These muffins are almost like a pumpkin cupcake... only ultra-healthy and NO ONE WILL KNOW IT!
No sugar.
No flour.
Flax seed.
Real pumpkin.
Tastes like a sweet pumpkin cupcake full of fat, sugar, flour and chemicals... but so healthy you don't have to feel guilty at all. And yes, you can serve these to kids and guests and no will guess they are eating something that is actually good for them with real pumpkin and nutrient packed flax.
Although it looks like regular frosted 'cupcake' in the photo above, look what's hiding inside? A magic filling surprise that kids will love.
Pumpkin Muffins
2 c almond flour
1/4 c flax meal
3/4 c unflavored or vanilla whey protein powder
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t pumpkin pie spice I usually just use a mix of about 1 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 ginger and 1/8 nutmeg
3/4 c blend of favorite sweeteners; use a white granular and a brown sugar version for best taste but you don't have to*
3/4 c pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 stick real butter, melted
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/4 c half and half or cream
In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients; almond flour, flax, protein powder, baking powder, soda, salt, spice and sweeteners. In another bowl mix the pumpkin, butter, eggs and vanilla. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon while adding the cream or half and half. Add a little bit more cream if you have to but remember your batter should be thicker than a cake mix yet still able to be scooped or poured into muffin tins. Pour batter into greased or lined cupcake tins filled 3/4 full. Bake at 325 for approximately 25 minutes. This will make roughly 14-15 muffins and depending on the brands of ingredients used, will be 4-7 carbs per muffin.
*I used to love Ideal brand but they discontinued it. Instead, I now buy Brown Sweetener by Just Like Sugar
Use a favorite sugar free cream cheese based frosting and place into a frosting bag with almost any icing/frosting decorating tip that has a fairly good opening - any round tip opening, a #230 or even a star tip will work just fine. You don't have to use any special apple corer or anything to 'remove' any of the muffin or a cupcake. Simply insert the tip, squeeze gently and stop when the top of the baked good starts to peak. Pull out. That's it! Now the magic is inside the muffin! You can use the extra frosting/filling to frost the top, add a simple swirl or leave them plain. These freeze great too! Basic Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c - 2 cups sugar free sweetener of your choice
Just start blending and adjust amounts of sweeteners and cream cheese to your personal taste preference and how sweet you like it. I start with just 1 cup sweetener and adjust as I don't like my frostings overly sweet. If it's too thick, just drizzle the tiniest bit of half and half - a little goes a long way!
You might also be interested in the products used;
Bob's Red Mill Organic Flaxseed Meal
NOW Foods Almond Flour, 10 oz100% Pure Erythritol Granules
Brown Sweetener: 16 oz by Just Like Sugar
Nature's Best Isopure Unflavored (Zero Carb)
Brown Sweetener by Just Like Sugar
Wilton Disposable 16-Inch Decorating Bags, 12 Pack
Wilton 12-Piece Cupcake Decorating Set
