Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Cupcakes

No need to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy pecan pie. This pecan pie is in the form of a delicious cupcake topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting. One bite and you will be hooked. They are moist, delicious and full of incredible rich, sweet flavor. Let's face it - these are perfect for winter, summer, spring or fall!

I recently purchased my first e-book and wouldn't you know it, it is a cupcake cookbook. But better still, it is a gluten-free cupcake cookbook and it is filled with incredible and easy to make heavenly sweet recipes.

This recipe is perfect for you if you love the taste of pecan pie but prefer something less gooey and not as tooth-achingly sweet. And if you are like me, a cupcake addict, that it is a perfect way to feed that addiction.

My new fave cookbook is Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elena Amsterdam.

I have her original cookbook too, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook and love it to bits but I think this one may top it! So many wonderful recipes to choose from. I decided to test out the pecan pie cupcake recipe even though it listed one ingredient I simply didn't have on hand: Yacon Syrup. So instead I substituted molasses and maple syrup. The combination worked!

Yesterday I made her Strawberry Cupcakes, or rather used it as a base recipe and then really changed things around resulting in Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting. That recipe used solely coconut as its GF flour. This one though uses mostly almond flour with a couple of tablespoons of coconut flour. Luckily I did have almond flour on hand. I always do.

A few other changes: I halved her cream cheese frosting recipe because her 11 cupcakes ended up being 8 for me. I figured less cupcakes = less frosting and I was right. I also added Whip It to the whipped cream part of the frosting to ensure it stabilized properly and didn't separate after piping. Sure enough, it stood up to the test of time.

LET'S GET STARTED!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Gluten Free Cupcakes by Elena Amsterdam

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKE

1 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, chopped

FROSTING

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon Whip It! whipping cream stabilizer
4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey (feel free to add an extra tablespoon if you like a sweeter frosting)

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 8 muffin cups with paper liners

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 4 cupcake dry ingredients
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together remaining ingredients except pecans
POUR WET ingredients into dry ingredients and mix on MED speed with handheld electric beater until thoroughly combined
FOLD in chopped pecans
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP fill each liner 3/4 full with batter
BAKE 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few moist crumbs
REMOVE immediately from pan
LET COOL completely at room temperature
FROSTING

IN MEDIUM BOWL, combine cream and Whip It!
WITH HAND HELD ELECTRIC BEATER, whip until stiff peaks form
IN SEPARATE BOWL, beat cream cheese and honey until smooth and no lumps are remaining
ADD whipped cream into cream cheese mix and fold gently until combined
PIPE onto cupcakes

SPRINKLE frosted cupcakes with chopped pecans or cinnamon

Elana sprinkles the finished tops with chopped pecans.
I liked the look and flavor of sprinkled cinnamon instead.
So there you have it - Pecan Pie Cupcakes!

Also seen here:

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cupcakes

These gluten-free cupcakes are nothing short of amazing. They are packed with a sweet flavor and topped with a gorgeous blueberry cream cheese frosting. The best part? These are very easy to make and do not require a slew of gluten-free ingredients so commonly found in other allergy-sensitive recipes. The "flour" ingredient is coconut flour. I have never baked with it before. In fact I have never seen it outside of a bag. The closest I have gotten to it is buying it and stuffing it so far back in my cupboard that I forgot I even owned any...until recently.

I have been eying up Elana Amsterdam's Strawberry Cupcake recipe from her cookbook Gluten-Free Cupcakes for a few weeks now. So I started with that recipe as my base. As I recently made gluten-based strawberry cupcakes I decided to switch things up a bit. In fact, I pretty much changed 50% of the ingredients. Why not be daring? Isn't that what baking is all about?

My absolute favorite summer fruit is the glorious blueberry. I usually have several pints in the fridge during the summer months. Sure enough, an overflowing pint was in there today and was perfect for this recipe.

I also didn't have agave nectar on hand or arrowroot so using what I did have and substituting as I went along produced one incredible, if not kick-@ss, gluten free cupcake.

I also have a love of almonds. Blueberry and almonds go hand in hand. Instead of using vanilla extract (her recipe calls for a significant quantity: 1 tablespoon for just 8 cupcakes) I went with organic almond extract instead at a reduced amount - 1 teaspoon. The flavor combos? PERFECTION.

