Gluten & Refined Sugar Free, Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

I know, right? I'm a devotee of eggs and butter, and good, old fashioned all purpose flour. But I have a family with some allergy issues, so I'm testing this recipe to see how it flies. I came across it here, but it originates from there.

I stocked up at Whole Foods Market to get all the stuff required - and what a list! - and now here I sit, waiting patiently for the oven timer to tell me they're done. Here's what I've learned so far:

• Coconut "oil" actually looks and behaves more like shortening, straight out of the jar (but oh, it smells like a good vacation!). The hot coffee added last basically melts the lump of coconut oil so it can be mixed into the batter.
• Vegan kids don't lick this batter bowl. Eeew. This batter was bitter!
  

I have high hopes, though. Ovens have their own magic, and I firmly believe in the alchemy that happens in my 350 degree Fahrenheit Maytag. Especially when the wafting aromas include coconut and chocolate. Yum!

::thumb twiddling and elevator music::

And out they come from the oven, springy and risen, and smelling lovely. I hate that I really ought to wait to taste them until they're cool. Bah. Humbug.

::typing and blogging and editing photographs::

I waited the whole initial 20 minutes. You're s'posed to wait to they're cool, but I'm not frosting this batch right now, as my WFM was right out of coconut flour the other day. Then curiosity killed the cupcake, and I ate it.

It was good. Not what my mouth was expecting, but by the end of the cupcake, we'd discovered each other, and an appreciation was growing. I think I'll save these for vegan occasions, but it's nice to have some workable options in my repertoire.