The Cupcake Chronicles Part 5: Paleo Friendly Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Icing

Oh cupcakes, it has been a few months since I have made you!  I knew it was time to get creative and make some grain free and paleo friendly pumpkin cupcakes.  I was inspired by all the fall pumpkin picking when I made this recipe and I promise you won't even be able to tell the difference between these and regular pumpkin cupcakes.  The frosting does have butter and cream cheese, so if you are against dairy an easy fix would be to skip the frosting and call them "pumpkin muffins."  In the words of my husband, "Damn, this shit is good!"

No one will believe these don't have grain or refined sugar in them!

Cupcake Ingredients:
1c canned pumpkin puree (not flavored)
1c almond butter (I used Trader Joe's Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds)
1/2c honey

The perfect grain-free fall cupcake!

2 large omega-3 eggs
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp cinnamon

Icing Ingredients:
1/4c butter at room temperature
4oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/8c honey
1tsp cinnamon
2tsp vanilla extract
chopped and toasted nuts (optional, for serving)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Mix all the cupcake ingredients together until well blended.
2. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake lingers.  Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cup 3/4 full of mix.  This recipe makes 9 or 10 cupcakes (not quite 12).
3. Bake in the oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.  Cool before frosting.
4. In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat butter and cream cheese until blended.  Add honey, cinnamon and vanilla and continue to mix until light and fluffy (this frosting is a little thin due to using honey instead of powdered sugar but it still sets and tastes fabulous!)
5. Spread a thin layer of icing on each cupcake and top with a tsp of nuts, if desired.  Serve and relish the flavors of fall!