
In this post you’re introduced to a recipe that is a throwback to Mum’s spice cake. Here, they’re cupcakes but the taste is uncannily familiar to childhood memories of Spice Cake. Oh, they’ve also been adopted to a healthier lifestyle and are both vegan and gluten-free! Woohoo! Winner-winner!!
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A Happy accident
Honestly, this was NOT what was originally intended. Yet in a really great and happy way, Mum’s spice cake is what happened. Who cares about the original goal when the end result is SOOOO deliciously yummy!
Always on the lookout for ways to have treats for dessert without all the guilt, cupcakes became the focus of my kitchen lab. Sprinkles was the inspiration. Have you ever had one of Sprinkle’s Salty Caramel Cupcakes? OMG they are incredible but what goes in them to make them so delish? Don’t want to know when on vacation, but closer to home the ingredients matter.
So here you have a not-too-sweet recipe that matches spice cake memories all wrapped up in a vegan and gluten-free recipe for you to try. Definitely, post on Instagram and tag @AmericanSchoolofCharm when you make them!
Spice Cupcakes (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Vegan and Gluten-Free cupcakes that are dead-ringers for Mum's spice cake.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cans of Coconut Milk (NOT Lite or Skim)
- 1/4 cup of Lemon Juice
- 3 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1/2 cup Hot Water
- 1/2 cup Almond Flour
- 1/2 cup Cassava Flour
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour
- 3 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 1 1/2 cups Brown Coconut Sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp Molasses
Icing (It's sooo good!)
- 1 cup Coconut Oil
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 cup Salt
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 cup Tapioca Flour
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 cup Coconut Sour Cream (from Cupcake recipe)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350º and place cup cake liners in cupcake pan.
- Put all of the Coconut Milk in the refrigerator overnight to separate the cream from the liquid.
- Make your Chia Egg using 3 tbsp of Chia Seeds and HOT water. Set mixture aside.
- Sift together all of your dry ingredients: 1/2 Cup Almond Flour, 1/2 cup Cassava Flour, 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour, 3 tsp Ground Ginger, 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt. Set aside.
- Make the Coconut Sour Cream: Open (from the bottom) the 2 cans of Coconut Milk. Drain the liquid (you can save it if you have a use for it) and extract the cream to put into a food processor or blender. Add 1/4 Lemon Juice and mix until creamy. Check with a spatula to make sure there are no clumps. Pour into a bowl. 1 1/4 cup will be used for the cupcakes and a 1/2 cup will go into the frosting.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a mixer, blend together 1/2 cup Coconut Oil, 1 1/2 cup Brown Coconut Sugar until smooth. Add Chia Egg in 2-3 parts. Then add 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 2 tsp Molasses, and 1 1/4 cup Coconut Sour Cream (from Step 5).
- Mix in the dry ingredients in parts on a low speed until completely combined. Remove from the mixer stand and use a spatula to fold together, making sure all parts are well mixed.
- Using an ice cream scoop, fill cup cake liners about 3/4 full. If you don't fill the entire pan, fill empty spaces halfway with water.
- Bake at 350º for approximately 22 minutes. Leave in pan for an additional 5 minutes before removing from pan to cool on a rack.
- While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, make icing by combining all of the ingredients until smooth. Blend for almost 7-8 minutes to ensure the icing is a smooth as possible. Place in refrigerator to wait for cupcakes to cool. You may need to blend it a bit again after coming out of the refrigerator.
- Spread icing onto cupcakes ONLY when they are completely COOL!! Use an icing spatula or piping back to ice. Optional topping is a little bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top! Eat within 2 days!
There’s more than cupcakes
Are you also looking for ways to have yummy treats that really aren’t so bad for you? Well then you’re in good company because that seems to be the main focus of my kitchen lab (along with a few other recipes).
Take a look at our Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Energy Bar. If you want to make it a bit more of a dessert then go ahead and add a dark chocolate drizzle (or even dip the top in our drizzle). So good and it has great ingredients in it for you!
Have suggestions for what we can make next? Contact through email or jump over to Instagram and send a message! Be sure to follow American School of Charm on both Instagram and Pinterest along with joining our Makers Group! The sign up is below!
Have a delicious day! XOXO
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