Pumpkin Cupcakes with Lemon Vanilla Frosting

With only a few days until Thanksgiving I felt one more pumpkin post was required. I could think of nothing more perfect than a cupcake and I must admit that these are delicious.

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INGREDIENTS


Start to Finish: 60 minutes

Makes: 12 large cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free All Purpose Baking Flour

• 1 cup organic cane sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp xanthan gum

• ½ tsp salt

• dash of fresh nutmeg

• 1 15-oz. canned pumpkin

• 3 large eggs, room temp

• ½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted

• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk, room temp

• 4 tbsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Vegan Lemon Vanilla Frosting

• ⅓ cup soy butter, room temp

• 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar

• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 tbsp vanilla

• zest of 1 lemon

notes:

• If you would like a slightly sweeter cupcake, use sweetened coconut milk in place of the unsweetened coconut milk.

• If the frosting seems too thick, add a little more lemon juice (1 tsp at a time) until it becomes spreadable. If it’s not thick enough, add in more powdered sugar (1 tbsp at a time) until it’s stiff but still spreadable.

INSTRUCTIONS


Pumpkin Cupcakes with Lemon Vanilla Frosting
Start to Finish: 50 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, nutmeg and salt. Add in pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk together well, until batter is smooth. (A kitchen aid mixer or a hand mixer would work well).

3. Pour the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin liners. The batter is thick so you may need to press it down into the muffin liners and smooth out the tops of each cupcake. Bake in the center of a preheated oven, until dome shaped and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. About 25 minutes, depending upon your oven.

4. Cool the pan briefly, then gently pop out the cupcakes and continue cooling on a wire rack.

5. Once completely cooled, frost the cupcakes and cover in an airtight container. They are best eaten the first day but if you are making them ahead of time, they can also be wrapped individually and frozen (prior to frosting).

Vegan Lemon Vanilla Frosting
Start to finish: 10 minutes

1. Place butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until it is fluffy (using a hand or stand mixer).

2. With mixer running slowly, add in 2 cups of powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and beat until crumbly. Scraping down the sides of the mixer as often as necessary.

3. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest.

4. Slowly add in remaining powdered sugar, beating slowly, until fully incorporated.

5. Use immediately.