Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Strawberry Cupcakes have been haunting me for months now. I’ve made countless batches – tweaking and changing things along the way to come up with the perfect version. My hubby has been kind enough to taste every one of these experiments, some of which didn’t taste like cupcakes at all! All of the experimenting was worth it though, because this Strawberry Cupcake is the amazing result. All of my taste testers (gluten-free and gluten-eating alike!) loved this cupcake.

These cupcakes are dairy free, refined sugar free, and of course gluten and grain free! I love using coconut sugar because it has a low glycemic index and is also full of nutrients. It is very similar in texture to refined white sugar, which makes it easy to use.

The strawberry frosting does contain refined powdered sugar as well as butter, but it completes the cupcake. I’ve been experimenting with vegan frostings as well as natural sweetener frostings, but am still working on it. For now, this strawberry frosting is the perfect addition to its cupcake counterpart. 

A few tips:

-Allow all ingredients to be room temperature before starting (especially eggs, almond flour, and coconut flour).

-Use frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries – the strawberry flavor is more concentrated.

-Use organic powdered sugar (sifted) for the frosting – it does not contain corn starch and produces a grain-free and more delicious frosting.

-The lemon zest brings out the flavor of the strawberry. I guess this is not a tip, but an FYI. :)

-Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before icing them. This is always difficult for me. I want to eat them right away. Trust me, it's better if you wait.

Strawberry Cupcakes

1 (10 oz) bag frozen organic strawberries, thawed

1/2 cup almond flour

1/3 cup coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder (I make my own so that it is corn free)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup grapeseed oil

3 eggs, whisked

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 8 cupcake liners.

2. Place strawberries into a food processor or blender and puree. Reserve 1/2 cup for the cake, and save 2 Tbs for the frosting.

3. Combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, beat eggs and grapeseed oil on medium speed until combined.

5. Add coconut sugar and lemon zest to egg/oil mixture on medium speed.

5. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly combined.

6. Stir in 1/2 cup of strawberry puree to batter.

7. Pour batter into prepared cupcake liners and bake for 27 - 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

makes 8 cupcakes

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (based on this recipe)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted

2 Tbs strawberry puree

1. Beat butter on medium-high speed until fluffy.

2. With the mixer still on medium-high, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar. You may need more or less to get the desired consistency. Beat until well combined.

3. Turn mixer off and stir in strawberry puree.

Makes enough for 8 cupcakes