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Lemon Cupcakes w/ Strawberry Lemonade Frosting

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Paleo Lemon Cupcake Recipe

With summer here and strawberry season in full swing, it’s impossible for me not to take advantage of all the summer flavors. Currently, strawberry lemon is at the top of my list. First it was my Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Lemonade, and now these perfectly sweet-tart cupcakes.

Any other time of the year, I’d prefer a chocolate cupcake, but there’s something about summer that begs for citrus flavors. I’ve been dreaming of this cupcake for some time now, and finally got it just right.

Frosting without butter, cream, and powdered sugar is pretty hard to nail, but this one is light and fluffy and has just enough sweet to not overpower the lemony cupcake. And while the frosting is pretty delicious, the cupcakes really are good enough to eat on their own.

Cupcakes Using Ghee

I recently discovered Gold Nugget Ghee while we were at Paleo f(x) and fell in love with it. They have a chocolate ghee that is ah-maz-ing! I’m kinda picky about my ghee, and Gold Nugget is at the top of my list. I used it in these cupcakes and had excellent results.

Made with Cassava Flour

And of course, my all-time favorite Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour is front and center in these cupcakes, making them grain-free but perfect in every way. If you haven’t made the switch to Otto’s Cassava yet, you’re missing out.

Summertime Cupcakes

These cupcakes would be the perfect end to a neighborhood BBQ, a summer birthday party, or just because you felt like making cupcakes for breakfast because you’re an adult and nobody can tell you that you can’t do that.

Grain-Free Lemon Cupcakes w/ Strawberry Lemonade Frosting

Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Lemonade Frosting

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup Ghee, or Grass-Fed Butter (if not strictly dairy-free)
  • 1 cup Maple Sugar, divided
  • 2 Eggs
  • Zest 3 Lemons
  • 4 Tbsp Lemon Juice, divided
  • 1-1/4 cups (150g) Otto's Cassava Flour
  • 1/4 cup Potato Starch
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 6 Tbsp Dairy-Free Milk, plain almond or cashew milk works best
  • 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Frosting

  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Grass-Fed Gelatin
  • 3-4 large Strawberries
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 4 Tbsp Honey
  • pinch Salt
  • 1-2 Tbsp Otto's Cassava Flour
  • 1-2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour

Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with grease-proof cupcake liners. Set aside.
  2. Combine 1 Tbsp of the lemon juice and the dairy-free milk and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the ghee and maple sugar until the light and fluffy (it won't be as fluffy as you'd expect with regular butter). Add in the eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest. Set aside.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together the cassava flour, potato starch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add the flour mixture and the milk to the ghee mixture, beating on high until fully combined. Beat a little longer to incorporate more air and create a fluffier batter.
  6. Using a large cookie scoop, fill the prepared muffin cups slightly over 2/3 full. bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting.

Frosting

  1. Sprinkle the gelatin on the lemon juice to soften about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, gelatin, and hulled strawberries to the food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Add the shortening and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high until combined and smooth. Pour in the pureed strawberries and beat on low to combine everything. Add the cassava and tapioca flours 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is thickened, beating well between additions.
  3. Cover the frosting ad refrigerate until it is fairly firm. Remove from fridge and beat on high until it becomes thickened and fluffy. Spoon frosting into a piping bag fitted with your desired tip and frost cooled cupcakes.

Notes

  • The cupcakes are best eaten the day they are prepared. Refrigeration will dry them out and they will become dense and dry if stored at room temp and eaten the next day.
  • The frosting can be made up to a week in advance. Just store in the fridge until ready to serve and beat on high until fluffy, then pipe onto cupcakes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving Calories 251Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 7gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 46mgSodium 147mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 1gSugar 8gProtein 1g

Nutrition is calculated by a third party and may not be 100% accurate

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Easy Kitchen Appliances

Saturday 19th of August 2017

These pictures look great. Can't wait to try this out!

Karen

Monday 14th of August 2017

I've spent the last two hours looking through all of your delicious-sounding recipes! (I took time out to make your White Chocolate Almond Butter, which I made with soaked and dehydrated almonds -- so good!) A question about this cupcake recipe--do you think these would freeze well (without the frosting)? I don't think I would want my kids to eat them all in one day, although I'm sure they would be happy to oblige!

Madison

Thursday 15th of June 2017

Is there anything I can use besides tapioca flour?? I was just about to make this and realized I am out!

Kendra Benson

Friday 16th of June 2017

You can probably sub in arrowroot flour (they're very similar though I haven't tested this yet).

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