My Favourite Vegan Gluten-Free Carob Muffins
Inspired by Portugal: gluten-free carob cupcakes.
As I promised, today I'm sharing with you one of my favourite dessert recipes. For the first sight, the list of ingredients might seem long, but the muffins are easy to make. I got the idea from my favourite foodie website The Kitchn, specifically from this Vegan Orange and Ginger Cupcakes.
I'm gluten free, and for some time my stomach was so sensitive that cocoa and ginger weren't an option, so I've substituted the first with the carob and the latter with my favourite cinnamon.
Carob is a powder made of the dried pods from the trees that are unique to the Mediterranean region. Here, in Portimão carob trees are everywhere, and the carob powder and whole pods are available in every shop and market.
This is a carob pod.
It has a distinct taste, something in between coffee and chocolate and it's one of those tastes that you have to learn to enjoy - like olives or matured cheese.
A few words about the recipe: can you substitute the carob with cocoa? Of course, then your home will smell like Christmas.
Can you replace the coconut sugar with the regular one? Totally, but it will be way sweeter then. Honey or agave syrup will work great as well, but the texture will be a bit more "chewy".
If you're not yeast intolerant, then replace the lemon juice with apple cider vinegar that will add a lovely tanginess and make the muffins grow nicely.
Last but not least: don't add the ready-made vanilla extract with chemicals. Make your own.
Somehow I've never taken photos during the prep and with the original frosting. On the photos there is a coloured marzipan and a ready made frosting.
Gluten-free and vegan caron and orange cupcakes
Vegan carob and orange cupcakes recipe
For the cupcakes:
2 cups buckwheat flour
1 cup rice flour
2 cups coconut sugar
2/3 cup carob powder
One tsp salt
1 2/3 cup water
1 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange juice
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp orange zest
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins
For the frosting:
1 cup softened vegan margarine/ghee
1 cup dates syrup
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp carob
1/4 cup soya milk
1 tbsp home-made vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange juice
1/8 tbsp salt
Icing:
Beat the ghee until creamy. Add date syrup and carob. Gradually, while still mixing on high, add soy milk, orange juice and salt.
Heat the oven to 190 C.
Put the raisins in the colander, rinse them with boiling water. Set aside to drain.
Beat flour, cocoa and salt together.
Add water, oil, vanilla, orange juice, cinnamon and orange zest, mix.
Add lemon juice, mix quickly.
Mix in the raisins.
Fill in the muffin forms to 2/3 height.
Bake for 15 minutes. After taking from the oven, cool down for at least 5 minutes.
While completely cold, cover the cupcakes with icing.
Did you try it? Do you like the recipe? Have questions? Like, share or ask in the comments! Every gesture appreciated!
Carob cupcakes with topping.
Carob pod.
Aaaaand more cupcakes!
