Healthy Homemade Red Velvet Cupcakes that are grain-free and have secret ingredient!
The first cupcake recipe on the blog EVER is here! Hip hip HOORAY!
Not going to lie, I was so nervous baking cupcakes from scratch. Anything that I haven’t done before usually intimidates me, but these cupcakes had me seriously freaking out. I have never ate a grain-free cupcake let alone made one from scratch, but I was up for the challenge.
Red velvet is personally one of my absolute favorite cupcakes and cake flavors ever. I wanted a red velvet wedding caking but J wasn’t too into that idea. Then again, it didn’t really go with the whole “gold, blush and silver” color scheme I had going. We settled for vanilla chip with cannoli cream and it was AMAZING..in case you are wondering 😉
But these grain-free and dairy-free red velvet cupcakes are healthy AND they are homemade. No box or mix over here people. I used almond flour as my flour of choice.
Lately almond flour and I are getting along really well. I made a skillet brownie with some a couple weeks ago and have been getting lucky with it in the kitchen. Coconut flour on the other hand, well we have a love/hate relationship right now.
Now here is the real “wow” part of this recipe. I used BEETS to dye the cupcakes red. Yup, it is happening. It was wayyyy too much fun making these. I read online that someone had made a frosting recipe pink from using beets, so I knew that they would have to work in cupcakes too.
There is still actual cacao in the cupcakes, giving the real “red velvet chocolatey” taste too. All red velvet cake is, is a glorified way of eating chocolate cake.
I used Love Beets for these cupcakes too. Their Organic Mild Vinegar Beets are so so good. They are steamed and marinated in a mild white wine vinegar. I don’t recommend using roasted beets in this, steamed worked best for coloring purposes!
Love Beets is literally the only beet company I buy. I find them in Whole Foods and get them every single week. Jord loves them in his salads too so I try to always have them on hand.
I am also obsessed with the fact that Love Beets was started by a husband and wife (#couplegoals). The company’s branding is also so fun and colorful and their passion for quality products is admirable. You can read all about why beets are good for you right on their site too! You may recognize Love Beets from the beet pesto you all love too 🙂
If you make these cupcakes, don’t forget to share with me! I would love to hear what you think.
PrintHealthy Homemade Red Velvet Cupcakes (grain-free)
Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 package Love Beets Organic Mild Vinegar Beets
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups almond flour (have not tested other flours)
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with liners
- In a food processor, blend together the beets so they are completely broken up in an applesauce-like consistency and set aside
- Mix together wet ingredients with hand mixer or Kitchen Aid in a large bowl
- In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well
- Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full
- Bake for 20-22 minutes and let cool then add your favorite frosting on top
- *Will stay good for about 4-5 days and I kept in fridge after a couple days
- Category: grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free
- Cuisine: cupcakes, dessert
xx, Rach
Thank you Love Beets for sponsoring this post. It means so much to me to work with brands that I love and who support rachLmansfield!
Leah Goldglantz
LOVE that you snuck beets into here 🙂
Karlie
Cupcakes with beets? I love it.. and so festive too
Fiorella
These look amazing and i bet they are delicious! Just wondering, what kinf of icing did you use to top these cupcakes?
Rachel
thank you so much!!! simple mills 🙂
Abs
These look beautiful! If we don’t have a Whole Foods near by, how much/many beers should we use?
Rachel
thanks! roughly about 6!
Diane
How big? I grow my own veggies, and would like to use some of my beets in this. Would it be 1/2 a cup of beets, a cup, or more or less?
Thanks
Hannah
It says dairy free but contains eggs? What can I sub instead of eggs?
Rachel
eggs aren’t dairy 😉
Dara
You could make a flax egg. Google has recipes.
Lisa
These looks so yummy! Should the beets be cooked??
Thanks!
Rachel
thanks lisa ! they are steamed.. i mention it in the blog post 😉
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Emily
Hi, I don’t know if I just skipped over it in the post but do we have to use the beets mentioned? I can only find Love band cooked pure beets, they don’t have the vinegar. Is this okay? Sorry but thank you in advance! These cupcakes look phenomenal!
Rachel
hi emily – the instructions say when to include it! it is included wet ingredients 😉 enjoy!
Annabelle
Hi! Can’t wait to make these! Do you have any idea how these would turn out as a cake instead of cupcakes?
Rachel
i haven’t tried but definitely keep me posted!
Maryke
Hi Rachel. In the dry ingredients it says ⅓ coconut sugar. a ⅓ of what is that – a cup?
Rachel
yes! 1/3 cup
Anayat
My entire family is in love with these!! Absolutely adore these…xx
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CakenGifts.in Faridabad
You have great write up, I always read your blog. and I must say you are doing good job, plz do write like this.
Amy
These look so good! Can you sub lemon juice for apple cider vinegar? I can’t handle that because of candida
Rachel
i’m sure it will work! is this rest of the recipe candida-friendly??
Nahid
How much is that 1 packet live beers in weight or atleast how much of a cup after pureed
Nahid
I mean what is weight of beets in 1 package Love Beets Organic Mild Vinegar Beets
Savannah
I am all out of maple syrup Could I sub more coconut sugar for maple syrup ? And if so about how much?
Rachel
i haven’t tested but honey can also work!
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Ann
What is the measurement for the beets? I bought a Costco size of Love Beets so I don’t think I want to use an entire package ? I saw you mention 6 beets, but do you know is that 1 cup? 2 cups? Thanks!
Rachel
i’d use 6 small beets! less than a cup
Melissa
Just made these in mini cupcake form for Valentines! I’m amazed by how good they are! Thanks for the recipe!
Rachel
YAYY so happy to hear!!
Pamela
Can regular beets be used instead?
Rachel
i think it would be too bitter to be honest!
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