GF Fudge Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream

These are SO yummy. They are easy to make and don't require a flour blend. The flour is Quinoa, which has a bit of a nutty flavor. Todd, who is a bit pickier than me (I assume it is because he can still eat a real live Cinnabon), says they taste a little like I made them with buckwheat. He also says they are, "really good". So there you have it - the gluten eaters thumbs up.

These were for Bryce to eat at a little kid birthday party, so I opted to frost them with good ol' buttercream. I made the frosting more "adult" by adding a whole bunch of coconut to it. You could use any frosting that suits your fancy, or do what I did today with the second batch - eat them plain.

GF Fudge Cupcakes
preheat oven to 375

1/4 C butter (or butter replacer)
1/4 C water
1/4 C cocoa
1/4 C almond milk (or any milk alternative - or MILK if that makes you happy!)
1 C sugar
1 1/4 C Quinoa Flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xantham gum
2 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla

Boil the water and the butter. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa and then milk. Set aside. Sift sugar, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and xantham gum into large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks, vanilla and cocoa mixture. Mix well. In another bowl, beat egg whites until they are stiff, but not dry. Fold into batter. Fill muffin tin lined with paper baking cups. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool. Store these in a Tupperware type container or a gallon plastic bag - it will keep them moist.

Frost or eat 'em up!

For the coconut buttercream - just find your fave buttercream frosting recipe and add a bunch of shredded coconut. You may need a little less powdered sugar than the recipe calls for. I made mine without measuring a thing - so I can not share it with you until I do it again and employ those pesky measuring tools. If I would have known how yummy my concoction was going to be I would have done it so I could share......really!