Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour [A Baking Book] Paperback – April 26, 2011

I’ve used Elana’s website as my most treasured source of gluten free recipes for years. I have a sister who is extremely ill with multiple life threading autoimmune diseases. Because I see my sister’s daily efforts to stay healthy, I am amazed at the amount of work Elana has put into the website while managing her own health issues.The recipes on the website and in her books are solid. I started out by using her recommended brand of almond flour and then figured out an organic brand I could buy in bulk online that worked for her recipes.I have a serious coconut allergy and was wondering how many of the recipes would be coconut free. I also can’t use palm oil, Spectrum shortening or Earth balance butter because of cross contamination issues. With these restrictions I can make four of the sweet cupcakes and all of the savory muffins without substituting. Many of the frosting recipes don’t have my allergens either.I’ve made the Cheddar garlic muffins and they are fantastic. I see myself making the savory muffins every week. They will be great for my coffee break or with salad for a summer meal. Only 2 g carbs in the Cheddar garlic muffins!!!

This is a beautiful book. The instructions for each recipe are clear and concise, and the photos are scrumptious. It makes me excited about making grain-free, sugar-free cupcakes. I look forward to making all the cupcakes and muffins in this delightful little book -- triple chocolate, red velvet, vanilla fig, apple spice, banana split...YUM! Thanks Elana!My one small quibble with the book is that Elana uses agave nectar in all but one recipe. I won't use agave nectar because of its high fructose content which is a strain on the liver and creates insulin resistance over a period of time. It's absolutely true that honey and agave can be substituted 1 to 1 or 1 to 1.25 (agave to honey) depending on your preference for sweetness. I would rather use a granulated sweetener that does not raise my blood sugar much at all, though.For every 1/2 cup of agave nectar that a recipe calls for I substitute 5/8 cup erythritol Zsweet All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener, 1.5-Pound Pouches (Pack of 2) + 1-2 scoops of KAL stevia extract powder Pure Stevia Extract Powder - 3.5 oz - Powder + 1/2 cup of a liquid like coconut milk or almond milk. I also increase the baking temp by 25 degrees. Everything else in the recipe stays the same. For those of you who have trouble getting unusual ingredients where you live, you can use any granulated sweetener in place of the erythritol. Just skip the stevia if you're using sugar, since sugar is sweeter than erythritol.

I did hate taking off a star because the book is truly wonderful! I've been dying to try some recipes and finally decided I would make the cupcakes with the crumble topping. I did NOT use agave but instead substituted honey 1:1. As you can see by the photo it did not turn out well and what I hate most are the wasted ingredients and all the mixing and cooking items that now need cleaning! :) Well, I will probably eat these anyway, throw on some cream and fruit maybe. I'm just so disappointed! I did not open the oven, I checked them at 20 minutes and this is what had happened. It could be that one actually needs to use less honey, or more flour. The crumble topping was pretty dry but still a little wet for a dry-ish topping. I read so many reviews before purchasing the book. I didn't want to buy another oil or sweetener when I already have maple syrup, honey, avocado oil, olive oil, safflower oil, shortening.... know what I mean? And there is the health issue of agave syrup. If anyone has had this happen PLEASE let me know. I did everything 'by the book', but it won't work for me and I want to make many of the other recipes!

My four (yes, four) copies of the book came in the mail today. Based on the Almond Flour Cookbook and the blog I knew I could trust Elena to put out a spectacular second book and I am not disappointed. The photographs hit you right away - they are beautiful shots and suck you right in to wanting to bake. The variety of items is also amazing. I knew I was in love when I saw the entire chapter devoted to chocolate cupcakes. Not a chocoholic? No problems, there a chapter on fruity cupcakes, warm and spiced and even savory treats with recipes for Spinach Feta muffins or Chive Pepper. Can you say "brunch!"? The effort that went into these recipes is evident on every page.Not only does Elana use super healthy almond flour but the as-good-for-you coconut flour which has huge health benefits and drives down the glycemic index of anything it is used in. That makes it perfect for those with gluten issues but also for anyone interested in a healthy diet. Her recipes are so far above the standard gluten free cooking that no one in my extended family even knew I cooked gluten free at Thanksgiving this year.My kids are pouring over the books now, trying to decide which one to try first. Based on all the "Wows!" they are also impressed. I'll have to rip them out of their hands to give the extra copies to my family. Got to go ... I have some baking to do!