Description
These light and fluffy Grain-Free Lemon Cupcakes make the perfect gluten-free, vegan springtime dessert! Grain-free vanilla cupcakes infused with lemon extract and lemon peel and topped with a vegan vanilla frosting.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2/3 + 1/2 cup almond milk (or other plant milk)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup cassava flour (NOTE: not all cassava flours are equal. Some make the batter runny. My favorite brands to use are Bob’s Red Mill and Let’s Do Organic)
- 1/2 cup quinoa flour (may use almond flour instead)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from ~ one lemon)
Lemon Curd Filling (optional)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2-3 small lemons)
- 1/2 cup plant milk (I used flax milk, but you can use oat, almond, cashew, coconut, etc.)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour/starch + 2 tablespoons of water
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- pinch of turmeric for color (optional)
Vanilla Frosting
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1.5 cups organic powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plant milk
Instructions
- If you're planning on filling the cupcakes with lemon curd, find the directions on how to make it in THIS POST.
- In a glass bowl or measuring cup whisk together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and let it sit for about 10 minutes to “curdle”.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, quinoa/almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder, then add the pure lemon and vanilla extracts, maple syrup, avocado/grapeseed oil, milk mixutre, and lemon zest. Stir just enough to form a batter. DO NOT OVER MIX.
- Line a cupcake pan and then fill each liner just below the top. Bake 15-17 minutes or until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling with the lemon curd and frosting.
- To fill the cupcakes with the lemon curd, use a small round cookie cutter or a paring knife to cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake, making a well about 1-1 1/2 inches deep. Spoon or pipe a small amount of lemon curd into the well. If you like, you can replace the piece of cupcake you removed on the top, so the top of the cupcake still has a smooth surface of cake with the curd underneath. (This is definitely not necessary, but is pretty quick and easy and can make the cupcakes slightly easier to frost.)
- To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the shortening and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth then slowly add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the filling is sturdy. Add the plant milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve your desired frosting consistency.
- Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Store the cupcakes covered on your counter for up to 3 days.
Notes
*You may bake the cupcakes a day ahead of time and frost the day of serving if desired! I actually liked them better the second day! 🙂
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American