Lemon + Vanilla Cupcakes
This week I have been in the mood for baking again. The main reason is that I’m testing out a few new recipes for my healthy chef cafe for the locals in Avalon Beach. They’re a health conscious bunch out there and surfing + yoga is the number 1 passtime. This recipe is my all time super favourite cupcake. It is delicious on it’s own and makes a terrific healthy snack. I sometime also love to fold in a few raspberries, blueberries or organic dried cranberries or cherries.
Why it’s good:
I’ve used almond meal in my cupcakes which is my preferred baking mix. It’s gluten free, paleo and packed full of protein + good monounsaturated fats that can help lower cholesterol and keep you fuller for longer. Almonds are also a great source of Vitamin E that research suggests can slow premature cellular ageing. The eggs in this recipe are a terrific source of high quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids needed for growth immunity and repair.
2 free range / organic eggs
1/4 cup (115 g) honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
1 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
3 cups almond meal ( ground almonds / almond flour)
250 g thick natural yoghurt
juice and zest from 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 170°C (150° fan).
Oil + dust muffin tins with almond meal or line with paper cups.
Combine egg, honey, vanilla, baking powder, almond meal and yoghurt in a large bowl.
Mix in lemon zest and juice.
Pour into prepared muffin tins and bake for 35 mins until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean
Cool.
Serve and enjoy.
Will keep covered in the fridge for 1 week.
Note: Use thick natural pot set yoghurt without any added thickeners. For best results strain yoghurt through a fine muslin overnight in the fridge to drain out excess liquid – This will give the best result.
Makes 12 cupcakes
Protein: 7.2 g
Total Fat: 15 g
Saturated: 1.6 g
Carbs: 9 g
kilojoules: 854
Calories: 204 calories
VANILLA FROSTING RECIPE
250g Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat cream cheese, honey and vanilla in the small bowl until smooth.
Spread over top of cooled cupcakes
NOTES:
Neufchatel cheese normally has a lower fat content than cream cheese. Named after Neufchatel, a town in France, it is often described as a soft cheese.
You can get it in most supermarkets and delicatessens.
EXTRA NOTES:
For TOTALLY SUGAR FREE LOW CARB CUPCAKES omit honey and replace with either Natvia or xylitol. You can get both in health food stores or supermarkets….if using, you need to reduce almond flour by 1/2 cup.
Now if you CAN’T HAVE DAIRY use silken tofu or coconut yoghurt in place of the yoghurt.
Use a soy based cream cheese in place of the dairy variety or make a lovely raw version using macadamia nuts or cashew. If you’re lucky enough to get coconut yoghurt in your area this is yummy on top.
Hi Teresa, I love your website, and every one of your recipes I have made has been a hit, so thank you! My daughter is a coeliac and I try to make healthy snacks etc. What can I replace almond meal with, as the school has a nut free policy? Also, any assistance with a recipe for gluten free breadrolls would be greatly appreciated. Look forward to your new book.
Hi Grace, to replace almond meal the next best flour is coconut flour. HOWEVER the proportions will be very different as coconut flour soaks up a lot of liquid and I haven’t tested it as yet…..as little as 1/2 cup could do the trick. Gluten free / nut free bread rolls coming soon….
Another with a nut free school policy here and another lover of your recipes.
Would love it if you could provide a nut free alternative for most of your baking recipes, I’ve often looked at your recipes and thought “would love to try it but a) can’t send nuts to school and b) almond meal is quite expensive to cook with regularly”.
Wow, I was logging in to ask the same question but Grace beat me to it. I’m happy to give my kids sweet treats in their lunchbox if I know there are healthy. I love your recipes but as you use almond meal frequently I can’t cook it as most schools have a nut free policy. Does this mean we can substitute coconut flour for almond meal for all your recipes? Do you any have recipes we can use for school lunches that are nut free?
For those parents who have a nut free policy in schools you can use coconut flour in this recipe HOWEVER….proportion is very different…..I’m testing today so leave it with me guys about 1/2 a cup should do it but making sure. T:)
Hi Teresa,
I also love your website & especially enjoy receiving your newsletter & trying out your recipes!
I am currently on the Bodytrim diet, It’s mostly a sugar and carb free diet except for breakfast where I can have a piece of fruit or a piece of dense grain bread… I was wondering if I could substitute the honey for Natvia/Stevia granulated plant extract sugar, do you think that would work?
