By Sophie Leaver
Health & Wellbeing Writer

The holiday season is very fast approaching, and now is the perfect time to start getting in the Christmas spirit.

Christmas cupcakes are a delicious way to whip up some Christmas spirit in the kitchen. Instead of loading them with sugary and artificial ingredients, here is a recipe that is healthy and nourishing, but still packed with flavour and looks great. Cupcakes make a great present to take to friends and family, to share in the office, or to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve! He will be glad for the nutritious snack to power him through the night’s journey.

 

Gingerbread cupcakes

These cupcakes not only taste rich and decadent, but when they’re ready to come out of the oven, the mix of spices will fill your house smelling exactly like Christmas. And by replacing some of the sugars with coconut sugar and maple syrup, they will provide a more sustained energy for the little ones than usual store-bought treats. The coconut oil and ghee make the recipe rich and creamy, but still nutritious.

Cupcakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup coconut sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup non-dairy milk of choice

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Icing

½ cup organic ghee

½ cup vegetable shortening

2 cups icing sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 Tbsp. non-dairy milk (if needed to thin)

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 180C.
  2. 2. Line a cupcake pan with 12 Christmas themed cupcake liners, or lightly grease the pan.
  3. 3. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
  4. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.
  5. 5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and gently mix until smooth.
  6. 6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners.
  7. 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The cupcakes are ready when they hold their shape or bounce back, rather than collapse, when you lightly touch one on the top. Or you can insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, they’re ready to go!
  8. 8. To make the frosting, use a mixer or hand beater to mix all the frosting ingredients together until light and fluffy.
  9. 9. Let cool completely before frosting. You can add whatever other festive decorations you like! For example, sprinkling desiccated coconut on top of the icing looks like snowflakes and tastes good too!