Dessert: Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe by Hayley Ryczek A great way to use up some of those plentiful summer zucchini!

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Nuts, Walnuts

Health and fertility benefits of Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity. Walnuts are low on the glycemic index. What’s more, they also lower the glycemic index of other foods that you eat in conjunction with these nuts. Any kind of nuts provide a healthy source of fat and a great way to encourage PCOS weight loss.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups white sugar
1 cup coconut oil
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
Sift all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes; fold in zucchini and walnuts. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture until batter is well mixed. Fill prepared muffin cups with batter about half full.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
Beat cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Gradually beat confectioners' sugar into cheese mixture until frosting is light and fluffy. Spread frosting over completely cooled cupcakes.

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