With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it might be your turn to go from chocolate inspiration to warm cupcake magic. Cupcakes, also called Fairy Cakes, are a cultural phenomenon with almost universal appeal.

According to Everything Cupcakes, “The first mention of the cupcake can be traced as far back as 1796, when a recipe notation of ‘a cake to be baked in small cups’ was written in American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons.” Another theory, this one from All About Cupcakes, proposes the word cupcake may have originated with the notion that its ingredients were measured by volume (i.e., cups) rather than weight. Also referred to as Number Cakes, early cupcake ingredients might have included one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs.

Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to make cupcakes, and this recipe, adapted from Chloe’s Vegan Desserts, is the perfect place to start. The batter comes together in about the time it takes to preheat an oven, with the ease of two bowls and a wooden spoon…and without any dairy, butter, eggs, or cholesterol. Although the recipe originally called for 1/2 cup of canola oil, I like to omit the oil, and swap in nondairy yogurt to reduce the fat content. I also use whole wheat instead of refined all-purpose flour.

The yummy frosting is a very simple ganache, and along with fresh berries, adds a beautiful finishing touch.