These pumpkin cassava flour cupcakes are paleo friendly, dairy free, nut free and made with cassava flour. This is a moist cupcake recipe, slightly sweet and full of pumpkin flavor. If you're not already in the fall spirit, these healthy paleo pumpkin cupcakes are sure to do the trick!
I don't know about you all, but pumpkin is one of my favorite fall flavors. Well, it's actually one of my favorite flavors when it comes to any baked good!
Knowing that, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I am kicking off September with these pumpkin cassava flour cupcakes.
If you think cupcakes have to be unhealthy, think again. These paleo pumpkin cupcakes are most definitely healthy, yet still delicious and satisfying.
Why You'll Love these Pumpkin Cupcakes
- grain free and gluten free - made with Otto's cassava flour
- paleo friendly - no refined sugar, no vegetable oil, grain free & dairy free
- dairy free - made with olive oil and frosted with a coconut cream frosting
- nut free - grain free, but made without almond flour or any other nut flour
- healthy - lower in sugar than your average cupcake and made with real food ingredients
- fluffy and moist - basically a cupcake necessity!
Ingredients
All of the ingredients in this cassava cupcake recipe are gluten free and paleo friendly. Here's a list of what you need for the cupcakes:
Cupcakes
- pumpkin puree - I recommend using an organic pumpkin puree
- eggs - to bind the cupcake ingredients. Unfortunately and egg substitute will not work well for this recipe.
- maple syrup - to sweeten the cupcakes.
- olive oil - or avocado oil for moisture
- vanilla - added for flavor
- apple cider vinegar (ACV) - to help create a fluffy muffin texture
- cassava flour - since these are cassava flour cupcakes. My favorite brand is Otto's cassava flour
- baking powder - make sure to use a paleo baking powder to keep this recipe paleo friendly and grain free
- cinnamon - for flavor. You can swap this with pumpkin spice if you prefer.
- salt - to enhance the flavors.
Frosting
If you want to make the homemade frosting, you'll need a few other ingredients:
- coconut cream - chilled in the fridge overnight to help separate the cream from the liquid.
- maple syrup
- vanilla
- tapioca starch - added for texture purposes
How to Make Paleo Pumpkin Cupcakes
These pumpkin cupcakes are made in one bowl, baked for 20 minutes, cooled and frosted. Here's what you need to do:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 9 paper or silicone muffin liners and set aside.
- Next, add all wet ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl. This includes the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla and apple cider vinegar. Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Then, add in the dry ingredients. This includes the cassava flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Scoop the batter into your lined muffin pan. (About ¼ cup batter per muffin slot.)
- Place the cupcakes in your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, they can be frosted. (I recommend frosting just prior to serving.)
Frosting Pumpkin Cupcakes
My favorite type of low sugar, paleo frosting is made with coconut cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract and a little tapioca starch (for texture purposes).
Simply whisk together all frosting ingredients until smooth. Pour frosting into a bag, cut a hole and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
Other paleo frosting recipes that would go well with these pumpkin cupcakes:
- vanilla frosting with palm shortening (from my almond flour cupcake recipe)
- chocolate frosting with coconut cream (from my paleo vegan cupcake recipe)
Cupcake Decorations
Natural Food Dyes
To add a bit of natural color to the frosting, try using superfood powders. Here are some easy ideas:
- pink: beet root powder
- yellow: turmeric root powder
- green: spirulina or matcha
- purple: maqui berry powder or acai powder
Decorations
Cupcakes can look pretty naked with just white frosting. Some great topping options include:
- naturally colored sprinkles
- a dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries…)
- dried fruit (chopped mango, raisins, cranberries, blueberries…)
- freeze dried fruit (raspberries, strawberries, apples)
- miniature chocolate chips
- chopped nuts or seeds
- bee pollen
- edible flowers
Storage
These pumpkin cupcakes are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last well up to one week. However, they look best frosted and decorated just before eating.
FAQ
These pumpkin cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, in an airtight container, so long as they're unfrosted. The coconut cream frosting does not last at room temperature for more than a few hours and must be refrigerated. The cupcakes, however can be left out longer.
Yes! The cupcakes can be made ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or in the fridge up to 2 days. Don't frost and decorate them until just before you're ready to serve.
Before making your frosting, make sure that you're using canned coconut milk/cream that has been refrigerated overnight. This will help separate the cream from the liquid, making the frosting firmer.
