I let the persimmons ripen for a few days before using them since the interwebs helpfully informed me that the fruit can be bitter if underripe. I couldn’t tell you if they were ripened “enough”, but I can tell you they tasted fantastic on their own, and even better when eaten with this moist, hearty cake that is flavored with rich, slightly spicy extra virgin olive oil and warm winter spices.
The grain-free olive oil spice cupcakes are made from a mixture of almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour which produces a soft, moist, bouncy cake that is a pleasure to bite into. The frosting is completely dairy free, vegan and gluten-free, made from a base of coconut cream and coconut flour. But don’t be turned off by the flour – the frosting isn’t gritty or dry the way “flour” would imply. Like the cake, it’s soft and moist (sorry I keep saying that word) and flecked with bits of persimmon, creating a sophisticated, slightly unexpected flavor for this wintery treat.
*A note about the bourbon: Most brands of bourbon are not gluten-free, with the exception of Marker’s Mark, which is safe for you if you are intolerant to gluten. I have heard that Wild Turkey is too, but am having trouble confirming for sure, so use at your own risk.*
Olive Oil Spice Cupcakes with Bourbon Persimmon Frosting
Ingredients
- FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 1 Tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 Tablespoon tapioca flour
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sweetener of choice, I used Norbu
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- 1 large persimmon, about 1/4 cup, optional, grated plus more for garnish
- Cream from one can of coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 1 Tablespoon bourbon, see note
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon granulated sweetener of choice, I used Norbu
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Pinch cloves
- Pinch salt
- 3-4 Tablespoons coconut flour, to desired texture
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with papers.
- Make the cupcakes: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, sweetener, cinnamon, cardamom, salt and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs and olive oil.
- Pour the wet (egg/oil) mixture into the dry (flour) mixture and stir until thoroughly combined and no lumps remain.
- Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter into the 12 prepared muffin compartments. Each compartment should be about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting by beating together all all of the ingredients except the coconut flour in a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Add the coconut flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, waiting until each is thoroughly incorporated and the frosting has thickened before adding the next one, until frosting reaches your desired consistency.
- Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting and garnishing with an additional slice of persimmon. It's best to frost and garnish immediately before serving if possible.
Notes
If you prefer a more subtle olive oil flavor, use virgin olive oil instead of extra virgin.
These should convert to a vegan version easily by replacing the eggs with your favorite vegan egg replacement.
Most brands of bourbon are not gluten-free, with the exception of Marker's Mark, which is safe for you if you are intolerant to gluten. I have heard that Wild Turkey is too, but am having trouble confirming for sure, so use at your own risk.
Store frosted or unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
These cupcakes, and especially the frosting, dry out easily, so keep them covered/sealed as much as possible.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g
Admittedly, you don’t see persimmons every day but I was grateful to be send a bunch of persimmons along with my shipment of yuzu from Melissa’s. Melissa’s, a Los Angeles-based company which specializes in unique, seasonal produce (and other foods). You can buy persimmons, yuzu, and a variety of other seasonal fruits, vegetables and specialty foods grown in the USA from Melissa’s website, and they’ll deliver straight to your door. If you’re in the midwest, aka Chiberia right now, you completely understand the magic that the delivery of fresh produce to your doorstep represents.
If you’re interested in trying some new flavors for yourself – and hopefully making these cupcakes! – you can visit Melissa’s at www.melissas.com. Thanks for supporting the brands that help make A Clean Bake possible.
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
Wow! These are gorgeous. With that bright orange and the taste of bourbon. . .I can envision these as the perfect treat in the fall. Are persimmons available at that time of year? I see them in the grocery stores but have not been brave enough to cook with them.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yeah, they would be a great fall treat! I am pretty sure that persimmons are a late fall and winter fruit, so that would work! Here is more info, if you’re interested: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/persimmons-perspective
Selena @ The Nutritious Kitchen says
Wait… WHAT. My mouth literally dropped when I saw the title of this. And let me tell you it dropped for the best reasons. I am truly blown away by your creativity and the cupcake alone sounds so intriguing and delicious. Olive oil cupcakes…brilliant.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oh thanks, Selena! Well, I’m not sure everyone loves olive oil as much as I do, but a really fruity oil works so well (IMO) in sweets. I wish I could have shared these with you!
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
Persimmons are my favorite fruit! I never thought to pair it with olive oil before. Brilliant!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
They’re really wonderful, aren’t they! I’ve really been missing out until now. 🙂
Monica says
Wow, for someone who’s never had persimmon, I think you’ve really sold it with your description. What a clever way of incorporating it into the cupcakes subtly and deliciously (: The texture sounds amazing too!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks, Monica! I may be late to the persimmon party, but I hope to be able to make up for lost time. I LOVE these little fruits!
June Burns says
What a cool cupcake flavor! I’ve never tried persimmon, they sound interesting though. Love the use of olive oil in the cake, it always adds such a nice touch in baking 🙂
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks, June!
Taylor says
Ah! I was waiting to see what you were going to do with the persimmons on IG! These look so great!! And really, can you ever go wrong with bourbon? That picture of the persimmons in the blue bowl is absolutely gorgeous – makes me want to go buy some right now and whip up these cupcakes!
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
I didn’t know bourbon isn’t gluten free. Fun fact to go along with these gorgeous cupcakes!! Love the olive oil and spices! Such a winning combination!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Right, me either! I don’t know a ton about spirits so I had to google what it was distilled from. As a general rule of thumb, most clear/distilled spirits seem to be gluten free and most cloudy ones aren’t. But I don’t know how helpful that is because many vodkas are not gluten-free. So, back to the drawing board, I guess! 🙂