Hummingbird Cupcakes & Cream Cheese Frosting (Lactose Free)
Welcome back to another lactose free recipe. This week I wanted to share with you something that is sweet and adorable. This hummingbird cupcake recipe is filled with pineapple, walnuts and spices. The cream cheese frosting on top provides a slight tangy release from the sweetness of the cupcake. Topped with a beautiful edible violet these cupcakes are stunning.   The recipes on this website have been tested with lactose free ingredients multiple times to ensure their success and deliciousness . As always, this recipe is lactose free providing you use the right ingredients. Always make sure your ingredients are safe.    
Servings: 24 yield(s)
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 60 mins
Ingredients
    Cupcakes
  • 1 & 3/4 cup Plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup Caster sugar
  • 1/4 cup Brown sugar
  • 1 cup Chopped walnuts (plus extra for decoration )
  • 1 cup Mashed banana
  • 1 cup Tinned pineapple (with juice)
  • 3/4 cup Oil (vegetable is preferred but I have used olive oil and it still tasted great)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 cup Margarine (lactose free) (Brand Used - Nuttelex original )
  • 250 g Cream cheese (lactose free) (Brand Used - Liddells)
  • 2 tsp Lemon juice (you can use pineapple juice if you want sweetness rather than the tang from the lemon juice)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla essence
  • 5 cup Icing sugar
    • Extra
  • Cupcake tin
  • Cupcake cases
  • Fresh edible violets
  • Wilton 1M piping tip
  • Piping bags
  • Yellow gel food colouring
Instructions
    Hummingbird Cupcakes
  1. This recipe makes 24 standard size cupcakes.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180 °C and line a cupcake tray with cupcake cases.
  3. In a large bowl place, the flour, baking powder, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts. Stir well.
  4. Add the mashed bananas, eggs, pineapple, vanilla, and oil. Stir well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
  5. Keep in mind the mixture will look lumpy because of the pineapple and walnuts.
  6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cupcake cases. Fill up each case halfway.
  7. Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes. Test the cupcakes by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, then the cupcake has finished cooking.
  8. Let the cupcakes sit in the hot pan for a few minutes then transfer onto a wire rack to cool. The longer the cupcakes are sitting in the hot pan the more they will cook. So it is better not to leave them in for too long.
  9. The batter will be enough to make 24 cupcakes. Repeat this process until the batter has been used up.
  10. You can make these cupcakes in advance and store them in the fridge for a few days. These cupcakes also freeze well for a month or two in an airtight container. Wait until they cool down completely and place in an airtight container and store them in the fridge or freezer.
    11. Cream Cheese Icing
  11. For the icing place the margarine, lemon juice, cream cheese and vanilla in a large stand mixer bowl or mixing bowl.
  12. Beat until smooth.
  13. Sift half of the icing sugar into the bowl.
  14. Beat again until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
  15. Sift the other half of the icing sugar into the mixture. Beat again until fluffy but stiff peaks. Add a few drops of yellow gel food colouring to make the icing light yellow.
  16. Place the frosting in a bowl and cover with clingwrap until ready to use.
    17. Decorating
  17. To decorate grab a cooled cupcake, the walnuts and violets.
  18. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with the 1M piping tip.
  19. Pipe a swirl onto the cupcake. Start by piping a 'dot' into the centre of the cupcake. Continue piping around the outside of that dot, bringing it in tight but not over the top of the original dot. When you want to stop ease off the pressure on the bag and continue dragging it.
  20. Sprinkle some of the reserved walnuts onto the cupcake. Place a fresh washed violet onto the walnuts. Decorate the rest of the cupcakes.
  21. Serve, devour and enjoy.