Another thing to note, coconut cream will melt at high temperatures. This frosting recipe is not one to make and serve on a hot summer day.
More Paleo Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Cassava Flour Cupcakes (Paleo, Nut Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 cupcakes 1x
Description
Paleo pumpkin cupcakes made with cassava flour and sweetened with maple syrup. Grain free, gluten free, dairy free and nut free!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup olive oil (unrefined, extra virgin)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp cassava flour (105g)*
- 2 tsp paleo baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Frosting
- 1 cup coconut cream, refrigerated**
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 9 silicone or paper muffin liners.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. This includes the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla and apple cider vinegar.
- Add in dry ingredients: cassava flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until just combined.
- Scoop the batter into your lined muffin tin, making 9 cupcakes. Each slot should have about ¼ cup batter.
- Place the cupcakes in your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from your oven, cool a few minutes in the baking pan, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
Frosting
- Combine coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Add in tapioca flour. Whisk until smooth.
- Place frosting in a plastic baggie, cut a hole in one end and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Storage: Cupcakes best stored in fridge. I recommend waiting to frost and decorate the cupcakes until just before they're served.
*For best results, use Otto's cassava flour and measure by weight (given in grams)
**Just the cream from a can of full fat coconut milk or canned coconut cream. Be sure to refrigerate the can overnight, so that the cream completely separates from the liquid.
B
Made these last night and used honey instead of maple syrup. Also, we ate them without the frosting, and they were SO good! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Katie
That's wonderful! Thank you so much for the review 🙂
Hope
So moist and easy to make!
Lea
The best! Appreciate your hard work. These were moist and yummy.
Katie
THANK YOU! So glad you like them 🙂
Taylor
This has become my staple recipe for cupcakes and muffins! So delicious! Thank you for creating this!
Katie
Thank you so much! I appreciate your review - so glad you are a fan of the recipe 🙂
Nynke De Vries
Hi there, I just can’t get my hands on any cassave flour… is there any other option?
Katie
A gluten free blend would be the best replacement.
Vicki
I just made these for my family. I needed a gluten free recipe and these are delicious. I added some chocolate chips which pushed it over the top. Then, I remembered that I had some cinnamon chips leftover from another recipe and should have used that...next time. Everyone really enjoyed these....thanks!
Katie
Thank you for the review! So glad you all enjoyed them 🙂
Nat
Do you think it would work without the eggs?
Katie
Hi! I think the cupcake texture would be too gummy. But if you try then let me know 🙂
Justine
Can I make these using flax eggs? Thank you!
Katie
I don't think an egg replacement will work for this recipe. I think the cupcakes will turn out gummy. But if you give it a try then let me know!
Julie
I tried it with flax egg and they are a little gummy, but still edible : ) Why do you recommed Otto's over other brands. I used Pamela's because it was more affordable. What's the difference?
Katie
Cassava flour recipes are often gummy without eggs...unless the recipe is specifically formulated that way. I appreciate you sharing your baking results 🙂 I recommend Otto's because I've found it to bake the best - super fine and high quality. Some cassava flours are gritty and result in undesirable texture.
Martha
These were amazing! Very fluffy. I used 1/2c plus 3Tb cassava flour. I have a scale and 1/2 plus the 2 that the recipe called for didn’t make 105 g and I didn’t want to keep going up with flour. I also used 2TB Mankato maple syrup and 2 TB regular Maple syrup to lessen the calories. I also replaced olive oil with light canola oil butter (less calories). Thank you for this yummy recipe. I’m new to cassava flour. I ate them without the frosting. Curious if I could replace the eggs with flax seed fake egg?
Martha
I also used pumpkin spice instead of just cinnamon 😊
Katie
Hi! So glad you liked them 🙂 Cassava flour doesn't often work well with egg substitutions unless the recipe was formulated without them. I don't recommend subbing the eggs. Also, just to note, canola oil isn't paleo (highly processed and high in omega 6). I'm glad the substitution worked, but don't recommend it on a paleo diet 😉
Kathryn
These were SO easy and delicious! I didn’t do the frosting, they were perfect even without it—such great texture and pumpkin flavor and just lightly sweet. Thank you for this recipe, I’m hooked!
Katie
Wonderful! So glad you like them 🙂 Thank you for leaving a review!
Sara
Soooo happy I came across your recipe! Finally, a muffin that isn't gummy. These were delicious even without the frosting (though I can't wait to try one with it). I've got lots of pumpkin so they will definitely be made regularly...and next time I'll be careful NOT to accidentally double the salt. Thank again for the recipe!!
Katie
Thank you Sara! I'm so glad you like the cupcakes 🙂 Thank you for sharing your cassava brand substitution too.
Sara
I wanted to add that (by weight) my flour measurement came out to a hint over 3/4 cup cassava. Turned out beautifully though so I'll just go by weight from now on.
Diane
Can you substitute sweet potato for the pumpkin??
Katie
That should work.
Sara
Sorry, one more thing...I used Bob's Red Mill cassava flour.
ChicaChickpea
Winner!! Great recipe, thank you! I replaced the maple syrup with Michele Butter Pecan Syrup and Light agave. Used Coconut Milk Reddi Whip instead of the frosting because I didn’t have the original ingredients. Soooo good!
Katie
So glad you like them! Thank you for the review 🙂
Katie S
Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing. I was struggling with trying to find a dessert for me(paleo) and my friend (nut, xylitol & stevia allergies) and this was a huge hit. The cake portion turned out amazing. I always like when cake isn’t too sweet.
I did have trouble with the icing. I used Mae Ploy coconut cream, doubled the tapioca flour & whipped for 10 mins. It still wasn’t a very thick consistency. Any advice?
Katie
Hi Katie! I'm glad you liked the cupcakes. For the frosting, did you use just the cream from the can? If the cream hasn't separated from the milk, try refrigerating it overnight. You'll want to use just the solid part so that the frosting is thicker. The frosting is runnier than your typical store-bought. If you place the frosted cupcakes in the fridge the frosting will harden.
Danielle
These are incredibly moist. Do you have a coconut cream recommendation? My icing is a bit too runny, but I plan to put the ice cupcakes in the fridge. Thanks!
Katie
I always use the organic coconut cream from whole foods. You can let the frosting chill in the fridge and it should slightly harden.
Lucinda
These were great! I used the cupcake recipe to start and made a different frosting. I made honey caramel to fill them. Will definitely be keeping these in my recipes!
Katie
Ooh, that honey caramel filling sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed the cupcakes 🙂
Lisa
These were very good…moist and fluffy! I wish they had a bit more flavor so I think next time I will add pumpkin spice seasoning as well. Overall very good!!
Jackie Owens
I would like to make ax 8 x 8 cake instead of a cupcakes. Do you know the measurements for a cake? Thank you.
Katie
You should be able to use the same measurements, but the bake time may increase a little.
Jackie Owens
Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I'm making today. Ill let you know how it turns out.
Cassandra
Love this recipe!!!! I make them all the time without eggs.
Best replacement is 2 tbsp chickpea flour 2 tbsp water 1tbsp oil. (This is for 1 egg)
I've tried aquafaba and soda water and they do come out gummy but still really good.
Katie
I'm so glad you found a good egg replacement - thank you for sharing! 🙂
Jackie
I made the 8 x 8 cake. Like you mentioned, the baking time was longer. I checked every 5 minutes at 25 minutes. I used Avocado oil instead of olive oil. It was very good. My family liked it. I will make again.
Katie
Oh wonderful! I'm so glad the cake turned out 🙂 Thank you so much for checking back in a sharing the results!
Nancy
These are so good and so easy to make! I'm currently making them for the second time. I added carob chips! Thanks for the recipe!!
Katie
So glad you like them! Carob chips sound like a great addition!
Rachel
FYI, despite your warnings in comments above, I tried this with an egg replacer (Just Egg).....the result was not good. I added two teaspoons of psyllium husk as I find this sometimes reduces the gumminess of eggless cassava baked goods. I suspect they would have been worse without psyllium, but it did not save them. The taste got great reviews,
and I'll try again with egg. Thanks for such a simple, tasty recipe!
I'll be checking out your other recipes, too!
Katie
I'm sorry you didn't have success with them! Yes, eggs are key for this recipe. I do have a couple egg free cassava flour recipes you can check out: vegan cassava flour muffins, baked banana donuts, paleo vegan chocolate cupcakes.
Gina
Hi Katie. I was wondering if I could make these into mini cupcakes instead? If so how long should I bake them? Thank you so much for ur time and delicious recipes.
Katie
Hi! I have never tried them as mini cupcakes, but they should work. The baking time will probably be 12-15 minutes.