Whether you’re into the health benefits of acai powder and berries or not, this recipe is unbeatable!
The bright pink healthy icing, made from pink pitaya, makes these cupcakes super perfect for kids, as well as us big kids!
So what is acai and pitaya anyway? You might ask, well check this out …
What’s all the fuss about?
The Nature’s Way ‘Acai + Berries’ powder is a combination of Acai, goji, pomegranate and blueberries – all super-rich in antioxidants which are immune-boosting, energy-boosting and packed with Vitamin C.
Acai berries are native to South America and are a small berry, deep purple in colour.
These little power-berries are very low in carbohydrate, high in fibre and heart-healthy fats, and contain more antioxidants than other commonly eaten berries (Medical News Today.).
When I created this recipe, I actually wasn’t focused on the super-food aspect, I was just interested in experimenting with the Acai + Berries powder I found at my local Woolworths.
I’m not affiliated with this product and am not here to advertise it.
Nature’s Way Acai + Berries Powder is expensive though at around $15 per packet, so I normally wait til it’s on sale.
It’s great because the powder is pre-sweetened with stevia which I’m a huge fan of, and just the right amount so you don’t have to add any additional sweeteners when making these cupcakes, which is really handy.
Aldi also has a similar product available called Acai Powder which contains 100% acai berries (no other berries), which retails at around $4 per packet.
The Aldi version is not pre-sweetened, so if you are using this version, you will need to add some sweetener (my preferred option is 100% pure Stevia extract powder available at health food stores).
Low and behold, the flavour was out of this world! It can almost be described as bubble-gum. It’s like nothing I’d ever tried before.
But how to make these cupcakes pop? They needed an icing that would blast your senses as much as the cupcake itself.
Pitaya!
Healthy pink icing – no way!
Anyone who follows my blog knows I love to make healthy sweet treats, so when it comes to icing, this can be challenging, but for this recipe I came across a mind-blowing product – pink pitaya powder.
Pitaya is super-fruit, also known as Dragon fruit, native to Central and South America and comes in a pink or white variety.
Like acai, pitaya is also high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and fibre.
But the best part of all, is the intense pink colour you get from the fruit when it’s in a powder form, which is perfect for making naturally-coloured icing – wait til your kids see it!
I use the Unicorn Super Foods range as it’s 100% pure freeze-dried pitaya, which locks in the nutrients.
The Unicorn range also includes other great poweders including blue spirulina, green matcha, purple acai and red beetroot. You can go crazy with these and even make rainbow icing!
Super-food powders are often used in coconut bowls and smoothies, so the uses are endless.
The Unicorn range is slightly pricey though at $24.95 a packet, but the great thing is you only need the tiniest amount as the colour is so intense, that an entire packet will last you months.
I got a year out of mine, but it depends how often you’re baking of course.
So give these Super-berry Cupkakes a try, they’re low-carb at only 7.9 g of carbohydrate per serve, low in fat, and great for kids and adults with diabetes, or anyone just keen to try a healthy cupcake alternative.
Enjoy!
Super-berry Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 120 g almond meal
- 15 g Acai + Berries powder (Nature's Way Super foods range)
- 1/2 tsp unsweetened vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1/4 cup full cream milk
ICING: 15g Acai + Berries powder, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp Pink Pitaya powder (JustBlends), 80g unsweetened plain yoghurt (I use YoPro).
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
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Place all dry ingredients in a bowl including almond meal, Acai + Berries powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix well.
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Then add the wet ingredients one at a time to the dry ingredients (including vanilla, egg, rose water and milk) and mix well.
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Spoon the mixture into a silicone muffin tray (divide mixture into four).
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Tap the tray on the bench top to smooth out the mixture and remove any air bubbles.
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Place the tray into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Once cooked, remove tray from oven and allow to cool.
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ICING: In a bowl add the Acai + Berries powder, Pink Pitaya powder, cocoa and yoghurt and mix until well combined.
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Spoon icing onto each cupcake and smooth over. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes four cupcakes. Each cupcake has approximately 7.9 grams of carbohydrate.
Super Berry Cupcakes
