Chocolate cup cakes with creamy chocolate frosting (GF/vegan)

I have been craving chocolate cake lately so I gave in and made these yummy moist chocolate cakes. I added some beets too to give a little extra nutrition. The beet flavor is completely unnoticeable. I used avocados as a base for the frosting and it was so rich and creamy I kept eating it by the spoonful. My husband even approved and he is a pretty tough critic! If you want to make these grain free you can use buckwheat groats instead of oats.

Chocolate cup cakes

1/4 cup ground shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground sunflower seeds

1/4 cup ground gluten free oats (or buckwheat groats if you want grain free)

1 tablespoon oil (coconut,olive etc.)

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

1 apple peeled

2 tablespoons coconut milk

1/4 cup water

1/2 small beet

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup honey or maple

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

optional: a few drops of stevia for extra sweetness

* process the apple,beet and water and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

* fill  greased or lined cupcake pan and bake for about 20 minutes at 350F or until slightly firm.

* Makes 6 cupcakes

Chocolate frosting

2 avocados

2 tablespoons smart balance butter (or grass fed butter if not vegan)

1/2 cup honey

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

optional: a few drops of stevia for extra sweetness

This recipe is also seen here http://www.allergyfreealaska.com/2013/08/08/whole-food-fridays-8-9-13/  and here http://dietdessertndogs.com/2013/08/08/wellness-weekend-august-8-12-2013 and here http://www.thetastyalternative.com/2013/08/allergy-free-wednesdays-week-80-august.html along with many other gluten free recipes.

Raw lemon cupcakes with strawberry frosting

These would make great treats for a kids birthday celebration! All healthy real food ingredients Adding some chopped strawberries to the cupcake would be really good also! I am trying to start using only dates and stevia for sweeteners because of candida issues. Honey and maple seem to react similar to sugar in my body and create an environment for candida to have a party in my body! I think some my issues with the raw food diet are actually not the raw foods but candida issues. Since I started taking probiotics I have not noticed the weight gain and thinning hair as I did a few weeks ago. I actually feel like my hair has been growing faster since going raw a few weeks ago.

Raw lemon cupcake

1/3 cup +4 tablespoons ground sunflower seeds

4 tablespoons ground sprouted buckwheat groats

1/3 cup + 4 tablespoons ground coconut shreds

1/3 cup ground cashews

lemon juice of 2 lemons

2 1/2 tablespoons of lemon zest

1/3 cup coconut milk

10 soaked medjool dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

strawberry frosting

1 1/2 cups strawberries

1-2 soaked medjool dates

1 tablespoon coconut milk

1 tablespoon cocoa butter or coconut oil melted

3 tablespoons ground cashews

a few drops of stevia (optional)

small pinch of sea salt (optional)

* Mix the cupcake ingredients together and put in cupcake papers ( I use the silicone reusable ones) and put in the dehydrator for a few hours.

* Blend/process the frosting ingredients and put in a pastry bag with decorative pastry tips and put the frosting on the cakes. Make sure the cakes are cooled off because if they are warm the frosting may start to melt. Also if you put the frosting in the refrigerator for an hour or so before using it will be more firm.

* Sprinkle with lemon zest optional. Enjoy! Makes 6 cupcakes.

This recipe can also be seen here http://dietdessertndogs.com/2013/06/27/wellness-weekend-june-27-july-1-2013 along with many other vegan recipes!