These soft and fluffy Chocolate Almond Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting are bursting with flavor. Its kid friendly and loaded with seasonal ingredients. This vegan and gluten free dessert is a cute Halloween treat for all ages.
SPPPOOOOKKKYYYYYYYYY HALLOWEEEN!!!!!!
Hahhaha so much fun ahead and the festival season takes off from now on. As for the little ones to enjoy this Halloween I have Chocolate Almond Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting. This dessert is healthy yet tasty so that mommies are happy too…… 🙂
At my place its more of cute Halloween because my little one likes cute stuffs even for this occasion. So she decided the decoration for these cupcakes.
Since she has developed chocolate love lately, I came up with chocolate cupcakes and of course how can I miss the nutrition and health part even for desserts. 🙂
It was fun making this dessert with Yashvi and she enjoyed mixing the batter and kept licking all that while mixing. I had to keep a close watch over her or else I would not have gotten any chance to click these delectable cupcakes 🙂 . I decided to sweeten the cupcakes naturally with fruits and avoided adding sugar because it’s Halloween and all our little ones would be having a sugar rush with all the candy bags from neighborhood. 🙂
Ingredients for Chocolate Almond Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting
For the frosting
Fresh coconut (grated/shredded)
Raw cashew nuts (chopped)
Pumpkin puree
Date syrup
Salt
Vanilla powder
Olive/walnut oil
Pumpkin pie spice
Lemon juice
Unsweetened coconut milk
For the muffins
Almond flour
Salt
Baking soda
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Bananas
Olive/walnut oil
Vanilla extract
Unsweetened almond milk
How to whip up Pumpkin Frosting
I simply whipped up all the frosting ingredients in a blender and blended it into a smooth paste.
Then, stored it in an air tight glass container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Pumpkins are at their peak right now and so what better way to include fresh pureed pumpkins into dessert. Hence I made egg free vegan pumpkin frosting with date syrup and kept the sugar levels to the minimum.
We enjoyed fluffing the frosting and though it was messy later on for me to clean up yet it was a hilarious event in my kitchen. Yashvi had this frosting all over her face and just couldn’t stop laughing at her own self and as you all know laughter is infectious 🙂
How to bake Chocolate Almond Cupcakes
- In the first step I pre-heated the oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit and prepared the muffin tray.
- In the meantime, I mixed all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until it was chocolate in color and well blended.
- Next, in a food processor I combined banana, oil, vanilla extract and milk and process smooth.
- Now, I mixed the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whipped up the batter nicely.
- Next, spooned the batter into the prepared muffin tray evenly.
- Thereafter, place the muffin tray in the middle rack of oven and bake it for 35-40 minutes.
- Once done, I took out the tray and let it cool completely.
- Lastly, top the muffins with the pumpkin frosting and enjoy!
I kept the decoration part quite simple because Yashvi is just 3 and she chose the icing decoration which she could decorate herself. But feel free to decorate these cupcakes as per your choice and make it as spooky as possible. I can however vouch for the taste. It’s delicious and you can’t stop with just one cupcake.
Happy Halloween!!!!!!!! 🙂
Expert Tips:
- Let the muffins cool down completely or else they will crumble. They will become firm once completely cooled.
- Do not over bake the muffins or else they might have the burnt taste.
- When taking the muffins out of the tray be gentle to avoid breaking.
FAQs
- These cupcakes can be refrigerated for about a week in an air tight container.
- However, the best practice would be to refrigerate the unfrosted cupcakes 2-3 days and when ready you may top it with frosting.
If you get a chance to make this recipe then please leave your feedback in the comments below and rate this recipe. You may also tag @kiipfit on Instagram and I will definitely shout it out there.
Chocolate Almond Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting
Equipment
- oven
- muffin tray
Ingredients
For the frosting
- 3/4 cup fresh/frozen shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp date syrup
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 tsp olive/walnut oil
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (tetra pack)
For the muffins
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 medium bananas
- 1 tsp olive/walnut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- In a food processor combine all the frosting ingredients and process as smooth as possible. Pour in a glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit and prepare a muffin tray with a greased liner.
- In a mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients for the cupcake and mix very well with a spoon until chocolate in color.
- In a food processor combine banana, oil, vanilla extract and milk and process smooth.
- Now pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix very well with the spoon until the batter is smooth.
- Now pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray equally into 9 muffin cups (about 2 tbsp. in each cup).
- Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Turn off the oven and let the tray stay in there for 2-3 minutes. (Do not over-bake more than 40 minutes).
- Take out the tray and let it cool completely. Gently take each muffin out of the tray without breaking (At this point they will soft and slight fragile because its pure gluten free). The cupcakes would become firm as it cools down completely.
- Once completely cooled top the muffins with the pumpkin frosting and decorate with your choice of spooky decoration or enjoy as is.
- Leftover cupcakes can be refrigerated in an air tight container for 2-3 days.
Video
Nutrition
Veena Azmanov says
This is so creative, cute and healthy. Best for the Halloween festivity.
Carol Borchardt says
These definitely look amazing and like they’d be bursting with flavor! They’re so cute and perfect for the fall and Thanksgiving!
Gunjan says
Thank you Carol. They indeed are cute and kid friendly.
Kyleigh Wegener says
I never thought of making pumpkin frosting before. I might need to give these a try 🙂
Agatha says
Adorable cupcakes! I feel like the ghosts are drowning 🙂
Gunjan says
Thank you Agatha.
Leslie says
What a great combination of flavors and so cute too!
Gunjan says
Thank you Leslie.
Emily, Our house now a home says
I like the idea of adding the pumpkin frosting. how fun and perfect for fall!
Kim @ This Ole Mom says
I love your cupcakes they are adorable!
Allison (funfamily.vacations) says
These are so cute! Fun idea.