Alright.. Pumpkin spice it is. The magical fairy dust of Autumn, ubiquitous in anything from coffee to candles to creamers to car air fresheners. Once the first leaf of a deciduous tree changes color and falls away from its branch, the pumpkin spice fanatics emerge from their margarita-induced summer hibernations and raid the shelves of anything gourde-shaped, or overtly orange, or scented like a pumpkin patch. But you don’t even have to be a pumpkin spice lunatic to enjoy these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes. If you’re feeling for a homey, spiced pumpkin-y sponge, topped with frosting and candied pumpkin seeds, then – pumpkin spice fanatic or not – you’re going to want to make these!
“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.”
– Edgar Allen Poe
Dear Pumpkin Spice, Get A Hold of Yourself
I’m not a huge fan of the whole pumpkin spice craze. Sure, I like all the various spices in pumpkin spice blend well enough, and the smell of a warm spices on a cold fall day is both comforting and inviting. And sure, I did spend about a month looking for perpetually out-of-stock pure pumpkin purée in the vain hopes that I could make something with it to pander to the Octoberphiliacs…But really, the aspect of pumpkin spice that I simply cannot support is the sheer ubiquity of it: pumpkin spice macaroni and cheese? Pumpkin spice shampoo?.. What next? Pumpkin spice epsom salts, throw pillows, and deodorant?
The gross proliferation of pumpkin spice into every aspect of Fall is a stereotypically American thing. We take something moderately successful in one specific niche and apply it to every other aspect of life with increasing intensity, until we have some monstrous rehash of an otherwise beautiful phenomenon that could have been preserved and appreciated more fully without the bloated and gaudy kaleidoscopic commercialism of it all.
Pumpkin Spice Theory
In my opinion, and on a more profound note, the pumpkin spice craze is, at heart, indicative of a desire for familiarity, for certainty, for comfort and reminiscence. I have a theory that as the world feels more and more out of control or chaotic, the greater the instances of pumpkin spice there are in everyday life. If this is true, maybe a world with just a little less pumpkin spice might not be the worst thing ever?..
And now, to contradict that point completely in an epic pivot, continue reading to discover how to make these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes!
Why Gluten Free? Why not?
I believe that most anything can be made gluten free, simply by using a gluten-free flour mix. I myself am not gluten intolerant, but I like to be able to bake goodies without flour every once and awhile to see if it can be done successfully. With that said, know that you can use regular flour in this recipe, and it should work out beautifully, too.
The other benefit of using a gluten free flour mix in a baked goodie is that you can share them a bit more liberally. It’s an easy adjustment to make so more people can enjoy the fruits of your labor. After all, isn’t that what baking is about?
Consider making these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes with some kind of non-wheat flour mix. Typically, the mixes will have a blend of different flours in them combined together. While the taste is hardly any different, the texture can sometimes be a bit more fine than wheat flour, and can result in a slightly more compact dough than you’d have otherwise. But it’s no biggy.
“Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin.”
– Simone Schwarz-Bart
What I love about these vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes
– Overall, they aren’t cloyingly sweet
– The well-spiced and pumpkin-y cake
– The zippy, easy-to-make frosting
– The toasted candied pepitas sprinkled over top
– The effective gluten-free flour mix substitute, so the gluten intolerant and those with Celiac’s can also enjoy them
– The customizability of the frosting design makes them a fun dessert to pipe and to decorate with family and friends
“If you say the word pumpkin too many times in a row, it starts to sound like a washing machine loaded with stilettos.”
“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Pure Pumpkin Purée & The Quest for Squash Guts
The crispy golden month of October brings with it many joys: bright sunshine, refreshingly chilling air, swirling multicolored leaves, a pagan-inspired celebration of make believe and good spirited horror. But also a shortage of pure pumpkin purée, apparently.
For a good fortnight, I looked everywhere for the stuff, and sic’ed my friends and family on the task too, and yet nobody could find any. Finally, back in stock they came, and admittedly I did feel an unnecessary desire to buy an entire shelf worth of pumpkin purée like a toilet paper hoarder at the beginning of pandemic shutdown.
Pumpkin Purée vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling
Now, pure pumpkin purée is different from pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin purée is purely pumpkin – 100% pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling is a pre-made, spiced mixture that has no place in these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes. So, check the ingredients on the can before buying. If it says anything other than “pumpkin,” than it’s not pure pumpkin purée.
Anyways, the pumpkin flavor in these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes is more moderate than at the forefront. I wanted the spices to shine through more than the gourde, since I personally tend to prefer a spice-flavor over a pumpkin one. As such, these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes only require about 1/2 cup pure pumpkin purée, which is slightly less than half a can of it. With the remaining purée, you can make a plethora different things, including a variety other baked goodies or even simple, healthy dog treats, too – or, simply more gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes!
“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”
– Edgar Allen Poe
Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Maintaining a verve and vim for life is a wonderful thing, even if it’s over something as simple and silly as a combination of spices and the blended guts of an orange gourde. So give these wonderful and gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes a try, and celebrate the October season in style, pumpkin spiced up to the nines.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Candied Pepitas
Equipment
- 12-count Muffin Tin
- Cupcake Papers
- Skillet
- Baking Sheet with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour mix (or all-purpose flour)
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup vegan butter, melted
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons soy milk (or your favorite plant-based milk)
- 2 tablespoons ground golden flaxseed
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling!
For the Frosting
- ⅓ cup vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 – 2 cup(s) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 – 2 teaspoon(s) lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 – 2 drops red food coloring, optional
- 1 – 2 drops yellow food coloring, optional
For the Candied Pepitas
- 2 tablespoons raw pepitas, toasted for 3 – 4 minutes
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- Dash of ground cinnamon
- Dash of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and then line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake papers.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Next, in another large bowl, whisk the melted vegan butter, brown sugar, soy milk, ground flaxseed, vanilla extract and pumpkin purée together until very smooth.
- When the oven is preheated, combine the flour and spices into the wet ingredients, and then fold everything together until no dry flour remains.
- Fill the cupcake wells ⅔ of the way full with pumpkin spice cupcake batter, and bake for 19 – 21 minutes, until firm to touch on the top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.Let the cupcakes cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, whip together all the frosting ingredient in a medium bowl. Add more vegan butter or powdered sugar or lemon juice to find the best pipe-able consistency for you. Pop this in the fridge until you're ready to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.Optional: if you'd like, add a couple drops of both red and yellow food die for a pumpkin-y orange!
- Next, toast 2 tablespoons of pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) in a skillet over medium heat for 3 – 5 minutes. Then, add the maple syrup and dashes of ground cinnamon and salt. Stir around in the skillet for another minute or two, and then let dry on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Once your cupcakes are cooled, roll down the piping bag, place your preferred piping nozzle at the end, load the bag with frosting, and pipe a pattern of some kind on your cupcake. After that's done, top them with the candied pepitas!
Nutrition
Enjoyed these gluten free pumpkin spice cupcakes? Then leave me a comment and recipe rating before you go.
Also, if you’re a cupcake kook, check out these Black Bottom Cupcakes!
May you have good food in good company,
That Vegan Nephew
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