Reed’s 3rd Birthday

This year we had a REALLY low-key birthday for Reed. Since we don’t know too many people down here yet, it’s not like we could of done a big party like we usually do and with my needing to “take it easy” it worked out this year just keeping it a family day.

My mom flew in Thursday for his birthday and is here until Sunday. We started the day off with 3 balloons, one for each year he is old.

Yikes…I am getting big! I shouldn’t stand on an angle, it makes me look even bigger!!! I still have 12 weeks ago….

  After breakfast we piled into the car to go to the Georgia Aquarium. He really loves sea creatures so we thought it would be a great way to celebrate his birthday.

We got home, he took a nap and then we opened presents, ate his requested birthday dinner, burgers and sweet potatoes and then we had cupcakes. He requested green cupcakes with blue, orange and green sprinkles and I added the “fish” cupcake toppers to make them even more festive and keep with the aquarium theme of the day! I thought they turned out cute! :)

 

He is soooo irritated in this picture, his cruel Mother made him wait to grab a cupcake until I could get a picture. Life is rough…ha ha

 I made the vanilla cupcakes from the Babycakes cookbook. They were GF and Vegan and were really quite delicious. I ate one Thursday night after I baked them to see what they tasted like, and I was like, “okay, this chic seriously knows what she is doing…she has a famous NY bakery that the stars eat at afterall…”! There is a vanilla frosting recipe to go along with them, but I made my usual “cream cheese” frosting since it’s so easy and everyone loves it. You would never know it’s not dairy!

Even if you don’t have dietary restrictions…you might like to try them since they are a healthier version of a cupcake without the white flour, dairy and just sugar in the frosting and are quite yummy!

Some of these ingredients sound weird or icky…but don’t be scared by them-the combination produces a delicious cupcake!!!

vanilla cupcakes

*********************Makes 24*******************

2 CUPS GARBANZO-FAVA BEAN FLOUR

1 CUP POTATO STARCH

1/2 CUP ARROWROOT

1 TABLESPOON PLUS 1 1/2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1 TEASPOON XANTHAM GUM

2 TEASPOONS SALT

2/3 CUP COCONUT OIL

1 1/3 CUPS AGAVE NECTAR

3/4 CUP UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE

3 TABLESPOONS PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

GRATED ZEST OF 1 LEMON

1 CUP HOT WATER

Preheat  the oven  to 325 degrees. Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin  tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, arrowfoot, baking powder, baking soda, xantham gum, and salt. Add the oil, agave nectar applesauce , vanilla, and lemon zest to the dry ingredients and combine. Stir in  the  hot water and mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup, almost filling it.

Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating 180 degrees after 15 minutes. The finished cupcakes will be golden brown and will bounce back when pressure is applied gently in center.

Let the cupcakes stand for 20 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Frost cupcakes when cooled. Store cupcakes in airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days.

Here’s the cream cheese frosting recipe I use.

I hope you enjoy!