Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

You know that feeling you get when you finally perfect something you’ve been working on for a long time? If you haven’t yet experienced that gratifying moment, I truly hope you do some day because let me tell you, it is incredible. Unfortunately, it is rare that I experience this feeling… primarily because I have a hard time sticking with new things. If I’m not innately good at something I often tire of it quickly. The one area of my life where this is not the case is cooking. Perhaps it’s the fun I have in the kitchen with my husband, maybe it’s the pleasure I get in watching my family enjoy a dish that I’ve nailed or maybe it’s the simple knowing that without food there is no life. Poetic isn’t it? Whatever the reason, I resiliently move forward and get back in my kitchen every single day no matter how bad any single dish turns out and believe me there are plenty. It is because of this persistence that I can finally say I have made the perfect gluten free cupcake.

For those of you who are new to gluten free baking, I don’t want to scare you off but I have been gluten free for over 4 years and I am just now starting to understand the subtle nuances of making a gluten free baked good comparable to a regular baked good. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve started baking with the best intentions and ended up with a dry, crumbly or unpleasantly dense pastry. Not this time my friends. This cupcake is so perfect. Oh did I already use that word already? Sorry, I just can’t help myself! It’s chewy on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside. Can a cupcake be tender? I swear this one is.

The only thing I used to sweeten the cupcakes themselves was 1/4 cup maple syrup, that’s only 3 grams of sugar per cake. Not bad huh? The frosting adds another 7 grams but you can always use less frosting or omit it completely if you are trying to cut back on your sugar intake. In fact, this cupcake is so delicious without the frosting that you could easily scrape it off, call it a muffin and enjoy without the extra sugar! I for one am relishing in my indulgences this winter so feel free to just pass over that unwanted frosting to me, thank you very much. 😉

 

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup sorghum flour
• 1/4 cup teff flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups grated carrots (approximately 3 medium carrots)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup avocado oil (any vegetable oil will do)
• 1/2 cup yogurt

Cupcake Process:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and maple syrup.
4. Stir in the carrots, yogurt and half of the hazelnuts and pecans to combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
6. Pour into paper lined cupcake tin.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven. I always check by sticking a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, you are done!
8. Let cool on cooling rack and await frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

• 6 oz cream cheese (3/4 of a package)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• zest of one lemon
• juice of half a lemon

Frosting Process

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl
2. Using a hand or stand mixer, whip until light, creamy and spreadable
3. Add remaining nuts to the top for garnish and crunch