Easy Healthy Pineapple Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Vegan, Paleo, GF)
Super yummy healthy pineapple carrot cake vegan cupcakes with pineapple maple frosting – made with almond flour + naturally sweetened.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups almond flour (155g)
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour (30g)
- 1 cup shredded carrots (around 120g)
- 1/2 cup chopped pineapples (around 105g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (11g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 flax eggs (1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water per egg)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (80g)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
PINEAPPLE MAPLE FROSTING:
- 3/4 cups SOAKED cashews (soak overnight if possible)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 medjool date (soaked if not soft)
- 1/4 cup chopped pineapples
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
** for best results make sure all frosting ingredients are at ROOM TEMPERATURE. Any cold ingredients will cause the coconut oil to harden in the blender.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Make your flax eggs by combining flax meal and water in a small bowl and let sit to “activate”.
- Mix all dry ingredients (flours, spices, salt, and baking soda + powder) together in a bowl.
- Mix vanilla extract, maple syrup, flax eggs, and apple cider vinegar together and add to the dry ingredients. Add shredded carrots and pineapples. Mix to combine.
- Pour batter into lined cupcake molds. If not using liners, make sure to grease molds slightly unless you’re using a non-stick silicone mold. Bake for 25 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Oven times vary. You can use a toothpick to check if they are ready by inserting the toothpick in the center of the cupcake – if it comes out dry and mostly clean, they are ready. If the toothpick comes out wet and with lots of batter, it needs more time.
- Make your pineapple maple frosting while cupcakes are baking. Add all room temperature ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. You’ll probably have to use your tamper to get it nice and smooth. You can add tiny bits of water or milk or more oil if your blender is struggling but try to keep liquids to a minimum for a nice thick frosting.
- Allow carrot cake cupcakes to cool down completely before frosting. I use this Wilton tip to decorate the cupcakes. Top with shredded coconut and a dusting of cinnamon powder. Enjoy!
Notes
- I use baby carrots and I shred them using my food processors’ shredding blade. Super easy.
- I used fresh pineapples for this recipe but no-sugar-added canned pineapples should work too.
- For best frosting results – soak cashews overnight for 8 to 10 hours.
- Make sure all frosting ingredients are at room temperature before mixing with the coconut oil.
- You can use agave instead of maple syrup.
- Make sure your baking powder + baking soda is not expired. These will not work if expired and your cupcakes won’t rise.
- Oven times vary greatly. Keep an eye on your cupcakes and use toothpick method to test for readiness.
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