Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd Filling and Meringue Topping

Gluten-free | Refined Sugar-free | Dairy-free

Makes: 8-10 cupcakes
Cuisine: Bridget's Healthy Treats
Course: Dessert

This recipe makes 'light as air' cupcakes which are an excellent base for your favourite flavours and toppings. Or, you can make my refined sugar-free Raspberry Curd for a delightful filling. They're also absolutely delicious as is!  

Hints, Tips & Tricks

I use Zero As Sugar Pure Erythritol and Sweet As Fibre Syrup in this recipe. Both products are sugar and gluten-free and won't spike blood glucose levels, making them an excellent healthy alternative to refined sugar and syrups. Zero as Sugar has zero calories, and sweet as Fibre Syrup has only 16 calories per 10 grams, making it an excellent low-carb option for baking and sweetening your food. 

This recipe also calls for inulin powder, a soluble fibre derived from plant-based sources. It is prebiotic, making it a fantastic ingredient for our gut health and a healthy alternative to sugar. You can read more information about inulin powder --> here. Or, if you're wondering where to purchase some, we sell 100% Chicory Inulin Powder for home delivery*! Find out more --> here. 

As this recipe is gluten-free, I have also used xanthan gum to provide elasticity and fluffiness that the gluten would otherwise provide.  

RECIPE 

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

• 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) non-dairy unsweetened milk like almond, coconut, oat or hemp
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 150 g (5.2 oz) almond flour 
• 50 g (1.7 oz) Zero as Erythritol
• 40 g (1.4 oz) Pure as Inulin Powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• Pinch of Himalayan salt

Raspberry curd

• 125 g (4.4 oz) frozen raspberries or mixed berries
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Sweet as Fibre Syrup
• 1-2 tbsp tapioca starch

Meringue

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 50 g (1.7 oz) Pure as Inulin Powder
• 40 g (1.4 oz) Zero as Erythritol
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• ¾ tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 170C (340F) with the metal shelf positioned in the middle of the oven. 
2. Whisk together the non-dairy milk, eggs, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract. 
3. In a mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, erythritol, inulin powder, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. 
4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid ingredients. Stir well to combine.
5. Line 8-10 cupcake holes with cupcake cases and fill with the mixture, coming ¾ of the way up the case.
6. Bake in the oven for 20-24 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden on top and spring back quickly when lightly touched with your finger. You can also test by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cupcake. When you remove the toothpick, it should be clean without any dough attached. 
7. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. 

For the Raspberry Curd 

1. Place the raspberries in a small pot and heat gently on medium until they defrost. Strain the liquid from the berries using a fine strainer, and using the back of a tablespoon, push the berries into the strainer to extract more of the berries without the seeds. 
2. Pour the extracted liquid back into the pot and whisk in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the fibre syrup and one tablespoon of tapioca starch. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook till it thickens to a jelly. You may need to whisk in a bit more starch to make a jelly or a little water if it appears too thick. 
3. Taste the curd for flavour, adding more lemon juice if required. Allow it to cool. 

(Keep the berry pulp and seeds, do not discard them! You can store it in the fridge and add it to coconut yoghourt on top of almond porridge, or use it as jam etc.) 

For the Meringue

1. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and turn the mixer to medium-high and whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. 
2. Stir together the inulin, erythritol sweetener, cream of tartar and xanthan gum and slowly spoon the powders into the egg whites whilst the egg whites continue to whisk on medium to high. Whisk the egg whites for 3-5 minutes or until they form very stiff glossy peaks. 
3. Whisk in the vinegar and vanilla extract. 

To finish your Cupcakes

1. Using a teaspoon, remove a heaped amount of cooked cupcake from the middle of the cupcake and fill the space with some of the raspberry curd. Place the removed cupcake back on top of the curd. 
2. Add a good dollop of meringue to the top of your cupcake, or you can pipe the meringue on top if you have a piping bag and nozzle, or snip the corner off a plastic bag. Fill the bag with meringue and use the bag to pipe the meringue on top of the cupcake. 
3. Set your oven to grill (broiler) and place the cupcakes directly under the grill to cook for a few minutes until the meringue tops brown and caramelise. You will need to keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn. 
4. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelise and glaze the tops of the cupcakes. Just make sure you don't let the cupcake cases catch on fire! 
5. Serve within 12 hours of making for optimum texture.