Pumpkin cupcakes - dairy free

I had to do some baking for my son's percussion group today.  The group has a few members with dairy sensitivities.  I am constantly searching for dairy free recipes I can use for their treats.

Upon my search through recipes, I came across a paleo pumpkin cupcake recipe.  I decided I didn't have half the things I needed so I would just wing it.

Here is the original recipe:

• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons palm shortening
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ⅔ cup sweet potato flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For frosting...
• 1 cup palm shortening
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a standard size cupcake/muffin pan with 8 cupcake liners or grease very well.
2. By hand or with an electric mixer, cream together the eggs, coconut sugar, and shortening.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and combine well.
4. Add sweet potato flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Combine well.
5. Divide batter evenly into eight cupcakes.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, allow to cool completely.
7. Prepare frosting while cupcakes are cooling. Whip together palm shortening, honey, vanilla, and lemon juice. Spread, drop or pipe a generous amount on each cupcake and serve!

Here is my revision:

**  4 eggs

**  1/3 cup granulated sugar

**  2 tablespoons coconut oil

**  1/2 cup pumpkin puree

**  2/3 cup all purpose flour

**  1 tsp baking soda

**  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

**  dash salt

for the frosting

**  1 cup coconut oil

**  1/2 cup honey

**  1 tsp vanilla extract

**  1 tablespoon lemon juice

**  powdered sugar to taste and consistency

for the filling

**  brown sugar

**  coconut oil

**  pumpkin puree    (I mixed this all together on the stove for a few minutes).

I followed all baking instructions as listed above.  My batter made an even dozen cupcakes.

NOTE:  I do not eat pumpkin so I did not try them.  I had my husband try them and he said they were dry....and didn't taste like cupcakes.  I took them with me to my son's rehearsal and had the director try one.  She said it tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake but said it was good.  (I love her, she's my favorite).  I believe using butter would have made the consistency more like a cupcake.

Bridal Shower Cupcakes

When my daughter was in high school, she had this little group of girls she would hang around with.  There were 2 of them that were especially close to her.  Now that they are in their mid 20's, they are still very close.  The third amigo is getting married at the end of summer, and the other two were throwing her a bridal shower.  The colors for the wedding are yellow and blue.  Her wedding dress is almost all lace, so I wanted to reflect that in the cupcake theme.

I made both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, put pale yellow buttercream frosting on them all and then decorated them with a blue flower and some pearl dragees.  The girls had given me an idea for a bridal dress on the top of the cupcake tower, so I made a cake using a Pyrex bowl.  I then covered that with white fondant and pressed my lace mold over the bottom of the dress to mimic the lace in the actual gown.

I heard rave reviews from the bride-to-be, as well as the two girls throwing the party.  I don't think I have ever been more nervous or more proud of something I've created.

Here is the final product...