Halloween-Inspired Pumpkin Seed Cupcakes

halloween inspired pumpkin seed cupcake

halloween inspired pumpkin seed cupcake

These Halloween-inspired pumpkin seed cupcakes with a spiced pumpkin icing are my first recipe creation for the amazing brand Indigo Herbs. They have been one of my favourite, affordable brands for a while for superfoods and baking ingredients so I was excited to create a cupcake recipe for them using some of their ingredients I had never used before! Indigo Herbs is a superfoods company based in Glastonbury, Somerset whose focus is on providing natural, high quality ingredients that promote good health and well-being. Sounds good to me! I grew up in Somerset, not far from Glastonbury so this makes me love them even more! Indigo Herbs offers a wide variety or organic, nutritious wholefoods including superfoods, baking ingredients and nut butters. As a long time customer I cannot recommend them enough!

I created these low FODMAP, gluten, dairy free and refined sugar free cupcakes using their coconut oil, pumpkin seed butter and pumpkin seed protein powder. I use coconut oil in a lot of my recipes and have tried many different brands which have varied in taste and colour. Indigo Herbs coconut oil is perfect for baking in my opinion as it has a subtle coconut flavour, not overpowering like some I have tried, which works perfectly with these cupcakes.

halloween-inspired pumpkin seed cupcakes

I have been a nut butter and tahini fan for a long time now but I have never tried pumpkin seed butter before. As soon as I opened the jar I could smell the sweet aroma of pumpkin seeds, it has a dark green colour to it which I new straight away would work well in a halloween inspired recipe! I toyed with the idea of adding spices to the cupcake batter but the pumpkin seed butter has such a beautiful sweet flavour i didn’t want anything to overpower it. I would love to see it what it would taste like blended into a green smoothie!

As someone who is always active and spends a lot of the time in the gym I am always looking to add plant-based protein powders to my creations so I loved to idea of adding pumpkin seed protein powder to these cupcakes. Not only does it enhance the amazing flavour of the pumpkin seed butter but it also boosts the nutritional content. You can purchase these ingredients here.

These cupcakes have a beautiful soft, spongy texture which is complimented by the rich creaminess of the spiced pumpkin icing. I can safely say I will definitely be baking with pumpkin seed butter again, I have already eaten two of them while typing this!

halloween-inspired pumpkin seed cupcakes

Serves: 12-14 depending on side

Time to prepare: 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:

100g coco oil, soft but not melted

150ml maple syrup

100g pumpkin seed butter

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

200ml rice milk

150g ground almonds

25g pumpkin seed protein powder

100g gluten free oat flour

2 tsp baking powder

Icing:

100g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

300g firm silken tofu

30g coconut oil, soft but not melted

55ml maple syrup

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional but gives the icing colour)

Equipment:

Cupcake trays

2 mixing bowls

1 small bowl

Food processor

Steamer

Cutlery

Spatula

Piping bag

Electric Whisk

Cooling rack

METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 165oc and place cake cases in the cupcake trays
  • In one bowl mix together the oat flour, ground almonds, baking powder and pumpkin seed protein powder, place to one side while you prepare the wet mixture
  • The coconut oil needs to be soft but not melted so if it’s solid place over a bowl of warm water until soft
  • Using a fork, mix together the coconut oil and maple syrup then stir in then pumpkin seed butter until smooth
  • Crack the eggs into the wet mixture along with the vanilla extract and rice milk
  • Using an electric whisk, on the highest setting, whisk the mixture together until completely combined
  • Add the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk again until a smooth, thick batter is formed
  • Once combined, place the batter into the cake cases (I use a tbsp measure and place approx 3 tbsp in each case)
  • Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes until they have a firm but spongy texture
  • Leave to cool in the tray for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack until completely cooled
  • While the cupcakes are baking prepare the icing
  • Steam the pumpkin for 10 minutes until soft then leave to cool
  • In a food processor combine all the icing ingredients on the highest speed until thick and creamy, place in a small bowl and store in the fridge until the cupcakes have cooled
  • When the cupcakes have cooled, use a piping bag or spatula to decorate the top of them
  • Best enjoyed with a cup of herbal tea!

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One Reply to “Halloween-Inspired Pumpkin Seed Cupcakes”

  1. […] Pumpkin Seed Cupcakes: Nutritiously Naughty […]

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