These cupcakes are the perfect texture and mix of spice and sweet with real food ingredients. I am happy to share this is the first gluten-based recipe I am posting since opening Naturally Nourished in 2012. But wait isn’t gluten proinflammatory? I thought this was a food-as-medicine recipe blog?
I am always seeking the closest nourishment to the source that is nourishing and wholesome. Over the last couple of years I’ve been calling whole real foods “God Food”. I define this as foods provided by God or found in nature potentially cultivated and supported by man but least industrialized and certainly not chemically adulterated or manufactured. As I’ve shared in the past, gluten-free flours are highly refined and you’ll never see me using Cup 4 Cup or other refined gluten-free flour blends as they are quite processed, high-glycemic, and devoid of nutrients. Most of my recipes use almond flour with a little coconut flour as almond flour is lower glycemic, contains healthy fats, and fiber, however it is difficult to find locally sourced almond flour and as I’ve shared on the podcast in 2024, the almond industry is quite toxic as it is a top glyphosate crop and water irrigation demands are high.
Over the last two years, I’ve been exploring stone milled heirloom chemical free flour and now that I’ve healed my gut, I’ve been able to digest and tolerate these flours in moderation. When considering gluten and flour, it is important to understand the difference between stone milled flour vs. industrialized and even organic flour. When a flour is stone milled vs. industrially milled the end product is completely different. Stone milled is literally just a cracking of the grain that retains the entire kernel including bran, germ, and endosperm, along with fiber, enzymes, and essential fatty oils. This means stone milled flours are incredibly nutritious compared to even an organic all purpose or whole wheat flour. Non-organic flours, which are the majority of gluten in the market, are both synthetically enriched and contaminated with glyphosate.
Last year I had James Brown from Barton Springs Mill grain on the Naturally Nourished podcast. He shared how their flours is a direct result of the tireless work of their farmers and millers. As I was working to redefine what I call “God Food” I felt their stone milled flours really qualify. Learn more on episode 480 of the Naturally Nourished Podcast where I interview James Brown of Barton Springs Mill https://alimillerrd.podbean.com/e/episode-480-stone-milled-flour-vs-standard/
From Barton Springs Mill:
“We are all in this together—our seeds, their soil—with seasonal variables far beyond any of our control. We do the work of cleaning, milling, and providing products to our customers. But our farmers, they’re doing the real work, and we thank them for taking the risk with Barton Springs Mill.”
I love providing my family a nourishing mindful indulgence that is crave-worthy for the holidays but also provides vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. The cake base is the perfect texture with melted coconut oil along with heavy cream and eggs for a moist perfect chew. The Stardust 00’ flour by Barton Mills Spring worked perfectly and the shredded carrots added a nice texture. This recipe is both nourishing and delicious and more with a quite traditional (less impressive) cream cheese frosting, but hey, it's all about balance!
Now if you are in an active mode of gut restoration, I would recommend sticking to almond flour as a gluten-free alternative, but if your gut integrity is optimal and you are able to tolerate gluten…this recipe is for you.
Ingredients for cupcakes
1 ¼ cups stone milled flour, I used Barton Springs Mill 00’ Stardust (use ALIMILLERRD to save)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup coconut oil, melted
⅔ cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-5 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 ⅔ cups grated carrots (purchase with greens in tact for freshest carrots)
½ cup pecans, chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1.5 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Makes 12 cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners, I like silicone or unbleached parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger, together in a large bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk the coconut oil, coconut sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and 3 Tbsp cream together until combined. Then stir the shredded carrots into the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold or whisk together until completely combined. Add 1-2 additional Tbsp heavy cream as needed to combine, the batter will be slightly thick. Then stir in pecans.
Spoon the batter into the liners, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 25-27 minutes, checking at 22 minutes and every couple minutes after baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cupcakes are in the oven, start making the frosting. In a mixing bowl with a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add ¼ cup at a time, powdered sugar. Once you are at one cup of the powdered sugar, add the vanilla and salt. Then continue to add remaining powdered sugar adding just enough for ideal texture and sweetness.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best results and a lighter cake texture, take cupcakes out of the fridge for about 1 hour prior to serving as the coconut oil will slightly solidify in the fridge for a more dense texture.
Optional: if you are feeling "extra" top your cupcakes with wild flowers like the Prairie Verbena we used or candied ginger slices.
Calories: 391, Carbs: 37g, Fiber: 5g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 25g
