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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Recipe: Healthier Lamington Cupcakes

Lightened Up Lamington Cupcakes - Low Fat Butter Cake Recipe - Gluten Free, Low Sugar
 

Psst: It's AustraliWeek on Southern In-Law! 
Check out the other recipes: Healthy Cheesymite Scrolls//Healthy Chocolate Crackle Slice (AKA: Lamington Rice Crispy Treats)//Low Fat ANZAC Biscuits

When I told Jesse that I wanted to make a Lightened Up Butter Cake recipe, he looked at me like I'd gone mad. "A butter cake? You're going to put that on Southern In-Law? How is that going to fit with your healthy recipes.... or how are you going to make that healthier?"

Oh, ye of little faith! Of course I could create a low fat butter cake recipe (also known as a yellow cake in the US) - it was just going to take a bit of testing and tweaking and Southern In-Law magic - and by jove, she's done it!

Healthier Lamington Cupcakes - Low Fat Buttercake Recipe - Gluten Free, Low Sugar

When the idea came into my head to make Healthier Lamington Cupcakes, I knew I wanted to make them super simple and easy to make - so the usual sponge cake base of traditional lamingtons had to change. Sponge cakes tend to use too many eggs and they don't always work out as planned - so I wanted a foolproof recipe. Thus, the Healthier Low Fat Butter Cake recipe was born. 

The soft and fluffy butter cake base is then topped with a deeeeeelicious and super simple chocolate glaze/icing which is made using just three ingredients - and then all you have left to do is sprinkle on some shredded coconut for that lamington look.  Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!

Jesse ate his first one and said "Oh wow... these are amazing... I'm glad I married you" and somehow the entire batch of cupcakes disappeared in just a few days. They're good... actually, they're better than good - and you'll want to make them ASAP. 

So let's get onto the recipe! >>  

Low Fat Lamington Cupcakes - Healthier Butter Cake Recipe - Gluten Free, Low Sugar

 Lightened Up Lamington Cupcakes 
 A low fat butter cake base, topped with a simple three ingredient glaze and a sprinkle of coconut for a healthy (and way simpler) twist on the traditional lamington.
Makes 10 cupcakes which are low fat, lower sugar, gluten free

For the low fat butter cake:
1 cup (120g) gluten free plain flour/plain flour 
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp (55g) butter, softened slightly
1/4 cup (50g) unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar (use 1/3-1/2 cup if you like sweeter baked goods)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk of choice
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 180°C/355°
Grease or line a muffin/cupcake tin ready to fill.
Mix together your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a mixer, cream your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in your egg, scraping the bowl to incorporate the ingredients and mixing for a few seconds.
Add in your milk and vanilla and mix to combine ingredients.
Add your dry ingredients and beat until light and fluffy, being sure to scrape down the bowl a few times to incorporate all of the ingredients.
Scoop out your cupcake mixture into your prepared tins, filling the tins about 2/3 of the way (they rise alot!).
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and cooked through (a skewer inserted will remove clean).
Leave to cool completely before frosting.

For the low fat chocolate glaze/icing: 
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (75g) icing sugar
2 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk of choice
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients until smooth and dollop on top of cooled cupcakes, using a spoon to spread out the glaze.
It will be quite thick, but this is how you want it!

For the topping:
Shredded coconut - we used a pinch of coconut for each of the cupcakes and placed the coconut straight onto the wet icing.


But tell me, cupcakes or cakes - which do you prefer?
And what's your favourite cupcake flavour?
I'm definitely a cupcake girl - small, easy to eat, not so messy - much better in my opinion. This is actually one of my new favourite recipes so I know they'll be making repeat appearances in the SIL house!

18 comments:

  1. These look great Kristy, do you know if these would freeze? I'd like to make a batch for the children as a sweet (not so sweet) treat every now and then.

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  2. Kristy @ Southern In-LawJanuary 24, 2014 at 6:40 AM

    Hey Jessica,
    The cake part freezes perfectly (and we froze some leftover cupcakes from our last batch which defrosted just as good as new) but I wouldn't suggest icing them as icing tends to go a bit funny in the freezer.


    As the icing is so easy to make, we just make up a small batch whenever we defrost the cupcakes!

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  3. I'm not really a cake or cupcake fan, but these look good!! I much prefer pie or bread pudding any day over cake, but I'll have to save this recipe!

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  4. Kristy @ Southern In-LawJanuary 24, 2014 at 9:52 AM

    They're delish! And not too heavy like some cakes and cupcakes can be!

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  5. Kristy @ Southern In-LawJanuary 25, 2014 at 7:02 AM

    Thank you so much, Lindsey! You're too sweet! :)

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  6. I love my sausages on the Barbie mmmm yum

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  7. I love a freshly made damper, warm enough so that the Butter just melts.

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  8. Yum! Can't wait to try making these! Thanks Kristy <3

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  9. Kristy @ Southern In-LawJanuary 25, 2014 at 12:48 PM

    My pleasure, lovely!! You'll have to let me know what you think! Xx

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  10. kangaroo stew is a great Australian meal

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  11. Lorraine @ Not Quite NigellaJanuary 25, 2014 at 5:20 PM

    We're really on the same path Kirsty. I made something very similar to these!

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  12. Kristy @ Southern In-LawJanuary 25, 2014 at 5:43 PM

    Haha, coconut is the perfect raw treat addition! When I first made these a few weeks ago my mum thought I was crazy - then she tasted one and changed her mind!

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  13. Pavlova with lashings of cream topped with fresh berries, passion fruit- a dream come true!

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  14. Definitely Vegemite! My children and I have it on toast nearly everyday and we make homemade Cheesymite scrolls, you can't get anymore Australian that Vegemite!

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  15. Freshly caught yabbies from the creek, quickly turned on the barbecue. Perfect!

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  16. Lamingtons my favourite treat!
    With jam and cream, oh so sweet!
    I can never stop at one,
    Aussie Lammos yum yum yum!

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  17. I don't know what almond meal is?

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  18. Kristy @ Southern In-LawJanuary 28, 2014 at 7:24 AM

    Hi there,
    Almond meal is simply ground almonds - you can use 1/2 cup (75g) whole almonds instead. Almond meal also tends to be called almond flour in the US :)

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