Cupcakes and cream cheese frosting

First, I would like to say I am being pretty disciplined---accountability right.  Especially as I was in charge of the gluten free cupcakes for a bridal shower last weekend and now my son has his 2nd birthday this coming weekend aaannndd . . . I'm hosting a Stella & Dot jewelry party at my house where I am supposed to have some yummy treats for the guests.
Healthy example #1: I picked up my first box from our local CSA organic co-op, www.bewiseranch.com
Healthy example #2:  I learned to make beet risotto, yum! (the beets were from my box)
Healthy example #3:  I made swiss chard tonight and liked it (and amazingly so did the hubby)!  (chard is from my box)

With that said, here are the recipes for 2 of the 3 cupcakes I made and also the recipe for sugar-free cream cheese frosting:
 

Publish Post

Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes by Elana's Pantry
1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup agave nectar
1-2 very ripe bananas (about ¾ to 1 cup mashed)

1. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt and baking soda
2. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, grapeseed oil and agave and then stir in mashed bananas
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Scoop batter one heaping ¼ cup at a time into lined cupcake tins
5. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes
6. Remove from oven, allow to cool, then frost 

Chocolate Cupcakes from Elana's Pantry & me!
with Raspberry Puree Filling
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
3 tbsp Sour Cream
¼ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
½ cup raspberry preserves (like the organic one as Trader Joe's)

1. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda
2. In a large bowl, blend together eggs, sour cream oil and agave
3. Blend dry ingredients into wet thoroughly
4. Place 1/2 cup of Raspberry Perseveres in food processor to make filling 
5. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and scoop a scant 1/8 cup into each, then add 1 tbsp of filling and then finish by adding 1/8 cup on top.
6. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes
7. Cool

 Finally, here is the sugar-free cream cheese frosting

3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup xylitol (found at Whole Foods)
6 tbsp light cream or unsweetened coconut milk
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla

Heat butter and xylitol until xylitol is dissolved.  Pour into a blender and add cream cheese, cream/coconut milk and vanilla.  Blend until smooth. Let stand or cool until spreadable.  Refrigerate.

** I used this frosting on a Carrot Cake cupcake recipe I got from the Baby Cakes NYC cookbook.

Enjoy!

It's been waaay too long and frosting . . .

Friends,
Its been too long since I posted.  In the past few months I feel neglecting this blog has been a result of me slowly easing up on my diet.  Well, not easing up all the way but less serious about rotating all my foods.  And having a little too much "sweet" ie. agave, palm sugar dark chocolate than I should. 

Therefore, tomorrow is a new day and I'm going to start going back to being more strict. I am done with traveling for awhile, which makes a great excuse to be less stringent. Sweets should be an occasional treat and I need to eat more vegetables.  So here is to a fresh start in March.

Also I need to add my latest find.  While I have been making gluten-free, non-processed sugar cupcakes for a bridal shower this upcoming weekend for a friend, I landed on an amazing sugar-free frosting recipe thanks to this cookbook my mom brought home, "The "I CAN Eat!!!" Candida Recipe Book" by Canadian Jane Daniel.  Her website is www.icaneatrecipebook.com.  Besides this recipe, I have tried a couple so far of her vegetables dishes--they are healthy and yummy!  So without further ado, the amazing frosting recipe:

Fluffy White Frosting
 1 c. Xylitol (can be found at Whole Foods)
1/3 c. water
1/4 tsp Cream of Tarter
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract

--over medium high heat in a saucepan, stir together xylitol, water and cream of tartar until all is dissolved and mixture is bubbly
-- in medium mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks.  Gradually add the xylitol mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes.  This frosting must be refrigerated and will keep for a couple days.

I will try to post the cupcake recipes I use as soon as the shower is over.  Maybe I'll even have a few photos and this will be my accountability to not eat too many.