Natural Sweet Recipes

Vanilla Caramel Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

I just figured out my new year’s resolution.

Eat more cupcakes. I’m half kidding.

As I’ve been trying to eat healthier, I’m always on the look out for treats I can make naturally sweet. And because I just love cupcakes, they are always on my list of dessert projects. These little cakes are a sweet change from traditionally sweetened cupcakes.

They boast a lovely vanilla flavor with delicate caramel drizzles throughout the cake. Top it with a not-too-sweet, a bit unique vanilla whipped frosting. Without the use of cream cheese, this frosting is more of a classic vanilla taste. They pair lovely with these chocolate cupcakes, (yes two cupcakes is completely acceptable) or a large glass of milk. And they have an incredibly moist, melt in your mouth texture.

Naturally sweet and richly decadent makes these a treat I’ll be eating more of this year.
Please join me!


Vanilla Caramel Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Print Recipe
Vanilla Caramel Cupcake:
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
3/4 cup Powdered Honey
1/4 cup Coconut Sugar
1 teaspoon Molasses
3 Large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 cup Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
1 teaspoon Pink Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
scant 1 cup Milk
3 cups Spelt Flour or White Flour

In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment in place, beat together butter and powdered honey until fluffy. Add coconut sugar and molasses and mix until just combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to incorporate. Beat in sour cream or yogurt. Add salt, baking powder and milk and mix well. Add flour and mix until just combined. In lightly greased muffin tins, fill each a little over 3/4 the way full. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Frosting:
3 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1/2 cup Powdered Honey
2 Tablespoons Agave
2 Tablespoons White Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla
In a food processor or blender, blend coconut shreds until they form a rough powder. You’ll need to scrape the sides and blend for about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add soft butter and beat until well combined. Add coconut powder, powdered honey, agave and flour and beat until combined. Add vanilla. Add more or less flour depending on how stiff you’d like the frosting to be. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Note: The coconut shreds give stiffness and a sweetness to the frosting, without giving a coconut flavor. I like the natural sweetness of the coconut in the frosting and how it helps keep the frosting white.You could substitute out the coconut shreds, but you will need to add more powdered honey (which effects color) or flour (effects sweetness), as the coconut helps stiffen the frosting. Or more coconut to reduce the other sweeteners, but make sure to blend very well so the frosting doesn’t become grainy. These ingredients can be experimented with to create a frosting you like best.

Yields 18 large cupcakes

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Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    Hi! I can’t find powdered honey here (Sydney, Aus), can I substitute it for agave inulin powder? I haven’t really used it before so I’m not sure how it would work..

    Reply

    • Annie @ Naturally Sweet Recipes says

      If you can’t find powdered honey, I would maybe use xylitol if you can find that. What is agave insulin?! I’ve never heard of it! It sounds awesome! but if it’s a powder, I assume it would work great, I’ve just never tried it. You could also maybe try more flour and use a lot of stevia… Hope that helps!!

      Reply

  2. Annie @ Naturally Sweet Recipes says

    Hi Christy, I’m not sure what regular honey would do, since I haven’t tried it. I’d bet it would work okay, but you’d probably need to increase the flour. Another sweetener to try is maple sugar or simply use all coconut sugar. The only downside with using all coconut sugar is the cupcake will be darker in color and give a stronger caramel flavor. That would change the vanilla flavor, but will still be delicious! If you decide to use honey, please let us know how it turns out!

    Reply

  3. Christy says

    These look delicious! Is there anything i could use instead if powdered honey? We don’t have it here in Australia, could i just sub with liquid honey or would it change to texture too much?

    Reply

  5. Kath says

    I just discovered your site via foodbuzz and I love it! Maple sugar is my new favorite sweetener, but I also like to use maple syrup and honey.

    These cupcakes look great! The coconut in the frosting is a great idea.

    Reply

  8. Hannah says

    How dainty and beautifully decorated! Caramel is one of my favorite things to make and eat- It just goes with everything.

    Thanks for the birthday wishes, by the way. :)

    Reply

  10. JenMarie says

    Your photos here are gorgeous! They look moist and fluffy and rich. I’m in!
    Oh, and I’ve enjoyed incorporating coconut sugar into our sugar usage in my household as well!

    Reply

  11. Baltic Maid says

    These cupcakes are beautiful. And the naturally sweetened part sounds awesome. I’ll have to try these (as soon as I’ll get the powdered honey). Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  13. Heidi @ Food Doodles says

    Wow, these are so pretty! I love the tiny bit of molasses, I can just imagine that it doesn’t add too much flavor just a hint. Naturally sweetened treats like these always taste SO much better than anything overly processed anyways. I’ve never heard of powdered honey, where did you find that?

    Reply

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