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Friday 4 October 2013

Delicious Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes - Gluten Free!

A good spice cake is delicious, but a good pumpkin spice cake, now that's something to write home about!  These cupcakes turned out beyond delicious - better than I had even hoped for!  They had a slightly crispy top which perfectly balanced the delicious moist cake.  They're delicious with a lighter cream cheese frosting, recipe below, but we loved them without any frosting at all. They're so flavorful, they can stand on their own.  Enjoy!

I am constantly working on new pumpkin recipes!  I've included a list of my recipes with my instructions on how to make easy homemade pumpkin puree.

Amazing Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
To create perfect wedding-ready pumpkin spice cupcakes, I used oil in the batter to get a fluffier cupcake.  I then used a generous amount of my regular cream cheese frosting recipe, and piped on large swirls.  The tops were then sprinkled with a dusting of ground nutmeg to create a finished look. 
Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcake
When making these for everyday eating, I tend to just slather on frosting with a knife - and use the lower sugar version (below).

Delicious Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Makes 9 cupcakes (You can easily double the recipe)
Cake recipe based on a Food Network magazine recipe, but modified to be gluten-free.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin tin with 9 paper liners.

Mix in a large bowl (It is important to mix dry ingredients first in gluten-free cooking, or you will end up with inconsistencies in the batter):
3/4 cup Kristin's gluten-free flour mix
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice + pinch of cloves (OR 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp ginger, pinch of cloves)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

In a mixer, mix the following until fluffy:
1/2 cup butter, softened OR  1/2 cup oil (they'll be a little fluffier and still delicious!)
scant 1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (I use less sugar for more of a muffin taste, more for a decadent cupcake)

Add and mix in:
2 eggs
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree will work)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla bean paste is best)

Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. 
Pour batter evenly into muffin cups, filling ~ 3/4 full. 

Bake at 350F for ~25 minutes.
Remove from oven.  Let cool removed from pan on a wire rack. 
Fresh out of the oven.  They should be nicely browned on top.

Pumpkin paper liners are a festive fall look.  Let cool completely before frosting, or just eat warm. ;)

Frost with cream cheese frosting, if desired.  Although, we enjoy them without any frosting at all, too!   You can store un-frosted cupcakes in a tupperware at room temperature for up to a few days, if they last that long.
ENJOY!

Cream cheese frosting:
You can use the cream cheese frosting recipe that I use with my cinnamon rolls, but I enjoy this lower sugar version here on these cupcakes:

Mix together:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, softened
10 drops liquid vanilla-flavored stevia
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Note: This is very similar to my regular cream cheese frosting recipe, only with a bit less vanilla extract/bean paste and stevia in place of 1.5 cups powdered sugar.  In other words, just add 1 tsp vanilla and 1.5 cups powdered sugar in place of the stevia extract if you prefer regular frosting (although that would make quite a bit more frosting, so you may want to halve the frosting recipe if you use all sugar/no stevia).

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