Wow, three posts in one week!!! Not sure you should get used to this!? I just wanted to post this recipe because I have been talking about these aaaand… it’s vegan cupcake week on my facebook page. I also posted a recipe there from a friend for vegan pumpkin cupcakes with orange glaze (under discussions). Mmmm, can’t wait to try those!
Apricots are a fruit I overlooked in the past. Then I read up on nature’s gift of the apricot kernel. Do you know about this?!? Vitamin B17. Vitamin B17, also known as Laetrile and Amygdalin is found in most fruit seeds, namely apricot seeds. Apple seeds have some too. The apricot seed was claimed as the cure for all cancers over 35 years ago. The pharmaceutical companies pushed the FDA into making it illegal to sell “raw” apricot seeds or vitamin B17 with information about its effects on cancer because they could not patent it being natural. You’ll notice that you can’t get raw apricot seeds in your health food store, only dried which have all the important enzymes killed off. Cancer is a big $ business $. Sure makes one wonder? It is known scientifically that B17 targets cancer cells like a missile on a mission and destroys them while leaving healthy cells alone.
Because of the information I have read on B17 I started keeping my eyes peeled for apricots which I rarely seem to find. I ended up with an entire bag of ripe apricots from the farmer’s market for 3 dollars this summer and needed to think up ways to use them! Yes, I saved all of the apricot pits! If you take a nutcracker and open one up, you will find a kernel that resembles an almond. It tastes like a bitter almond. Eat that sucker! I think you can consume 4-7 per day without harm but there is a limit and you should look into that. I don’t eat that many so I don’t know off the top of my head what the limit is, although I will get back to you on it. I know it can be dangerous to consume too much B17. I eat these kernels whenever I get the chance and also throw my whole apples into the Vitamix, seeds and all because apple seeds also contain vitamin B17. Or when eating an apple, I eat the seeds too!
This almond cupcake part of the recipe here is the same as my recipe for the cupcakes for the raspberry filled almond cupcakes with chocolate frosting. You can fill the almond apricot cupcakes two slightly different ways and frost them two different ways. Your choice. I like the second way, glazed, because it tastes like you are biting into marzipan! Mmmm. These are pretty sweet… if you like sweet.
Here’s what you need for the cupcakes
1/3 Cup organic Canola Oil
3/4 Cup organic Sugar
1 Cup of Tempt Vanilla Hemp Milk by Living Harvest (It’s my favorite but you can use Vanilla Soy Milk too)
3 tsp Almond Extract
1 Cup organic All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, hemp milk, almond extract. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. I use a whisk and mix until the batter is smooth. Add almond flour and mix lightly to combine. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or the center bounces back with the finger test. Put on cooling rack and cool.
Ingredients for the Filling
8-10 Ripe Apricots, pits removed
1/2 Cup of Water
2 Tbs Apricot Fruit Spread
3 Tbs Organic Sugar
1 Tbs Arrowroot
3 Tbs Water
*Or… skip this if you don’t have fresh apricots and just use apricot fruit spread
Directions
Place apricots and 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook down and blend well, add apricot fruit spread (you can try it without if you prefer) and sugar and cook a little longer on medium heat until sugar is dissolved and everything blended. In a small bowl, add 1 Tbs arrowroot and 3 Tbs water and blend with a fork. Add to apricot mixture, stirring constantly and cook until a nice thick filling consistency is formed. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Fill Your Cupcakes
When cupcakes are cooled, push a hole in the top and center of each with your thumb. Using a small spoon fill each well with the apricot fruit filling and push down in there if you need to. Level the tops with your spoon.
Frosting #1 – A thick buttercream frosting
1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening such as Earth Balance, softened
1/2 Cup Margarine such as Earth Balance, softened
3 1/2 Cups Organic Confectioners Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1/4 Cup Vanilla Hemp Milk or Almond milk
Sliced Almonds for garnish
Directions
Beat together shortening and margarine until combined and fluffy. Add sugar and beat for 3 more minutes using an electric mixer. Add the almond extract and hemp milk and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes. Frost the cooled and apricot filled almond cupcakes and top with sliced almonds for garnish.
Frosting # 2 – A glaze for a classy looking cupcake! (I preferred my cupcake this way but I go both ways ;) just kidding…)
2 Tbs Earth Balance Margarine, softened
1 1/2 Cups Organic Confectioners Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 to 2 Tbs warm Water
Sliced Almonds for garnish
Directions
In a bowl, combine margarine and confectioners sugar, blend with an electric mixer or fork, slowly add warm water and keep mixing. Add extracts and blend until a creamy glaze consistency is reached. It will be very sweet on it’s own and look a bit runny! Don’t worry, the glaze hardens a bit on the cupcakes.
When your cupcakes are cooled and filled with apricot, spoon the glaze over top and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Wait a few minutes until the glaze hardens a bit and serve.
*Note these cupcakes can be made gluten free by subbing an all purpose gluten free flour for the all purpose organic flour I used. Let me know if you try these, I love hearing from you!
Enjoy!
The Karmatarian~
Karmatarian 
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