I was frankly shocked when I made these cupcakes for the first time. I took several passes at it and to be honest I was skeptical that when it came to baking unless you use butter, sugar and white flour it wasn’t going to bake up nice and moist or taste good. I was wrong, after a few misses I finally found the perfect combination of ingredients and bake time and they turned out simply delicious. They are light, definitely moist and filled with ingredients that are good for you. The cream cheese frosting puts this dessert over the top! Just a dollop of pure creamy goodness to add the right amount of total satisfaction!

I personally love this cupcake with a cup of hot tea!

(This recipe is in my new cookbook, “Food for Thought” out on December 4.)

Cristina Ferrare, author of “Food for Thought.”

Makes 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

¾ cups organic unbleached flour
¼ cup flaxseed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
¾ cup plain canned pumpkin
2/3 cup maple syrup
¼ cup safflower oil
12 – cupcake liners

INSTRUCTIONS

PRE-HEAT OVEN 350F.

• Line 12, 2-1/2” cupcake liners in a cupcake baking tin.
• Whisk together, flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt.
• In a separate bowl whisk eggs, canned pumpkin, maple syrup, safflower oil and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and fold until flour streaks are gone. Do not over mix.
• Spoon batter into cupcake liners ¾’s of the way.
• Bake 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out slightly moist. Remove the cupcakes from oven and cool in the cupcake tin for 5 minutes. Lift the cupcakes gently out of the tin and place them on a wire baking rack to cool for an hour.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons coconut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 tablespoons Pomegranate seeds

In a mixer or food processor add the first 5 ingredients and process on medium high until frosting is smooth and creamy. Place frosting into a piping bag with a #2 tip and squeeze a dollop on top! Sprinkle lime zest and add a few pomegranate seeds on top!

Happy Holidays!

READ MORE STORIES THAT MOVE HUMANITY FORWARD

READ MORE STORIES THAT MOVE HUMANITY FORWARD

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