Today I want to welcome Abby from Yes to Yummy to share her Paleo Strawberry-Almond Cupcake recipe with us. Abby is a young 14 years old girl who lost 30 lb. by switching to the Paleo Diet, cutting out grains and processed foods from her life. In her journey, she fell in love with food and healthy cooking and have recently joined the blogosphere where she shares her amazing nutrient rich recipes. Check out her website at http://yestoyummy.tumblr.com
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I keep a little journal beside my bed at night, and if a dish idea floats by, I immediately write it down. For whatever reason, I brainstorm best as I'm about to fall asleep.
I wanted to create a summery dessert that utilized fruit in some way...and the strawberry-almond cupcake was born. Light and airy with a creamy frosting, you'll love these from the moment you have your first bite. They're the perfect way to end any meal, whether elegant or casual.
First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with 6 parchment liners. I like If You Care baking Cups - they're good for the environment and never stick. It's a win-win.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 4 egg whites on high (for me, between settings 8 and 10) until very stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, blend 4 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons of raw honey, ¼ cup grass-fed cow milk or nut milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons almond extract until little air bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes. Gradually pour in ⅓ cup of melted refined coconut oil and process for 1 minute longer.
Gently pour the wet ingredients into the egg whites and fold with a spatula. Sift in ⅓ cup of coconut flour, a pinch of salt, and ½ teaspoon of baking soda and lightly stir until smooth.
With a large spoon, fill each liner up halfway with batter. Using one of the spoons, make a small well in the center of each one and fill it with about 2 teaspoons of strawberry preserves.
Top each cupcake with another layer of batter and spread it evenly with a spoon.
Bake in the middle rack of an oven until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean in the center, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling for another 30 minutes.
To make the strawberry frosting, start by pulverizing 1 ¼ cups of freeze dried strawberries in the food processor until the consistency of powder, about 3 minutes. Stand back when you take the lid off, because a cloud of strawberry dust will drift out and go up your nose. Ew.
Add the strawberries to the bowl of a stand mixer with ½ cup of palm shortening, 2 tablespoons of liquified raw honey, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of almond extract. Sift in 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder, 2 teaspoons of coconut flour, and a pinch of salt, then whip on high until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Carefully drizzle in 2 tablespoons of melted refined coconut oil and whip until light as a cloud, about 10 minutes. The longer you whip it, the lighter it'll get.
Using a small spatula or spoon, spread about 2 tablespoons of frosting atop each cupcake. Top with halved strawberries and blanched almond flakes for an extra pretty presentation.
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My whole life, I’ve loved eating…and sometimes, a little too much. Right after my fourteenth birthday, I decided to take control of my body and lose some weight. Over the course of my journey, I fell in love with nutritious, wholesome foods, and started making dinner every night for my family. Now, I am thirty pounds lighter and a million times more confident about how I look. I don't feel deprived at all; food tastes so much better when I prepare it myself with fresh, real ingredients. I believe that everyone has the power to make healthy choices while still enjoying delicious dishes.
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Website: Yes to Yummy
Recipe
Guest Post, Yes to Yummy: Strawberry-Almond Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 4 eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons raw honey
- ¼ cup milk , grass-fed cow or nut milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- ⅓ cup refined coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup coconut flour, sifted
- pinch fine himalayan salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup all-fruit strawberry preserves
For the frosting:
- 1 ¼ cups freeze-dried strawberries
- ½ cup palm shortening
- 2 tablespoons raw honey, liquified
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder, sifted
- 2 teaspoons coconut flour, sifted
- Pinch fine himalayan salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with 6 parchment liners. Grease with coconut oil if necessary.
- With a stand mixer, whip the egg whites on high (for me, about 8) until fluffy and stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor, blend the egg yolks, honey, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until little air bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut oil and process for 1 minute longer.
- Gently fold in the wet ingredients into the egg whites with a spatula.
- Sift in the coconut flour and add the salt and baking powder to the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a spatula until smooth and homogenous.
- With a large spoon, fill each liner up halfway with batter. Using one of the spoons, make a small well in the center of each one and fill it with about 2 teaspoons of the preserves.
- Top each cupcake with another layer of batter and spread with a spoon to completely cover the preserves.
- Bake on the middle rack until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and continue cooling for another 30 minutes.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting: in the bowl of a food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries until the consistency of a fine powder, about 3 minutes.
- Add the strawberries to the bowl of a stand mixer with the palm shortening, honey, vanilla, and almond extract. Sift in the arrowroot powder, coconut flour, and salt, then whip on high until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut oil and continue whipping on high until nearly a cloud, about 10 minutes.
- Top each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons of frosting, a few pieces of flaked blanched almonds, and half a strawberry. Eat immediately.
