Raw Recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Vanilla Icing & Ginger Caramel
Among the surprises in my first year of being gluten-free has been my growing enjoyment of raw desserts. I love how simple they can be to assemble and often find them more texturally satisfying than gluten-less baked goods. These raw spiced pumpkin cupcakes are filled with autumn goodness and yet are free of many allergens like grains, dairy, eggs, nuts, and refined sugar. And did I mention they’re topped with coconut vanilla icing and ginger date caramel?!
If you aren’t familiar with raw desserts I do feel the need to tell you that these aren’t carb-y and cake-y like traditional cupcakes. But they are still totally scrumptious! Made from a base of pumpkin puree, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flour, they are soft and moist and reminiscent of a denser pumpkin pie filling. In addition to the seasonal pumpkin, they are spiced with the quintessential flavors of fall — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves. A mini-sized raw cupcake makes a great sweet snack, while a large cupcake is a filling dessert.
I top the cupcakes with a layer of coconut vanilla icing made with rich, creamy coconut butter. You can stop there, or go the extra distance and pipe on an easy “caramel” made from Medjool dates and a hit of fresh ginger juice, which cuts through some of the sweetness.
One of the great things I love about raw desserts is how adaptable they often are. You can sweeten to taste with a range of different sweeteners, adjust spices as desired, and swap out the pumpkin seeds for another nut or seed flour. Make these cupcakes your own and enjoy!
Raw Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Coconut Vanilla Icing and Ginger Date Caramel
Makes about 8-20 cupcakes
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 cup
raw pumpkin seeds (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 cup
pumpkin puree (store-bought or homemade for truly raw)
- 3/4 cup
maple syrup, coconut nectar, or agave nectar (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon
lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon
vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon
sea salt
- 1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon
ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground cloves
- 1 cup
coconut flour
- 1 batch
coconut vanilla icing
- 1 batch
gingered caramel
Instructions
Place the pumpkin seeds in a food processor, coffee/spice grinder, or high-performance blender such as a Vitamix. Pulse until you have a floury consistency. (Avoid over-grinding or you may end up with pumpkin seed butter!) Set aside.
Combine the pumpkin puree, sweetener, lemon juice, vanilla, sea salt, and spices in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the pumpkin seed flour and blend until smooth. Add the coconut flour and blend until well combined.
Line a cupcake tin with 8 large or 20 mini paper liners. Fill the liners with dough, pressing it down evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 days (can also freeze for up to 2 weeks; transfer to an airtight container if refrigerating or freezing for longer than a day).
Just before serving, spread Coconut Vanilla Icing on top of each cupcake. Using a pastry bag, pipe Ginger Date Caramel on top of the icing.
Recipe Notes
Pumpkin Seed Flour: Pumpkin seeds make a great nut-free flour for this recipe. If you prefer, you may substitute 1 cup of sunflower seed flour or a nut flour such as cashew or almond.
Sweetener: I prefer maple syrup, but it isn't a raw food. For a strictly raw recipe, use raw coconut nectar or agave nectar.
Coconut Vanilla Icing
Makes about 1/2 cup
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup
room temperature coconut butter (see softening tips)
- 1 tablespoon
melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon
maple syrup, coconut nectar, or agave nectar (see Recipe Notes)
- 1
vanilla bean, scraped
- 1/8 teaspoon
sea salt
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork to combine.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Soften to room temperature before using.
Ginger Date Caramel
Makes about 1/2 cup
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 8
medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 cup
warm water
- 1 tablespoon
ginger juice (squeezed from freshly grated ginger)
- 1 tablespoon
lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon
sea salt
Maple syrup, coconut nectar, or agave nectar to taste (optional; see Recipe Notes)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If desired, add additional sweetener to taste.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If desired, add additional sweetener to taste.
Recipe Notes
You probably won't use the entire batch to decorate the cupcakes, but I find it easier to blend and pipe a batch of this volume. Use any leftover caramel on oatmeal, as a dipping sauce for cut fruit, etc.