between to get everything combined nicely. Add food colouring until you get the desired colour.

To decorate the cupcakes use a round icing tip and squeeze the icing on the cupcake. Decorate with candy eyes. Use melted chocolate chips as the mouth.

I loved how the cupcakes turned out but I wished I had more time to make ears and antennae.

Enjoy! (I promise these cupcakes were a hit and everyone loved them)

Ingredients (makes a dozen cupcakes)

• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oat milk

Directions

1. Allow the frozen spinach (1 cup) to defrost. Place in a blender and add a bit of the oat milk to help puree it. Puree the spinach until is a green slurry.
2. Put the remaining oat milk (1/2 cup in total) into a measuring cup, along with 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
3. In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup sugar.
4. Into the bowl, add 1 egg and half of the liquid. Mix to combine. Continue to add the liquid until everything is mixed.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees C. Portion out the cupcakes into baking tins filled with liners. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and cool completely before icing. These can be frozen ahead of time and used later. Make sure to let them completely defrost before icing.

Ingredients for cream cheese icing

• 8 ounce cream cheese
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Green food colouring

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, add the 1/2 cup butter and beat using a hand mixer. Mix until the butter is creamy.
2. Add 8 ounces of cream cheese to the butter and mix to combine.
3. Slowly add the 4 cups of powdered sugar. Stopping in between to get everything combined nicely. Add food colouring until you get the desired colour.

To decorate the cupcakes use a round icing tip and squeeze the icing on the cupcake. Decorate with candy eyes. Use melted chocolate chips as the mouth.

Enjoy!!