Pumpkin Chai Latte Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cardamom Icing

Created by Carrie Forbes, shared on GINGERLEMONGIRL.COM

Reprinted with permission from "The Everything Gluten-Free Baking Cookbook"

Free of gluten, dairy, soy, eggs

Ingredients | Serves 9

Cupcakes

1 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour

¹⁄³ cup arrowroot starch or tapioca starch

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¹⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup almond milk, warmed to 110°F

4 black tea bags

¼ cup light-tasting olive oil or canola oil

½ cup unsweetened applesauce or plain

pumpkin purée

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

1 cup Spectrum Palm Shortening

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

3–5 tablespoons ice water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with 9-10 paper liners and spritz with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the brown rice flour or sorghum flour, arrowroot starch or tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Set dry ingredients aside.
3. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, heat almond milk in the microwave to 110°F. Add the tea bags and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags.
4. In a medium bowl mix together the tea-steeped milk, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until you have a thick cake batter.
5. Fill the lined muffin tins 3/4 full of batter.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops are golden-brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn out cupcakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. Make the frosting: In a medium bowl, cut shortening into confectioners’ sugar with a pastry blender. Stir in spices. (If you prefer a less-spicy frosting, use only ½ teaspoon of each.) Mixture will be crumbly. Thin the frosting with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you desire to frost the cupcakes.
8. Store any remaining cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.