Elana Amsterdam’s New Cookbook: Gluten-Free Cupcakes (Review and Giveaway)

I recently received a complimentary copy of my sweet friend Elana Amsterdam’s new cookbook, Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour.  So while my boys were spending the weekend with their grandparents, I broke out the eggs and went to town!

I decided to try the Lime Cupcakes, and OMG!  They are absolutely amazing; light, fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth moist.  My husband ate 4 within the first hour!

Okay, fine…I admit it, I ate 6!  SIX!!! 😳

I never would have conjured up the idea to pair lime and cupcakes together but as Mike said, “they are like spring in a muffin tin.”  The lime cupcakes definitely have me charged up to finally figure out how to successfully substitute the eggs called for in the recipe (so my egg-allergic son can enjoy them too).  Elana’s cupcake recipes would make for the PERFECT grain-free breakfast for us (by turning them into muffins), full of protein and healthy fats from the almond flour, fiber from the coconut flour and since they are free of refined sugars, my two little boys can stay focused at school.  Until I conquer the egg dilemma though, Elana does have me covered with a recipe for gluten-free and vegan chocolate cupcakes in her new book, as well as recipes for: Vegan Chocolate Frosting, Vegan Coconut Whip, Vegan Buttercream and Vegan Coconut Frosting (see recipe below).

Photo and Recipe Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour. Copyright © 2011 by Elana Amsterdam, Celestial Arts, an imprint of Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Lime Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Makes 10
Sweetness: Medium

1/2 cup Coconut Flour
1/2 cup Blanched Almond Flour (packed)
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 large Eggs
1/2 cup Grapeseed Oil
1/2 cup Agave Nectar
2 tablespoons firmly packed Lime Zest, plus more to decorate (about 3 limes)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grapeseed oil, agave nectar, and 2 tablespoons lime zest. Blend the wet ingredients into the coconut flour mixture with a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined.

Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 1 hour, then frost, sprinkle with the remaining lime zest, and serve.

Vegan Coconut Frosting

Makes 2 cups
Sweetness: Medium

1/2 cup Coconut Milk (I used full fat canned coconut milk)
1/2 cup Agave Nectar
1 tablespoon Arrowroot Powder
1 tablespoon Water
1 cup Coconut Oil, melted over very low heat

In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk and agave nectar to a boil over medium heat. Whisk the ingredients together, then decrease the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, to reduce just slightly, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, dissolve the arrowroot powder in water, stirring to make a slurry. Increase the heat under the saucepan to medium-high so the mixture is bubbling. Add the arrowroot slurry to the coconut mixture, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and turns opaque and shiny, about 1 minute. Once the mixture becomes shiny, remove the pan from the heat and gradually blend in the coconut oil with a handheld mixer until well combined.

Allow to cool on the counter for 15 minutes. The mixture will not look like frosting yet—don’t worry; this is okay.

Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for 1 to 11/2 hours, until the frosting fully solidifies and looks opaque white in color. Remove from the refrigerator and whip with a handheld mixer until thick and fluffy. The frosting will be sticky looking and lumps will dissolve during whipping.

Use immediately or store in a glass Mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow the frosting to soften a bit after removing from the refrigerator. Stir with a flexible spatula until spreadable.

Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour will be hitting store shelves on April 26, 2011.  If you hurry, you can get an AMAZING deal if you pre-order Elana’s cookbook on Amazon, only $9.03 with free shipping…that’s 47% OFF the retail price!!!

For one of my lucky readers though…

To enter for a chance to win a FREE copy of Elana Amsterdam’s new cookbook, Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour, simply leave a comment!

I will announce the winner on Friday, April 15th, 2011, Good Luck!