Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes

Need a healthy treat?

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes!

Still doing good at your New Year's Resolutions?

I am, and I hope these help! 

Everyone needs a little treat once in a while, and like the name implies there's carrots and zucchini packed into these moist cupcakes.  (Semi-healthy right!?!)

These little babies have a lot of texture and has a punch of citrus flavor thanks to the frosting.

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, made into bars.

We took these to a party, and I thought cupcakes would be easier to eat, especially for the kiddos.  I also only used half the oil (replaced with applesauce).

Here's to staying on track with your New Year's Goals!

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes

3 eggs

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup honey

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup shredded zucchini (if you want to see the zucchini shreds leave the peel on, if not peel before shredding)

1 1/2 cups GF mix

2 t. xanthan gum

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, honey and vanilla.  

Fold in the carrots and zucchini.

Add in the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir together until just combined.

Pour about 1/3 cups of batter into prepared cupcake cups.

Bake about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost with the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz package Cream Cheese, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 t. lemon zest

Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Add in lemon zest, beat until fluffy.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

A couple weeks ago we had my new daughter's baby blessing at our church.

It was a special day with lots of family and food.

So I decided to make gluten free cupcakes to cut down on serving time and supplies.

I made some modifications to the previous posted gluten free Red Velvet Cake recipe and they turned out more moist and even a little healthier.

In fact, one cousin came home early and was in need a of a little snack.  Eyeing the cupcakes he decided to try one.  And then another one.  Not only could he not believe that they were not from a bakery but that they were gluten free!

Be prepared for lots and lots of compliments.  Good thing the recipe makes 2 dozen.

Remember have all ingredients at room temperature.

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups Gluten Free baking mix

2 1/2 rounded teaspoons xanthan gum

2 cups sugar

1 T. cocoa

1 t. salt

1 rounded t. baking soda

2 eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup applesauce

1 cup buttermilk

1 T. white vinegar (not distilled)

1 t. vanilla

2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

This recipe makes 22-25 cupcakes.  Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl.  Set aside.  

In smaller bowl, lightly whisk the eggs.  Add remaining liquid ingredients and whisk until blended.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix together on medium-high speed for about a minute or until completely combined.  

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3rds full, about 1/4 cup.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then completely cool on a wire rack.  

Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Also try:

Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

or

Gluten Free White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and supposedly it's the actual Sprinkles Cupcake shop recipe.

Even if it's not, they are really, really good.

I love the slight strawberry flavor and are perfect for a birthday party, baby shower (for a girl, of course), bridal shower, Valentine's Day, or just a Sunday Night Treat.

The first batch I made, I kinda cheated.  I thought: "do I really need to get out my heavy duty mixer", "do I really need to mix the ingredients in order", "does this recipe really only make 12".  The answer to all the above it yes, yes, yes!  Use your heavy-duty mixer, follow each step, and yes, it only makes 12 cupcakes!

The recipe makes 12 cupcakes, and the frosting says enough for 12 cupcakes, but I found I needed to make more cupcakes (which wasn't an issue!) to use up all the frosting.  So unless you like a ton of frosting on your cupcakes, half the frosting recipe or make 2 dozen cupcakes.  I would go with the latter... 

Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

with Gluten Free Strawberry Frosting

2/3 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour Mix

1 rounded teaspoon xanthan gum

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

1/4 t. coarse salt

1/4 cup milk, room temperature

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 egg whites, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Process strawberries until pureed.  Reserve 1/3 cup, and set aside leftover for frosting.  Add more strawberries if necessary to get 1/3 cup puree.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree, set aside.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed, until light and fluffy.  Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.  Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended.  Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended.  Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, ass necessary until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.  I found this to be about 1/3 cup of batter, which seems like a lot but they will shrink as they cool.   Bake until tops are dry to the touch, about 22-25 minutes.  Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing with Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting.

Gluten Free Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

Process strawberries until pureed.  In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce mixer speed and slowly add powdered sugar; beat until well combine.  Add vanilla and 3 T. strawberry puree, mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air.  Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Gluten Free Caramel Frosting

This frosting takes a little effort, but it's so good on a Gluten Free chocolate cupcake.

I think I liked the frosting better than the actual cupcake...which works out perfectly because my 3-year old doesn't to frosting, so we split it and I think I get the better end of the deal!

Pair this frosting with any chocolate cake or cupcake.  This makes enough frosting for one cake or 24 cupcakes.

Gluten Free Caramel Frosting 

for Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup milk

2 to 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk.  Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.  Increase heat to medium.  DO NOT stir.  Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. 

Remove from heat; transfer to a small bowl.  Cool to room temperature.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar.

Also try:

Gluten Free Buttercream Frosting

or 

Gluten Free Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Banana Cupcakes

What do you do when your 2 year old daughter says in her sweet little voice, "mommy, let's play in your kitchen" (as opposed to the one she got for Christmas)?

You make cupcakes.

Or "happy cakes" as my daughter says.

I got this recipe from a Taste of Home cupcake contest. With a little GFing they turned out pretty good, but anything is with cream cheese frosting. They taste a lot like banana bread in a cupcake form.

(ohhh, haha! I just noticed the loaf of bread in the background. Oops, shouldn't be posting that on a GF blog...)

Banana Cupcakes

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large banana)

1 t. vanilla

1 cup GF mix

1 t. xanthan gum

1/2 t. rounded baking soda

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

1/4 cup sour cream

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 t. vanilla

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3 T. chopped walnuts (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Mix in sour cream.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 350 for 18-22 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting , in a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Frost cupcakes; sprinkle with walnuts. Store in the refrigerator.