These mini chestnut and pear cupcakes, topped with a caramel buttercream, are not your typical cupcake. Made with chestnut flour, they're light, moist, fairly healthy and a delicious taste of fall.
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You may remember I decided to try to find some more uses for chestnut flour when I was making chestnut pancakes a few months back, but it just didn't quite feel the right season. Now, however, as I am starting to get all excited about fall foods, it seems like the perfect time to experiment with it again.
Chestnuts roasted on an open fire are not just for Christmas in Europe, they are a delicious treat you'll find in markets pretty much all through fall and winter.
Chestnut goes really well with things like apple and pear, and the gently nutty flavor is one of many tasty things going on in these delicious chestnut and pear cupcakes. I know it's pear twice in one week, but these are so worth it. While they are relatively sweet, without the frosting there is no refined sugar and overall they are certainly on the healthier side, but they are certainly not lacking on flavor. They are also gluten-free as well so easily enjoyed by even more people.
How to make these chestnut pear cupcakes
These chestnut and pear cupcakes are pretty quick and easy to make too - just grate the pear, mix the wet ingredients together, then add the dry ingredients, spoon into your tin and bake.
They come out a lovely light, moist consistency, no doubt helped by the pear, and have a delicious mix of autumnal flavors from the chestnut and almond flours, cinnamon and maple syrup. I made them in mini cupcake size so you get a delicious little bite (and an excuse to eat another as they're only little...).
To be honest, the caramel buttercream is not entirely needed - they are really tasty without it as well and we enjoyed most without - but it does go really well and is delicious too. Plus, I know for some people a cupcake isn't a cupcake without frosting, so it was only fair I at least gave you a tasty option.
The caramel in the buttercream is leftover from making banoffee pie, but as with that recipe, you can use ready-make dulce de leche or really whatever caramel you prefer. The flavor is great with the cupcake, both the caramel and the butteriness, so if you like a little frosting, definitely give it a try.
These chestnut and pear cupcakes are so delicious, went down well with everyone, are easy to make and relatively healthy so I can definitely see me making them again over the coming months. They have that perfect flavor to ease you in to autumnal, or even winter, foods without going down the full on pumpkin route. They are perfectly moist and slightly nutty little bites of yumminess.
Try these other gluten free baked goods:
- Persian walnut cookies
- Blueberry clafoutis
- Lemon almond flour muffins
- Plus get more snack recipes, both sweet and savory, in the archives.
Chestnut and pear cupcakes with caramel buttercream frosting (GF)
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup coconut oil 4tbsp melted and cooled
- ½ cup grated pear approx 1 pear, 175g
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- ½ cup chestnut flour 60g
- ¼ cup almond flour 28g
- ¼ cup rice flour 35g
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
For the buttercream frosting
- 8 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp caramel I used leftover from banoffee pie - see link above - or use dulce de leche or as you prefer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.
- Whisk/blend together egg, coconut oil, pear, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Mix together the flours, cinnamon, baking powder and salt then add them to the wet ingredients and mix until combined but try not to overmix.
- Spoon into a lightly oiled mini-cupcake tin (or larger size, just allow longer to cook), filling to the top.
- Bake for approx 15min until a skewer comes out clean, springy to touch and just starting to brown.
- Allow to cool before frosting. To make frosting, blent together the butter and caramel until smooth then either pipe or spread on to the cupcakes.
Nutrition
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Bengaluru Cake
We tried Chestnut and pear cup cakes. The recipe is really very easy to follow. We baked the cup cakes using the recipe. People in Bangalore loved them.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, glad you enjoyed them!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Love that you used chestnuts....which you only see seasonally. The buttercream sounds amazing!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Gloria, the buttercream is delicious. The chestnut flour used here is actually available at other times of the year too and if you can't find in the store, you can get it online.
Dini @ The Flavor Bender
I have never had chestnut!! This needs to be fixed immediately!
I love anything with pears and that caramel buttercream looks delicious! I definitely love caramel buttercream 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this at #SaucySatrudays!
I think this is the perfect way for me to try out chestnut for the first time! 🙂
Caroline's Cooking
Definitely, Dini, chestnuts are one of my favorites! And the subtle taste in here is indeed a great introduction.
Liz
These look delicious, I have some pears in the fridge right now and this is going to be my next project. I haven't cooked with chestnut flour before, this seems like a wonderful combination...chestnuts, almonds, pear, yum!
Thanks for bringing them to FF.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, Liz, they are all really tasty together - I hope you liked these cupcakes!
Loretta
Oh beautiful ingredients in those muffins. I too made some, and I see quite a few posted. Perhaps it is the Fall weather that is enticing us into the baking area? Like the idea of chestnut flour too.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, Loretta, I think you are right, the weather is definitely encouraging more baking. Never a bad thing! Chestnut flour is definitely nice to bake with, I need to do more 🙂
Julie is Hostess At Heart
Would you believe, to my knowledge, that I've never eaten a chestnut! I love pears, and grating them into these cupcakes will make for a yummy moist cupcake. I am going to broaden my horizons and get me some chestnuts!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, Julie - actually you don't need to go through the hassle of grating chestnuts, you can buy chestnut flour that's lovely and smooth. Actual chestnuts themselves are delicious, too, though so I do recommend trying them as well!
Cindys Recipes and Writings
I had a bag of chestnut flour years age and loved it. I need to try these cupcakes asap!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, Cindy, I hope you like them as much as we did.
Bernie|A Gouda Life
I'm sitting in the waiting area of my car dealer waiting while they change my oil and wishing...maybe even channeling you that you'll deliver one -- or more would be good too -- of these delicious cupcakes. My mouth is watering!!
Caroline's Cooking
If only I could, Bernie 🙂 But they are easy to make, so hopefully that'll be a good next best thing!
Laura Dembowski
I'm in love with these cupcakes. They sound so unique and flavorful!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, Laura, they are delicious!