And of course, a cupcake is not a cupcake until it is crowned with rich and creamy frosting. I considered a standard vanilla buttercream. Even a whipped cream frosting was a possibility. But in the end cream cheese won over (it usually does!). To jazz it up a bit I added 1/2 cup of blueberries processed in my food processor. For a bit of added flavor, I threw in a tablespoon of vanilla sugar during the processing phase. Piped on in a rosette style (Wilton 2D tip) and topped with more blueberries = Beautiful!

SO LET'S GET BAKING, SHALL WE?

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe for cupcakes: Strawberry Cupcakes, Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES

1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch (gluten-free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract (you choose, 1/2 tsp will give a milder flavor)
1 cup blueberries dusted with coconut flour to prevent settling in batter during baking

FROSTING

1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
4 ounces plain cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

EXTRAS

blueberries
powdered sugar

MAKE IT

CUPCAKES

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 8 muffin cups with paper liners. Fill empty cups 1/2 way with water

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together eggs, honey and almond extract
POUR wet ingredients into dry and blend with handheld electric beater until smooth
STIR in blueberries

FILL muffin cups 3/4 full
BAKE 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops feel dry to the touch

IMMEDIATELY remove from pan and allow to cool completely on cooling rack

FROSTING

IN SMALL FOOD PROCESSOR, blend blueberries and vanilla sugar until no large pieces remain. You will see a dark purple paste dotted with flecks of blueberry. Set aside
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment (or handheld electric beater) combine blended blueberries, cream cheese and butter.
BEAT ON HIGH speed until thoroughly blended and no noticeable lumps can be seen
SLOWLY add in powdered sugar blending until just combined
ON HIGH SPEED, mix frosting for 2-3 minutes
PLACE frosting in the refrigerator to set for 10 minutes before piping

PIPE frosting onto cooled cupcakes, top with fresh berries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar

ENJOY!

Also seen here:

Cheddar Shallot Muffins

Sometimes we don't want to muck around with scone dough; cutting in butter, rolling, patting, forming into shape. Sometimes we just want a simple drop biscuit that is savory, rich and speckled with cheese. Even better? Change that drop biscuit into a portable cheddar shallot muffin all nestled nicely in a paper liner for portability.

I love savory breads, muffins and scones. They truly are my weakness. I readily admit I would take savory over sweet any day. I love savory baked goods plain or crowned with a pat of butter. These muffins are wonderful either way!

I could have went with simple cheese muffins but I love the flavor onion adds to the muffins. Shallots are a lovely mild onion with a reddish tinge that works perfectly in this recipe. If you don't have any on hand go ahead and substitute with chopped scallions or snipped chives.

Next, on to the cheese! It is always preferable if you shred your own cheese as it tends to melt better in baked goods. That said, if you are like me and don't have time then use pre-shredded cheese. Just make sure you buy Old Cheddar pre-shredded variety for this recipe.

The addition of seasoning goes a long way here to take these up to another level. Key seasonings are pepper, dry mustard, cayenne pepper and if you want, add 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika for added color and depth of flavor.

This recipe makes 12 large muffins. They bake at a low heat for a longer period of time and come out golden, fluffy and just down right delicious!



RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

1 rounded tablespoon of salted butter
1 large shallot, diced
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (go with 1 tsp if you like a peppery bite)
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups shredded old cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups milk (2% is fine)
1 large egg

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 325F
LINE 12 muffin cups with paper liners - these do tend to stick to the liners a bit so you may want to consider spraying the liners lightly with cooking spray before filling. Or forgo liners and just spray the muffin tins thoroughly before filling. In the future I will omit the liners because it just makes eating these babies so much easier without trying to peel them off!

MELT butter in small saucepan and cook diced shallot over MED heat until they soften - 3-4 minutes
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, pepper, salt, and dry mustard
IN SMALL BOWL, whisk together milk and egg
ADD WET INGREDIENTS AND SHALLOTS to dry ingredients stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP, scoop batter into prepared muffin tin
BAKE 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean
LET COOL in pan 5 minutes
TRANSFER muffins to cooling rack

These muffins are best eaten warm and if you don't want to freeze them then I advise you indulge in them the same day they were made. To reheat, just pop them in the microwave on HIGH for 10 seconds

These also freeze incredibly well. Place them in a freezer bag and toss them in the freezer. They are good for up to 3 months frozen. To defrost, place in microwave for 50 seconds at 60% power.

ENJOY!

Also seen here

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes for One

Why a recipe just for one today? Well, I ended up eating later than the rest of the family today and was on my own. I started contemplating what to eat "solo". I am sure many of us find ourselves in that situation from time to time and a bowl of cereal or a bagel just won't cut it. Why do we have to wait for a family meal or a breakfast out to enjoy pancakes? Wait no more!

