Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake Poppers

I have mentioned before that I just love to make mini sizes of treats. It is a great portion control or if you tend to pop lots of poppers this strategy didn't work for you and you might need help. 

This strawberry cupcake recipe came directly from Danielle at Against All Grain food blog. She is a genius when it comes to grain free cooking. I highly recommend her blog as well as her cookbooks when you're in the market for a new grain free cookbook.

The recipe for lemonade frosting is all mine, thank-you very much!! If you have looked through my blog much you might have seen me use a glyconutrient called Trehalose. I LOVE this product. Read more info about it here. And you can order here. It comes in granulated form. I convert it to powdered form by tossing it into a VitaMix or BlendTec and whirring for about 30 seconds to a minute. But I'll give you more thorough instructions in the recipe below.

Strawberry Lemonade is the inspiration for this post. Everything about it reminds me of summer time.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake Poppers

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
  
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Frosting

• 1 2/3 cup granulated Trehalose (processed into powdered)
• 1/4 cup palm shortening, can also use butter or ghee
• dash salt
• 2 to 6 Tbs lemon juice (or enough to make desired consistency)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees.
2. Place mini-cupcake papers in mini-cupcake pan. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl mix together dry ingredients (almond flour, baking soda, sea salt, lemon zest).
4. In large mixing bowl mix together maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer.
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the egg mixture while mixing with a hand mixer and mix on medium until well blended.
6. Stir in chopped strawberries.
7. Fill cupcake papers about 3/4 full.
8. Yields over 36 mini-poppers.
9. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes or until top of cupcake bounces back when touched.
10. Remove from oven and let cool.
11. While cooling prepare your frosting.

Lemonade Frosting

1. Place granulated Trehalose in high powered blender such as VitaMix or BlendTec and power up for approx 30 to 45 seconds.If you are using a regular blender this might take a couple minutes to get desired results of powdered sugar.
2. Dump powdered Trehalose  and dash sea salt in medium mixing bowl.
3. Add 1/4 cup organic palm shortening and mix well.
4. While mixing add lemon juice one tablespoon at a time to desired frosting consistency. 
5. Frost the cooled cupcakes generously with this lemonade frosting.

Strawberries are available year round these days but what better time to whip up this recipe, when your local strawberry patch has seasonal berries ready to pick. You can make different variations by using blueberries, blackberries or raspberries in place of strawberries.
You don't need a special occasion to make this delicious summertime treat. It becomes a special occasion when you make them.  When would you make these cupcakes?
ENJOY!!