here we are, at the close of 2016.
it has been quite an interesting year as a citizen of both this country and this blue planet of ours…
tragedy, discord, and angst has felt more real in this world in 2016 than years past.
but personally, 2016 was a whole year all in one place. and a place i have loved. as a military family, sometimes those words mean a whole lot. and for that i am immensely grateful.
watching my little team of three grow and learn has been a gift. having a baby born in and reach milestones at the same home, without moving once (or twice), makes me want to let out a thankful exhale.
i won’t lie, there are sooo many moments i want to just have a blessed moment to myself, baking something, taking pictures, and connecting with you, dear reader, and all of the members of the blogger community i love. that is so much more fun than diaper changes, math lessons, refereeing, getting snacks (and the after-snacks), and seemingly eternal baby-holding.
but the truth is, i’m an old-enough mom to realize the importance of seasons of life. and these babies won’t be little enough to hold all day for much longer. and i truly wouldn’t have it any other way, spending these days knee-deep in the simpler (albeit exhausting) moments of parenthood.
i look back on 2016 as a year of being still. and it really was good.
so in honor of reflecting back on 2016, the recipe redux ladies has invited us to play a little game… pick up the nearest cookbook and redux the recipe on any page including the numbers 2,0,1,or6.
i have long loved me some nigella lawson. the first of her cookbooks that i stumbled upon was how to be a domestic goddess: baking and the art of comfort cooking*. the title alone sold me. i want to be a domestic goddess! {raises hand} plus, baking AND comfort cooking. yess.
her fun and quirky and casual tone throughout the whole cookbook was inspiring and entertaining and endearing. instantly i loved her and became a devoted fan of her television series, nigella bites. hers is one cookbook i undeniably love having on my shelf.
and so, from it, and from page 201, i give you her night-and-day cupcakes.
of course, i have transformed the recipe into a delightful grain-free version… which was an easy one. you see, the recipe was already a little souffle-like and heavy on eggs. so switching to grain-free flours was a perfect choice. think warm chocolate souffle-cake with an awesomely rich cream cheese frosting. yep.
trust me and nigella… this is the way to end the year!
send out 2016 with fabulous #grainfree night-and-day cupcakes. trust me & @nigella_lawson. Click To Tweet
Fabulous Grain-Free Night-And-Day Cupcakes
Ingredients
for the cakes:
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot starch
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup very soft butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 2 tablespoons milk
for the frosting
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon milk
optional:
- edible glitter
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Combine cocoa and water to form a paste; set aside.
- Combine sugars, almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder, salt, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; mix until smooth. Stir in cocoa paste and milk.
- Line muffin tin with liners. If using extended height liners, you can make 12 cupcakes. If using regular liners, you will make about 24. Fill liners to 2/3 full.
- Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon milk in a medium bowl. Whip with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Spread over or pipe onto cupcakes. Sprinkle with edible glitter and sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
*this post contains affiliate links.
