Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes

Think you can’t enjoy delicious cupcakes at home if you are vegan, gluten free, or dairy free?  Think again!  The recipe I am sharing with you today is all of those things and so delicious you would never know that these cupcakes are vegan and gluten free.  They are packed full of pumpkin flavor, and that is not all, the pumpkin adds extra nutrients, and I use heart healthy olive oil in these as well as anti-inflammatory ginger.  So you are getting health benefits with your dessert!  Instead of a sugary frosting I top them off with a coconut milk based frosting sweetened with maple syrup.  These would be perfect to serve with your Thanksgiving or Holiday spread.

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

Amy has worked for Fresh and Natural Foods since 2006 contributing to the variety of healthful foods we offer. She graduated with a degree in studio art from Bethel University in 2007, but in her senior year of college, found that her passion was with the art of food. She later used her photography and culinary skills to create a vegan food and recipe blog, Fragrant Vanilla Cake. She has also written 3 cookbooks. She specializes in vegan and vegetarian recipes. Local, fresh and organic food has always been her focus in whatever she creates.

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Servings: 16 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Ready in: 1 hour and 30 minutes including cooling time

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp maple extract (optional)
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp filtered water
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Frosting:
• 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, chilled
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)
• 3/4 cups coconut butter, warmed to liquid

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Place 16 muffin tin liners in a 16 hole muffin tin. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk pumpkin, oil, maple extract, vanilla extract, and water together in small bowl to blend well, then whisk into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in cider vinegar until pale swirls form in the batter and it is well combined. Transfer cake batter to prepared muffin tins and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.Meanwhile, to make the frosting, combine all ingredients but the coconut butter, in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. With the motor running, add the coconut butter and process a minute more (if it starts to get lumpy at all during the process it is just the fat separating because it is 2 different temperatures. Just continue to blend until it is smooth, and it will get warm so it will just have to chill longer). Pour the frosting into a bowl and let sit in the freezer until the consistency of whipped cream, whisking every 15 minutes (this may take anywhere from 15 minutes to hour to an hour depending on how warm it has gotten and which appliance you used).