Pumpkin Cupcakes with Mascarpone Ginger Frosting (LC, SF)

Oh my goodness, these have to be my favorite cupcakes yet! I can’t even begin to describe how utterly delicious they are!

You MUST have these in your life! The light and fluffy cupcake pairs so well with the rich and decadent Mascarpone and cream cheese  frosting - all mingling in spicy pumpkin cupcake heaven!

This recipe also makes a very nice roulade or an iced cake!

By far the easiest application are the frosted cupcakes however!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 2/3 cup low-carb bake mix
• 2 tbsp. almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (or fresh, finely grated on a rasp)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible!)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown ideal
• 1/2 cup Erythritol 
• 1/8 tsp buttery sweet dough flavoring
• 1 tsp gluten-free cake enhancer
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

For the icing:

• 7 ounces  mascarpone cheese, softened
• 5 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup erythritol, powdered
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup minced sugar-free crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
• Pinch of sea salt

Extra sugar-free crystallized ginger for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin or spray your muffin liners (these cupcakes stick!)

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, dough enhancer and salt and stir to combine. Place the eggs, erythritol  and Ideal in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light yellow and thickened. With the mixer on low, add the pumpkin, then slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until well incorporated.  Spoon into the prepared pan/liners - just below 3/4 full (these rise high!) Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top springs back when gently touched.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Either finely mince the crystalized ginger, or run it through a food processor until fine. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone, sweeteners, and cream together for about a minute, until light and fluffy. Add in the minced, crystallized ginger, and salt and beat a little longer.

Once the cupcakes cooled down, frost with the icing and garnish with some more crystallized ginger.

 

Makes 12 generously frosted cupcakes at 3.75 g of net carbs each (With my ingredients! Please be responsible for your own carb counts!)

These are so amazingly light and creamy, but still nice and moist!

These can be made ahead of time. The icing holds up well refrigerated (stays just enough soft to eat straight out of the refrigerator if needed) as well as at room temperature (the icing is much softer then however, but it holds it’s shape!)

 

Can they be frozen?

Yes. I wouldn’t freeze them for longer than a few days however. The erythritol tends to add a little crunchiness (to the icing) when they are in there for too long! The same happens if you make them too far ahead. I don’t like to keep them longer (fully iced that is) than 2 days in the refrigerator!

Here is a frozen and defrosted one. See how the icing is just ever so slightly more grainy and the cupcake itself a tad more glistening? It is barely noticeable when eating however!

Here’s one that was in the fridge for two days. The only thing that happened was that the middle “sagged” a little, but the taste and texture wasn’t affected at all! This may have been due to my impatience in icing them however. They weren’t totally cooled yet!

 

They are kid approved too, of course!

 

 

Don’t they just look like the cats that got the cream!

My son says they are 5 times more yummy than others! Not 3 times or 6 times more, FIVE times! He likes to be exact like that!