First Birthday Vegan Spiced Pumpkin Carrot Cake-Cupcakes

Well our little girl has turned one and it was the best 1^st Birthday Party!! Despite the snow storm that dumped 10-15cm of snow the majority of people were able to get through it, although a few close friends were unable to make it and they were missed!!

When planning our daughters 1^st birthday we wanted to keep it simple we had a few healthy snacks (black bean dip (will post recipe) with whole wheat nachos and hummus with bread sticks and veggie sticks) and then the cupcake/cake display everyone was in love with these healthy tasty vegan cupcakes that were baby friendly although we tried to get Julia to eat one she through it off her high chair tray and decided that her puffed wheat was better that’s out girl!! Ha ha 

So the Spiced Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Glaze here is the recipe, I have included a few options if you are like me your are always experimenting and tweaking things are you cook/bake: 

Julia’s 1^st Spiced Pumpkin Carrot Cake Cupcakes
 (Revised Oct 2011)

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg (may increase to 1 tsp if you love nutmeg)
• ¼ tsp salt (optional)
• 1 cup carrot, shredded
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (may sub unsweetened apple sauce)
• 1/4c EVOO **
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp ground flax  
• 2-3 pureed cubes of spinach (optional)

1)      Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a muffin pan or spray paper liners to prevent sticking and set aside.

2)      In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, vanilla and carrots. Add dry mix to wet mix stir until just combined.

3)      Fill cups to the ¾ full bake 15-25 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean, decrease cook time to 15 min for mini cupcakes, 20 min for standard cupcakes and 25 min for a 10” round cake (if making the cake line pan with parchment paper).

Spiced Maple Glaze Buttercream  

1 cup of icing sugar

2 tbsp dairy-free butter (I used Earth’s Balance)

2 tbsp MS*

1 tsp cinnamon

1)      Mix butter, MS and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl, sift in icing sugar and mix with an electric mixer, adding additional sugar as necessary to reach a thick and fluffy consistency or a few drops of water to thin icing out or more icing sugar to achieve desired texture.  On the note of decorating this my first time ever decorating and near the end I started getting more creative and my icing seemed to hold its shape better, at first I had this idealistic idea that I was going to be a natural at it but it truly is an art, getting the consistency of icing was challenging as well, after this experience I am looking forward to my next opportunity to make and decorate some cupcakes!!

**EVOO = extra virgin olive oil

*MS = 100% maple syrup

 

 Upcoming in next post recipe for the black bean faux meatballs and more about the realizations of the simply pure vegan baby... enjoy your chilly Sunday!!