Cupcake of the Month

I'm starting something new on my blog, and in life. I'm forcing myself to get into the kitchen and find my love of baking again. Before Ethan got so sick, I use to love to bake. And the the Celiac and allergies hit and you have to throw everything you know about baking out the window and start all over again. Well it has been three years. And I bake here and there, not as much as I use to.

But starting today that is changing. I have googled and found some very nice looking recipes, the issue is these are filled with yucky stuff. So I will be converting them. Some will be winners, and some will flop I'm sure.

I want to show those on this "diet" and in life not to be afraid of food. It's just food. I want to explore, pumpkin, cranberry's, cocoa. I want to explore new to me flours. I want to get into my kitchen and have fun again.

My Grandmother use to be a baker, and oh boy how I use to love to bake a cake and decorate it. I could do a mean fondant. I could butter cream like no ones business. But since Ethan I have only decorated one or two cakes since. That will be changing also. So look forward to those creations.

So starting tonight I did just that. I found a recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes. Well after changing nearly every ingredient I think what I have is a pretty good cupcake. The big problem here is I don't eat my baking. I have never liked cake, cupcakes, bread, tons of sugar, for-get-about-it.

So I have to rely on my kids and husband to let me know how they taste. These got a thumbs up.

First up, have your music up loud, this really helps. Make sure you sing loudly and dance around the kitchen. Have fun well you are baking.


The first Mixing.
Added the flour...Looks so good.

Fresh out of the oven. Hey, I heard that, Squares? Where do you get squares? Um, Target. I LOVE them.

Waiting for them to cool.

Frosted and they have cocoa powdered sugar on it. This is where you need to explore, just a scoop of powdered sugar, I add in a few small spoonfuls of cocoa and mix up. No measuring. Often I don't measure. I am a dump and pour kind of baker.

Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?

Heavenly Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour mix (below)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (Instead of using these four, I used 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice)

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 flax egg (pre-mix and set aside)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup melted enjoy life chips

Please read all the instructions first.

1. Whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Very important to do this step first.

2. In the mixer combine the sugar, pumpkin, and flax egg. Beat until smooth.

3. Mix in the oil, orange juice, and melted chocolate.

4. Add in the flour mix, and you move fast before the chocolate hardens.

5. Once mixed, pour into a cupcake pan and fill about 3/4 full.

6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Frosting

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (Trader Joe's carries a corn free version)

4 teaspoon vanilla paste (I used 2t regular vanilla, I didn't have paste on hand)

2 teaspoon rice milk

I used 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix or you can use

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1. Beat coconut oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Mix in vanilla, and milk.

3. Mix in spices.

I have a new flour mix (I know, I know!)

I usually use Cybele's

4 Cups Brown Rice Flour

1 1/3 Cups Potato Starch

2/3 Cups Tapioca Starch

I am now doing;

3 1/2 cups Brown Rice Flour

1 1/3 Cups Potato Starch

2/3 Cups Tapioca Starch

1/2 Cups Sweet Rice Flour

Enjoy...