For baking I love using Xylitol if sugar free, but you only need 1/4 cup. Perfect Sweet brand is the best one:) reduce almond flour but 1/2 cup. T:)
Yum! Yum! Yum Teresa! I made a similar lemon & yogurt cake (from Margaret Futons Healthy recipes book) and instead of the yogurt & icing sugar next time I’ll substitute it with honey or agave. Thanks so much for your clean eating recipes! Although I’m smashing the muesli cookies like there’s no 2mrw!!! Any plans on Lara style bars? I need to create some without nuts for one of my boys who isn’t a big fan. Although when I blend the cashews with the dried fruits, he’s got no clue they’re in there. XxDani
Hi Teresa,
I am not a fan of the natural gelatinous natural yogurt (such as Jalna, yet I like the fruit sweetened low fat vanilla ) and prefer Vaalia or Tamar Valley natural options to eat from a bowl. What brands of yogurt do you recommend for both eating plain and baking with?
Tamar valley is lovely Bronwyn, if you like that one, then stick to it. I baked my last batch of GF cupcakes with this yoghurt and it worked out lovely !
Hello Teresa.
I was given a copy of your Protein Balls receipe, decided to click onto your website and have been a fan of only 3 weeks. I was searching for high protein. The Protein Balls are so good and tasty, is there a substitute for dates? Could I use Blueberries? Thank you for your emails, in a short space of time I have never tried so many new receipes. The Chilli Mussels and Strawberry Crumble were excellent. Thank you.
Hi Teresa
Just a quick question – if I follow your recommendation and strain the yoghurt do I just strain 250g and use that or do I need to use 250g of strained yoghurt? If the later, roughly how much do I need to start? Sorry to be pedantic but thought it best to check first.
Thanks!
Hi Kate, if your yoghurt is thick there is no need to strain….like a good Greek style naturally set version or the Jalna Bio, the one i used to make this recipe was the http://www.barambahorganics.com.au/organic-yoghurt/
I make these and I understand the cost factor with almond meal but I get the most out of my mix because I make 3 sweet and 3 savory muffins from one batch (ie: for the savory dont use sweetener, add dry herbs and whatever you like really – I like adding grated zuchinni, carrot and ricotta).
I then have the sweet ones as a morning tea or snack, and the savory ones are great with soup (the almond meal soaks up flavor when you dunk it in!). Yum.
Coconut flour I find to be more expensive sometimes anyway! You can always just buy bulk almonds and “flour” them using a coffee grinder. Will work out to be about $3.
I love these because they’re impossible to screw up! GF mixes cant be overworked in the same way as normal muffins can so in my books they’re a winner all round.
I came in to the cafe last weekend and downed an energy smoothie after a music festival weekend. It was just what I needed : ) Thankyou Teresa for another inspirational recipe to keep me cooking clean, tasty and nutritious! x
That’s a great tip Isabelle – I just made these (so yummy and soft – my kitchen smelt so good while they were baking!), but the almond meal almond cost $10.00 – so i think I will use the tip of making my own almond meal.
Thanks
Danielle
Hi Teresa
looks like a great recipe! Unfortunately I’m egg free, is there a substitute?
Thanks
Hey Larissa, you can buy an egg replacement from health food stores which you just mix with water and add to the cupcakes. This may work for you
Wow Teresa these are fantastic. Just made them for my 6,4 and 18 month old (and me of course) and we all love them! Thank you, love your recipes.
They sound nice and simple to put together, and it’s cool that there’s no oil or butter. I love almond meal in gluten free baking. It’s so moist!
Visiting my sister in law and a friend of hers baked these cakes and we had some I was absolutey astonished at to how delicious they were and asked for the recipe, now I have it I can make them for my diabetic husband for the occasional sweet for morning tea..
Wow. I made these dairy free, using silken tofu as suggested, & they’re fantastic. You can’t taste the tofu at all – they’re just gorgeous & lemony. Thanks. Did you have any luck testing with the coconut flour ?
Hi Teresa!
Just wanted to know if you think i could substitute the natural yogurt for sheeps milk yogurt… if i can use it do you think it would change to taste of flavour?
Simply delicious!!!
teresa these cupcakes are delicious!! I want to make them for my dad who can’t eat eat yolk… would there be anything I could substitute? thanks so much!
hey karen….use 4 whites to 2 whole eggs….no prob…xx