Gluten Free Black Bean Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing

I know what you're thinking: black bean cupcakes?! I was skeptical too, but I swear to you—they are delicious. Moist, chewy, flavorful, and relatively guilt-free since they contain no butter or flour. And you would never in a million years guess that black beans are the main ingredient. Seriously!

When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease I honestly thought I'd never have a baked good again. So much for that. If even six months ago you told me I'd be making black bean cupcakes I'd have laughed in your face. But that's the joy of navigating gluten-free baking. You have to be willing to experiment and try new things, even if they sound weird. Because coupled with the right ingredients, you could have a stellar recipe on your hands.

And this is most definitely a stellar recipe.

I should mention that this is adapted from a black bean brownie recipe in a 2010 issue of Woman's World, which a friend kindly passed along to me. I made the brownies a few weeks ago but wasn't 100% pleased with the outcome and knew the recipe needed a little work.

So last night I decided to make cupcakes instead of brownies and they turned out wonderfully. Paired with the buttercream icing, these are to die for. Even my non-gluten-free (and Paleo) friend who's currently visiting from Dallas couldn't get enough of these. They were finger-licking good. Literally.

And now I present to you the recipe for black bean cupcakes...

Gluten-Free Black Bean Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing

Total cook time: 45 minutes (prep time: 15 minutes, cook time: 25 minutes)

Serves 12

For the cupcakes:

1 can black beans
4 organic eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder

Pre-heat the oven to 350º.

Blend ingredients in a food processor until a smooth batter forms. Pour the batter into cupcake liners in a cupcake tin and be sure to leave a little room for the cupcakes to rise. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. I always test them with a toothpick to see if they're done. Cool for at least 30 minutes before icing. 

For the icing:

1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup organic butter, softened
2 tablespoons almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix ingredients together with an electric beater until smooth.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Icing

Remember how I made those amazingly delicious Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins last week? Well, you're in luck, because they can easily be turned into gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes, and they're even better.

I've got pumpkin on the brain. What can I say? Pumpkin recipes are everywhere. And you don't see this girl complaining.

The muffins were so good that I thought, why not turn these into dessert with a little buttercream icing? Side note: I love buttercream icing. I mean like love love. When I was younger I used to make a batch and just eat it right out of the bowl. Gross, I know, but hopefully you get my point. Anyway, I decided that plain buttercream icing might not match the pumpkin flavor perfectly, but cinnamon sure would. So why not just make the icing, throw in some cinnamon, and see what happens?

What happened? The icing almost didn't make it on the cupcakes. Because I couldn't stop eating it. Straight out of the bowl, with a spoon. I can feel you judging me. But you would've done the same! And if you make these cupcakes, you will do the same. That I can promise you.

So what are you waiting for? Get to it! 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Icing

Makes 12 cupcakes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

For the cupcakes, I simply used my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffin recipe. It's perfect for this. Then you can start on the icing while they're cooling. 

Cinnamon Icing

Cooking time:

1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup organic butter

2 tablespoons almond milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Mix all of the ingredients together with an electric beater until completely smooth. Add extra cinnamon if you want more flavor.

Wait until the cupcakes are completely cooled, then frost them.

I have a feeling both you and I will be making these again and again throughout the fall... 

BabyCakes

My gluten-free partner in crime, The Wardrobe (who left to go back to Boston this morning much to my dismay), and I went on a very inadvertent shopping spree at BabyCakes last night. If you're not familiar with BabyCakes, you should be (even if you're not gluten-free).

It's a bakery located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan (248 Broome between Orchard and Ludlow) that serves gluten-free, refined-sugar free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan baked goods. Delicious baked goods. And they don't taste like they're missing any "normal" ingredients.

The Wardrobe introduced me to BabyCakes this past spring, but I had never actually been before. Every time she came down from Boston she'd go there and bring me the most incredible gluten-free doughnuts. Last night we happened to have dinner at an adorable restaurant called Dudleys, which was right around the corner, and she insisted (okay, okay, she didn't have to do much insisting) that we stop in.

We didn't exactly "stop in." We bought everything in sight, and then some. We took shots of icing! And then we went home and stuffed our faces.

We ate cinnamon sugar doughnuts, which I've had before, and think about constantly. I've never been a doughnut person, before or after (well, clearly) my celiac diagnosis. Until now. Good lord are these amazing. They have numerous other flavors, including coffee crunch, samoa, and salted caramel, but these are by far my favorite.

We ate cupcakes. Vanilla, chocolate, and mint brownie.

The chocolate cupcakes, particularly the mint brownie, were incredibly rich and I could only have a few bites, but if you're a chocolate person you will easily finish the entire cupcake.

But the winner of the night was the chocolate chip cookie sandwich. It was all kinds of deliciousness.

We devoured it, and almost (almost) fought over the last bite. And then we proceeded to spend the next hour in a gluten-free food coma.

The verdict? Run, don't walk, to BabyCakes. (They also have locations in Los Angeles and Orlando.)