I love pancakes but let's face it, most recipes bake up enough to feed a small country. I didn't want to start messing with reducing ingredients with the hopes of getting that "just right" consistency on a scaled down version of our family favorite Banana Sour Cream Pancakes.

Plus I was craving, and I mean CRAVING, blueberries. I had about 1 cup left over from the weekend and knew that would be a superb amount for pancakes. Now add that to pancakes for one and you have puffed up blueberry pillows !

The original recipe can be found at Healthy Food for Living. I did stray from the recipe a tad adding extra flavorings as I went along. For some reason though my batter did not look remotely like the batter photos on the source recipe blog site. It was far thinner. Next time I will add a bit more flour to get the desired consistency.

Top these guys off with pure maple syrup and you have a single serving delight on your hands! In fact, this recipe would feed 2 as it made 6 pancakes when I tested it out today. Add a side of turkey bacon and boom, you are in heaven!

So brew yourself a cuppa and let's get crackin' !

p.s. My apologies for the lack of photos.
It was early and my ability to stand steady enough
to take anything without blur was a challenge!

RECIPE:
*source recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes for One, Healthy Food for Living

WHAT YOU NEED

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
tiny pinch of salt
1 egg white
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk, well-shaken
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 cup fresh blueberries, preferably organic
canola oil cooking spray
pure maple syrup, preferably grade B

MAKE IT

IN MEDIUM MIXING BOWL, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
IN LARGE MIXING BOWL, whisk together the egg white, buttermilk and orange blossom water.
STIR dry ingredients into the wet just until moistened.
FOLD blueberries into batter. Set aside to rest - 5 minutes should be sufficient.
HEAT a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray.
WHEN HOT, spoon the batter into the skillet by the 1/4 cupful.
WHEN BUBBLES APPEAR on the surface of the batter, (about 1-2 minutes), the pancakes are ready to be flipped.
FLIP pancakes and let cook for another minute or so, or until golden brown.
SERVE with maple syrup.

GREAT SERVED WITH A SIDE OF BACON OR HAM
ENJOY!

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

These cupcakes were inspired by the bounty of local strawberries basking in the sunshine at nearly each and every rural intersection. The source recipe hails from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook for Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes.

I started there and then let my creativity take over to a degree. The recipe recommends you put the berries in the bottom then add the batter on top. I preferred to stir the berries into the batter instead and also added 2 drops of strawberry oil for a boost of added flavor and a hint of pink color.

I stuck with the cookbook's recipe for cream cheese frosting but instead of adding crushed graham crackers on top I decided to go with, you guessed it, MORE berries. I simply combined a few chopped berries with some strawberry gelatin (yup, Jello!) and a teaspoon of water. Simmer that for a few minute then let cool. It will start to gel up nicely within 1/2 hr. Makes a great topping.

So let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe: Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes, The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup fine granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 drops pure strawberry oil or 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
1 large egg
12 large strawberries cut into small pieces

FROSTING

2 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk or cream
4 oz cream cheese, cold

BERRY TOPPING

1/2 cup diced strawberries
2 teaspoons strawberry gelatin
1 teaspoon water

MAKE IT

PREHEAT OVEN to 350F
LINE muffin tin with 12 paper liners

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment (or hand held electric beater), blend flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter on SLOW speed until you have a sandy consistency and everything is combined
ADD milk and vanilla, beating on MED speed until combined - scrape down sides when needed
ADD egg and beat for a few more minutes until everything is fully blended
FOLD in strawberries

FILL MUFFIN CUPS 2/3 full with batter
BAKE 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
LET CUPCAKES cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack

IN SMALL SAUCEPAN combine berry topping ingredients
LET SIMMER 5 minutes and remove from heat
LET COOL 20 minutes

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment (or hand held electric mixer) combine icing sugar, butter and cream
BEAT on SLOW speed for 1 minute then increase and blend well on MED speed 2-3 minutes
ADD cream cheese and beat in slowly at first then increase speed and let beat for 5 minutes until fully combined and no noticeable lumps

PIPE frosting onto cupcakes
WITH back of a small spoon make an indent in the tops of each frosted cupcake
ADD 1/2 teaspoon of berry topping
PLACE CUPCAKES in refrigerator for 15 minutes for frosting to set

ENJOY !

Also seen here: