These tigernut flour cupcakes are moist and airy with a delicate crumb texture. They are made with tigernut flour and sweetened with maple syrup for the perfect nut free and paleo friendly vanilla cupcake!
Cupcakes are always a hit with my family! And I much prefer to celebrate an occasion with cupcakes rather than cake. Simply put, they're easier to make and decorate!
These vanilla tigernut flour cupcakes are one of my favorite paleo cupcake recipes. They are made with tigernut flour, sweetened with maple syrup and go well with any frosting.
Like most tigernut flour baked goods, these cupcakes have a nice crumb texture. They are light and airy, but moist and tender.
Why You'll Love these Tigernut Cupcakes
- paleo friendly - no gluten, no grains, no dairy, no refined sugar, no seed oils
- nut free - perfect for anyone with a nut allergy
- easy to make - the batter is made in a mixing bowl, poured into a lined muffin tin and baked
- great texture - moist and tender
Ingredients
Here's a list of what you need to make this recipe for tigernut cupcakes:
- tigernut flour - since these are tigernut flour cupcakes! My favorite tigernut flour is from Anthony's Goods.
- tapioca starch - needed for texture purposes. The best swap is arrowroot starch.
- baking powder - I like to make my own paleo baking powder, but any brand will work.
- baking soda - for extra rise
- salt - brings out more flavor
- eggs - gives the muffins structure and bind the ingredients. I don't recommend an egg substitute for this recipe.
- maple syrup - to sweeten the cupcakes
- avocado oil - for a moist texture
- coconut milk - to thin the batter. You can swap coconut milk for any other milk.
- vanilla extract - for flavor
How to Make Tigernut Flour Cupcakes
These tigernut cupcakes are super easy to make and quick to bake. Here are the step by step instructions:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
- Next, combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the lined muffin pan, filling each cup nearly half way. You should have enough batter to fill all 12 slots.
- Place the muffins in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, top with your favorite frosting and decorations.
Best Paleo Frosting Options
I topped these cupcakes with Miss Jones Baking Organic Buttercream Frosting
. Which, isn't 100% paleo (I know, I know) because it contains organic powdered sugar instead of an unrefined sugar (like maple sugar or coconut sugar). However, this is the best quality frosting I have seen available for purchase... and sometimes you just don't want to make your own frosting from scratch.
If you want a completely paleo frosting, then you can make your own. I have a few frosting recipes on my blog...take a look at my paleo vanilla frosting for a vanilla buttercream, paleo chocolate cupcakes for a vanilla coconut cream frosting or paleo vegan chocolate cupcakes for a chocolate frosting.
Storage
Place the cupcakes in an airtight container and store at room temperature up to 2 days, or in the fridge up to 10 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze the cupcakes, but they will lose some of their texture.
More Paleo Recipes Using Tigernut Flour
I have a large selection of tigernut flour recipes on my blog. Here are some reader favorites:
Tigernut Flour Cupcakes (Paleo, Nut Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
These tigernut flour cupcakes are the best nut free and grain free cupcakes. They are moist with a delicate crumb texture and sweet vanilla flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups tigernut flour (145g)
- ½ cup tapioca starch (63g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. This includes the tigernut flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. This includes the eggs, maple syrup, avocado oil, coconut milk and vanilla.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until well combined.
- Scoop the batter into the lined muffin pan, filling each cup about ½ way full. (This recipe will make 12 cupcakes.)
- Place the cupcakes in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-17 minutes.
- Remove the cupcake from the oven, cool 5 minutes in the baking pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Once cooled, top the cupcakes with your favorite frosting.
Alyssa
Can you replace 1 tbsp of maple syrup for swerve or another stevia sweetener?
realfoodrabbit
I believe any liquid sweetener would work, but I haven't tried any substitutions so I cannot guarantee results.
Cheryl Duncan
Hi and thank you. You you have any suggestions fmfor substitutions for the avocado oil and coconut milk? Those are two things I need to avoid.
Katie
Hi! You can swap the avocado oil for any other liquid oil, like olive oil. You can use any milk in place of the coconut milk.
Kandykay
We have to avoid all oils, so I've made these with applesauce as replacement. We also use oat milk because we avoid tree nuts as well.
Sameena
Can you use gelatin eggs for AIP?
realfoodrabbit
I've never baked using gelatin eggs so I'm not sure whether or not they would work. I assume the cupcakes would turn out quite dense and perhaps a bit gummy in texture.
Andromeda LeTourneau
I tried it today. Indeed gummy and dense.
Miranda
Can I use cassava flour in place of tapioca?
Katie
No, cassava flour and tapioca flour are very different and don't have the same baking properties. You can use arrowroot starch/flour instead.
toastedhazelnut
We used to eat fresh tigernuts in Ghana. Just baked these and they are fluffy and have a bite to them from the tigernut flour. Far too sweet for me (I have a savoury tooth and always reduce sweeteners in recipes but not this one) but tasty all the same. I would use one Tbs of honey rather than two next time. Cant wait to try your other recipes
Katie
I'm so glad you tried these! Yes, I think they're quite sweet as well. I bet they would turn out perfectly with just one tablespoon of honey 🙂
Louise
Can the cupcakes be frozen? Can't wait to make them. Thanks for your recipe.
