Gluten Free Carob Cupcakes

If you're gluten free, you can probably sympathize with just about anyone who has to be on a restricted diet. Mainly because you know how it feels to go without! Hopefully this website is starting to help you realize you don't have to go without! We just mix things up a little differently, that's all. ;)

As some of you may know my two sweet girls have Gluten and Dairy allergies so anytime I become a nursing mom that means I have to be very strict with my diet. But, after I first had my 2nd child not only was I gluten and dairy free but now I also had to be Chocolate free for the baby! Good grief. Now THAT is just like a kick in the pants hard. :(

So, when a birthday celebration roled around and all my extended family was all enjoying my crazy good gluten free chocolate cake I had to come up with some way to get my chocolate fix too (minus the chocolate of course)! This next recipe is the result. It's Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Chocolate Free, Nut Free, Egg Free, and can even be Rice Free but you wouldn't know it. They just taste like an amazing Carob cupcake. I also lovingly call these babies my "Chocolate Free Chocolate Cupcakes" because believe it or not, top them with my Orange Buttercream Frosting and you can convince yourself they're close to the real thing.

PS- This recipe also features one of my new favorite flours: Teff! Try it out! It's super good for you. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Carob Cupcakes

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free, Chocolate Free, Can be Rice Free)
Adapted by jalene

Makes 12-16 cupcakes
Dry ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup sorghum flour
• 1/4 cup white rice flour (or you can use 1/4 cup more sorghum flour to make it rice free)
• 1/3 cup teff flour
• 1/3 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 2/3 cup carob powder

Wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup earthbalance
• 3/4 cup sugar or evaporated cane juice sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tbsp gluten free vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (room temperature)
• 1 cup warm water

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1. Preheat your oven to 350. 
2. Combine the dry ingredients: white rice flour, sorghum flour, teff flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and carob powder. Set aside. 
3. In a mixing bowl combine the earthbalance and sugar. Pour in the coconut oil and vanilla extract and blend in.
4. In a separate small bowl combine the unsweetened applesauce and the 1/2 tsp baking powder together then add to your mixing bowl. Add in the dry ingredient mixture and mix on low until combined. Slowly add in the water, combine, then turn up the speed to high for 1 minute. 
5. Place 1/4 cup into each liner. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops bounce back when touched. Cool completely and frost if desired.  

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