Very Vanilla and Coconut Cupcakes

Looking for something sweet? Try these lovely and healthy (ish) morsels out. Made with almond flour, they smell and taste delicious! The frosting on top is pretty good too!

I made these for my cousin's birthday this weekend, and they were a hit. She told me they enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast with fresh berries on top. Yum!

The cupcakes were even great by themselves! I loved the way they made my house smell, very vanilla-y! It was beautiful.

I totally deviated from the frosting recipe by using butter instead of coconut oil. But it seemed to work pretty well anyway.



Very Vanilla Cupcakes
(adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam)

2 large eggs, separated
1/4 c oil (I used light olive oil)
1/2 c agave
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 c almond grinds (from making almond milk), or additional almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 10 muffin cups. You must use paper cup liners, or the cupcakes will stick to the pan.
Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl until pale yellow. Whisk in the oil, agave, vanilla and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks with an electric mixer.
Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
Combine the dry ingredients. Gently fold into the wet ingredients.
Scoop batter into muffin cups.
Bake 20-30 minutes, until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (mine took about 25 minutes).
Let cool in the pan for half an hour, then frost if desired, and/or serve.
Makes 10 cupcakes.


Creamy Coconut Frosting
(adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam)

1 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 c agave necter
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tbsp water
1 1/4 c butter, melted, mixed with about half a tsp of coconut extract (recipe called for coconut oil, but I didn't have it)

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, agave and salt. Bring to a boil.
Whisking frequently, decrease heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. This will reduce the mixture by 1/3-1/2.
In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot and water. Whisk together until well blended.
Raise heat on the stove to medium-high, then add the arrowroot paste, whisking constantly for about a minute, until the mixture thickens.
Take the pan off the unit, and gradually mix in the melted butter. Stir until blended smooth.
Place in the freezer, and allow to cool for about half an hour, until the frosting solidifies a bit.
Remove, and whip until thick and fluffy.
Can be used on cupcakes, cakes, or cookies. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I don't know if the frosting turned out exactly right. It was more of a glaze than a frosting. It kind of oozed a bit. I think I should have let it cool more, or thrown the frosted cupcakes in the fridge before serving. But everyone said it was good, and the frosting was licked off the plates, so I'm assuming it tasted delicious to someone other than just me :) Heck, what's not to love about gooey-coconutty-buttery goodness!

This and other cake recipes are brought together at Gluten Free Wednesdays - Cake Challenge! Check it out for some more great recipes!!


This recipe is also linked to June 2010′s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free "Cream of the Crop," filled with delicious gluten AND dairy free recipes! Take a look. I'm sure they're gonna be good!



*Note: This recipe has been recently edited, due to a total fiasco when attempting to recreate it.