Katie
Hi! You can freeze them but they definitely taste best freshly baked or from the fridge.
Brandy
Can I use a banana instead of 2 eggs?
Katie
I haven't tried that sub, but if you do I'd love to know the results.
Lea
Brandy, have you tried the banana substitution? I was thinking of doing that with all the frozen bananas I have saved, but don't want to Waste the ingredients if it doesn’t work.
Julie B
I’ve done that many times and it always turns out great! I can’t have eggs, so I always use flax egg substitute, but when I’m out of that, or reverting to a strict AIP reset and can’t have seeds, I use bananas. The texture turns out exactly like with the flax, but adds a banana flavor to the cupcakes. I still think they’re delicious that way!
Zina El Hini
I want to really thank you for this very simple and tasty recipe. This is one of the rare times I have success with a gluten free recipe. Next time I will triple the amount and make it one cake.
I’m frrom Egypt and we are still new to gluten free diets.
Can’t wait to try more of your recipes and really hope to find them as simple and easy as this one.
Katie
Hi! Thank you so much for the review! I'm happy to hear that this recipe was a success - I love baking with tigernut flour 🙂
Courtney
Trying this today for my 1 year olds smash cake!
Katie
Happy birthday to your child! Hope you love them 🙂
Milly
Hi, have you ever used fruit puree to sweeten such as applesauce/mashed banana/dates? Wondering if I'd need to use less flour/oil or any of the other ingredients to make it work texture wise and if it will be sweet enough without the honey or maple syrup.
Katie
I have not tried any substitutions, but I do think using applesauce, banana or dates would make them sweet enough. My Tigernut Flour Blueberry Muffins are only sweetened with banana - you can check out those.
Kira
Hi! Making this for my sons smash cake. How much would I have to double the recipe to make 2 6 inch cakes? Thank you!!
Dal
I Just made these cupcakes today and I gotta say these are AMAZING! they taste great and look amazing too I also have a great tip if you are baking but a little bit of raw rice in the bottom of the baking pan there will be no grease or oil in the bottom
Katie
I'm so happy to hear that! Glad you like them 🙂 And thank you for the great tip!
Anne
Hello! I absolutely love tigernut flour and I’m so glad I found your site. My husband and 5 year old daughter are allergic to wheat, and I am lactose intolerant and allergic to nuts!! Thank you for these tiger it flour recipes- they are very helpful when trying to bake healthy and nut free. Would these cupcakes work for a 9 inch round cake? Just one 9 inch layer
Katie
Hi! I'm so happy to hear my recipes are helpful! I do a lot of baking with cassava flour (grain free, gluten free & nut free) too so you might find some of those recipes edible 🙂 I think this recipe would work for one 9 inch layer cake, but I have only tried making them into cupcakes so I cannot say for sure.
Julie B
I love this recipe! Thank you for coming up with such a nice and easy quick fix for a cupcake that’s not chocolate. A lot of paleo cupcakes I see are chocolate, but I love the flavor of honey and maple mixed together- plus the flavor of the tigernut flour mixed with that kinda reminds me of graham crackers. I almost always double the recipe and make 12 really full cupcakes. Since I use flax eggs as a sub for the real ones, I think that’s why I don’t get as much of a rise out of them as your pics show. But the flax holds them together really well, and they are sooo delicious! I make a frosting that pairs perfectly with the flavor of the cupcake- using Kerrygold butter, palm shortening, maple syrup, and finely powdered coconut sugar with a splash of vanilla. Total perfection.
Katie
Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked them 🙂
Learning
This may be a silly question but this is gluten free, right?
Katie
Yes! Tigernut flour is gluten free! All of the recipes on my site are gluten free 🙂
Andromeda
Can I swap out the tapioca flour and use arrowroot powder instead without any issues to the texture? Would it be an equal 1:1 swap?
Katie
Hi! Yes, that will work as a 1:1 swap without much (if any) change to the texture.
Andromeda LeTourneau
It's light and fluffy for sure. But the texture is....chewy?? Reminds me of the texture of King's Hawaiian rolls?? Is tigernut supposed to yield a chewy texture in cupcakes? This is my first time baking with tigernut flour so I'm not sure of the texture!
Katie
I've never considered these cupcakes to have a chewy texture. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Tigernut flour tends to be slightly gritty. Baked goods will have a similar texture to those made with almond flour.
Andromeda LeTourneau
I've never baked with almond flour either. I did however, substitute eggs due to an allergy. I used carbonated water instead.
Katie
Okay, that would be why the cupcakes turned out chewy. For grain free baking, egg substitutes don't always work. They can really alter the texture.