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Recipe

Basic Cupcakes (Vegan)

A very nice, basic recipe with many variations.

Ingredients

  • Lard to grease 12 muffin wells, or palm shortening, or line wells with paper liners
  • 3/4 cup millet flour, or garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour, or yellow split pea flour, or brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch, or potato starch, or arrowroot starch, or cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup GF oat flour, or pure rice bran, or pumpkin seed flour, or brown rice flour
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum, or Chia seed flour, or guar gum
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon agar powder, or unflavored gelatin of choice
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, or evaporated cane juice, or granulated sweetener of choice (not stevia)
  • 6 tablespoons pure olive oil, or coconut oil, or palm oil, or MCT oil
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or coconut vinegar, or brown rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

  1. Place baking rack in third position; preheat oven to 350°F; grease each muffin well with lard, or place paper liners in wells; set aside.
  2. In airtight container, combine millet flour, tapioca starch, GF oat flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, sea salt, and agar powder; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine and to introduce air; set aside.
  3. In large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together light brown sugar, pure olive oil, water, apple cider vinegar, and pure vanilla extract; add dry ingredients; beat for 2 minutes; fill muffin wells two-thirds full.
  4. Place into preheated 350°F oven; bake 35 – 40 minutes, or cupcake tops bounce back when touched.
  5. Remove pan from oven; allow cupcakes to cool in pan 10 minutes; turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Cool completely prior to storage. Top cupcakes as desired. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Servings: 12 cupcakes. Preheat: 350°F. Prep Time: 10 minutes. Cooking Time: 35 – 40 minutes.

To freeze: place plain cupcakes individually on parchment lined baking sheet; wrap sheet tightly in plastic; freeze until firm, about 2 hours; remove cupcakes to plastic freezer bag; return to freezer; store up to 3 months. Frost cupcakes just prior to serving.

Variation - Adding Fruits, Vegetables, Raw Nuts - (add up to 1 cup total of single item, or combination of items)

Ingredients

  • Crushed candy cane (Pure Fun®)
  • Chocolate chips (Enjoy Life®)
  • Cherries, fresh or rehydrated dried
  • Mini marshmallows, up a 1/2 cup
  • Brittle, up to 3/4 cup
  • Blueberries, fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried
  • Strawberries, fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried
  • Pecans, chopped
  • Walnuts, chopped
  • Zucchini, shredded (add 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • Carrot, shredded (add 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • Raisins
  • Lemon (1 tablespoon zest and 2 teaspoons juice)
  • Orange (1 tablespoon zest and 2 teaspoons juice)