This recipe is inspired by my Hummingbird Cake recipe. I decided to make it just a little bit healthier, so I wasn’t serving my kids cupcakes for breakfast. I used a combination of heartier flours (I chose gluten free flours, but feel free to experiment with whole wheat flours). I also used unrefined sweeteners and replaced the oil with applesauce. Don’t worry, I provided the less healthy options, just in case you like eating cupcakes for breakfast. 🙂
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour ( to make this gluten free I used 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/2 cup + 2 T. brown rice flour, 1/4 cup potato starch, 2 T. tapioca flour, and 1 t. xanthan gum)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown rice syrup + 1/4 molasses ( or 1 cup brown sugar)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce ( or 1/2 cup oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup cranberries
1 cup chopped banana
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add brown rice syrup and molasses (or sugar), eggs and applesauce (or oil). Stir until ingredients are just moist (do not beat). Stir in vanilla, pineapple, cranberries, banana, and pecans.
Spoon batter into greased or lined muffin tins. Fill 2/3 full. These do not rise very high, so if you like a big puffy muffin, you might want to fill them almost 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove and serve warm. We eat them plain, but they go well with cream cheese. Makes 24 muffins.
Have you found new ways to make your favorite recipes a little healthier?
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Linda says
They sound delicious. I've thought many times that I should try making my mom's hummingbird cake gluten free, but I never have.
The Book Lady Online says
Once again, you have a terrific idea 🙂 Hummingbird cake is one of my mom's favorites and I like the idea of making small, healthier servings of it for her. I will be "borrowing" your idea very soon 🙂
Rebecca says
So I really shouldn't be thinking of the Easter Week decorated cupcakes and frosted cookies I plan to make (and eat) once my cleanse is done…I ought to be plotting and planning to make these healthy babies so I stay good. Right? (Remember, I need a cheerleader!)
I am drawn to this recipe for all of the great additions…pineapple, cranberry, banana, and nuts.
Alea says
Shirley- you caught me! The cranberries were an impulse addition.
Sherrie – I am a firmer believer in the policy that "a little dirt won't hurt" especially if it is edible!
Sherrie says
I feel a little guilty for my recipe today at Tuesdays at the Table. Mine is for edible dirt and flowers, it tastes better than it sounds and the kids love it. Unfortunately it is not very healthy. I prefer your recipe for daily health reasons, but once in awhile eating dirt can be fun. Hope you have a chance to check it out. Thanks.
Aubree Cherie @ Living Free says
I've never had hummingbird cake, but the ingredients in this lead me to believe I'd LOVE it! I hope I have a chance to try these soon 🙂
~Aubree Cherie
gfe--gluten free easily says
I remember hummingbird cake! I didn't remember they had cranberries, but I love the inclusion of them no matter what. 🙂 Yummy!
Shirley
Cole says
Those sound really yummy!
MrsJenB says
Yum! Looks delicious!
I have to say that there was a time when I was trying to make healthy substitutes in my cooking…now is not that time. Although that's really just when I'm going all-out…I don't make, like, apple dumplings every day! haha
Shana says
That sounds really good. I have eaten Hummingbird cake before and it was really good. I may need to try to make some myself. By the way, your son is right. Cheese can make anything better…lol.