These grain-free pumpkin pie cupcakes are a hybrid between pumpkin pie filling and a muffin so they are extra moist.  If you would like a dryer version just cut down on the amount of pumpkin puree. I am also providing two different frosting recipes, the first one is a fast and easy cream cheese frosting and the second one is made with coconut milk and coconut oil.  It is delicious as well but a little bit more time-consuming, as it requires you to start the frosting the day before.

I made these for my daughter’s best friend’s 3^rd birthday, along with some coconut flour chocolate cupcakes.  I usually bring my daughter her own cupcakes to every party.  I keep them in the freezer and just thaw one out a few hours before the event, but this time since the birthday girl also has a gluten intolerance, all the kids in the party were eating gluten-free. As people are becoming more and more aware about the negative effects of wheat maybe someday gluten-free will be the norm. Does that sound possible or just too good to be true?

Ingredients:

1 ½  cup of almond flour
1 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
2 tbsp of coconut oil
3 eggs
1 cup of chopped walnuts(optional)
Dates to taste, I used  ¾ cups
2 tsp of cinnamon powder
2 tsp of pumpkin spice
¼ tsp of ground cloves (optional)
2 tsp of baking soda
Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Using food processor combine all the ingredients except for the walnuts, until the dates are completely ground. If you are using a blender instead, blend the eggs with the dates, baking soda, pumpkin puree, and dates together, transfer mix to a bowl and incorporate the rest of the ingredients by hand.
• Mix in the walnuts by hand
• Pour the batter into greased or paper lined muffin molds, remember that almond flour does not raise as much as wheat flour so fill the molds until almost the top
• Bake muffins for 35 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out dry.

Frosting #1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
1 cup of cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp of lemon juice
3/4 cup of raw honey

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth and frost cake

Frosting #2

Ingredients:

1 cup of coconut oil
1 cup of full fat coconut milk, canned or homemade
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
5 tsp of arrowroot powder
4 tbsp of raw honey.

Preparation:

• In a small saucepan, whisk together the vanilla, arrowroot, and coconut milk and bring to a boil.
• Lower heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring  constantly.
• Melt in the coconut oil and remove from heat.
• Once the mixture is at room temperature, mix in the honey using an electric mixer or immersion blender (coconut milk and oil      will still separate at this point).
• Refrigerate overnight or for several hours until it hardens
• Whisk again using an electric mixer or immersion blender until it has a  consistency similar to whipped cream
• Frost cupcakes

Sprinkle the top with cinnamon (optional)

Makes 8-10 muffins