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Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

May 31, 2018 · Natalie 86 Comments

Fluffy, moist Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes – a classic dessert but healthier, these gluten-free cupcakes made with oat flour are easy to make and irresistibly delicious!

I know, I know. The cherry on top look is supposed to be for ice cream sundaes and milkshakes exclusively. But you gotta admit it kinda works here.

As much as I love ice cream, a fluffy vanilla cupcake swirly-topped with luscious vanilla frosting is so seriously good it deserves the most picture perfect of fruit toppings too. I would never utter something as wacky as “better than ice cream”, but it’s a fierce tie in my dessert heart.

Once chocolate cake happens it’s only fair to soon follow up with vanilla – no flavor favoritism here. Plus, hello excuse to eat more and cuter cake.

A quick instagram poll last week made it quite clear that you guys wanted an oat flour cake over the grain-free version I had in mind. Which is SO GOOD TO KNOW. Ask and you shall receive. Although it proved much tricker than swapping out cocoa powder for more flour. I wanted to make sure these cupcakes were still yummy and rich even without the decadence of chocolate. A few dozen cupcakes later, and I’m pretty sure you are going to love these.

The ingredient highlights:

Oat flour. As requested.
Tapioca starch. Unless you want to be covered in crumbs after eating. You can use cornstarch or arrowroot starch instead, but tapioca is my favorite for baking.
Coconut oil. I tried countless times to make these oil-free, but applesauce made them too gummy and almond butter too muffin-like. Coconut oil works best for a light but still moist texture. You can use a nut or seed butter if you prefer, but they will be more dense
Coconut sugar. I tested a batch with maple syrup, but the flavor just wasn’t as rich. Coconut sugar is also much cheaper.
Vanilla extract. Obviously.

Ideally you would mix the wet ingredients in their own bowl, and the dry in another, and then combine. But if you wanted to turn this into a one bowl situation – whisk the wet, add the dry, get after those flour clumps, and then cleanup in two minutes flat – go for it like the badass cupcake rebel you are.

Now comes the part where I admit to you that I used Simple Mills vanilla frosting. Yup, that happened. After four…five…too-many-to-count batches of cupcakes I just couldn’t be bothered blending up my own, and their ingredients are good enough for me.

While you silently judge me, let’s run through all the HOMEMADE frosting options I’ve got for ya…

Like this creamy cashew classic.

Or this ultra decadent chocolate heaven.

Or a healthier date-sweetened frosting.

Or good old coconut whipped cream.

Or this adventurous low-fat one.

You are now 100% ready to be that person at the party who brings the killer cupcakes that disappear freaky fast and no one can believe are vegan and gluten-free (and made out of oatmeal, but we don’t want to blow their minds TOO much).

Sorry person that brought brownies. Cupcakes. Always. Win.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

★★★★★ 5 from 9 reviews

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Category: dessert
Method: baking
Cuisine: american

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Description

Fluffy, moist Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes – a classic dessert but healthier, these gluten-free cupcakes made with oat flour are easy to make and irresistibly delicious!

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 (240g) cup non-dairy milk
1/3 cup (70g) coconut oil OR 1/2 (130g) cup nut/seed butter*
2/3 cup (105g) coconut sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Dry Ingredients

2 cups (240g) oat flour
1/2 cup (60g) tapioca starch**
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

One batch cashew yogurt frosting OR see post above for more frosting options.

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Instructions

Whisk together the wet ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
Add the wet to the dry, and stir until well combined.
Divide batter into 12 cupcakes lined with paper liners or sprayed with oil. Fill each almost to the top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F or until golden brown and firm when lightly pressed in the middle.
Cool completely before frosting (I actually like to chill them overnight first).
Frost and enjoy!
Keep leftovers in the fridge. They will last 4-5 days but dry out with time, so are best eaten within the first couple of days.

Notes

*Coconut oil gives them the best texture–moist but still light and fluffy. Nut or seed butter will make them a little more dense and muffin-like. If using a nut butter, I recommend raw cashew butter. **You can substitute with cornstarch or arrowroot, but tapioca starch yields the best texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
Calories: 306
Sugar: 16g
Fat: 17g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Protein: 4g

Keywords: vegan, cupcakes, gluten-free, birthday cake

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Tahini Oat Blueberry Crumble

May 24, 2018 · Natalie 36 Comments

Tahini Oat Blueberry Crumble – warm juicy berries, salty-sweet streusel bits, and yogurt on top for a healthy snack or ice cream for a yummy summer dessert!

A pound plus some of the juiciest purple berries heaped into a pan and crumble-topped with salty-sweet streusely morsels – you down with all of that?

I am totally reveling in the current almost-summer fruit selection and buying all the fresh raspberries and strawberries (those have been especially AMAZING) constantly. But when it comes to blueberries, even in peak season, I still prefer frozen to fresh – is that wrong? There is something about the freezer that totally changes the blueb game. Oh those sweet little frosty, finger-staining spheres.

But actually baked into a syrupy crumble is even BETTER than fresh or frozen. We’re getting to that…

Reasons why I love fruit crumbles in general: 1) simple 2) perfect for when you get a little overzealous at the farmers market 3) a very good bed for ice cream.

Reasons why I love, love, love THIS fruit crumble: 1) blueberries! 2) tahini, which creates this very yum salty/savory contrast situation 3) wholesome and healthier with minimal added sugar.

I should warn you, the syrupy-ness going on underneath the crumble topping is pretty intense. Way past drool-worthy level. Possibly get-me-a-straw level. Definitely want-to-scoop-up-every-last-bit level. And when it’s warm (a.k.a. extra gooey) and the yogurt is cold and the topping is toasty, the textural contrast is REAL and mega delish.

Could you use other kinds of berries? Yes. Could you use other nut or seed butters? Yes. Is this combination as written worth giving a try even if you are on the fence about tahini (I was once there too!), and more Team Strawberry than Team Blueberry? YES.

I tried to keep things semi this-could-pass-for-breakfast, but it would not be at all wrong to swap the yogurt on top for ice cream on top. In fact, it would be very very right.

An easy bowl-full of blueberry crumble heaven just like this is waiting for you, so GET ON IT. And let’s wishfully pretend berry season will never end.