Vanilla Coconut Flour Cupcakes

Celebrate the 4th with these naturally gluten free delicious vanilla cupcakes made with coconut flour!

Although summer just started, it already seems to be flying by! June is almost over and July is right around the corner, which means the 4th is close, too. Do you have any plans to celebrate? We typically have family over for a BBQ, then go somewhere later that evening to watch the fireworks show. 

My kids and I are all working hard to eat better this summer, and to get outside and be more active. We all know how much I love to bake, so I decided to develop a few dessert recipes that were on the lighter side, just a bit healthier if you will.

Raspberry Vanilla Cream Cake

This super moist and flavorful raspberry cake is topped with homemade whipped cream and fresh raspberries. 

The perfect summer dessert!

I was looking for a simple but beautiful dessert to serve on Memorial Day. I wanted something light and fresh, and of course delicious. Although I love chocolate, I didn't want a chocolate dessert this time around. 

The cake I ended up making was perfect. Simple to make, super moist and tender, and extremely bright. Homemade whipped cream and fresh raspberries pulled the whole thing together. 

Vanilla Crepes with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread & Bananas

These light and delicate crepes are filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut spread and banana slices and come together quickly for a delicious weekend breakfast!

For years I was so intimidated to make crepes. Just looking at them I thought to myself, "Sarah, there is no way you can do that." I just knew I'd mess them up!

Fast forward about 15 years, I bought myself a cute and inexpensive crepe pan and thought what the heck, might as well give it a try. And guess what? I didn't mess them up. Well, maybe the first few from a batch, but that's normal. The pan has to be just the right temp, and you need just the perfect amount of butter on the pan. So usually the first two might break, or be a little light in color, but they still taste good. 

Vanilla Crunch Cupcakes

Do you  have traditional desserts that you make each holiday season? Although I have some longtime favorites, I love trying new things and surprising my family with new desserts. 

I don't often make cupcakes for the holidays, but I came up with this recipe while trying out Swerve, a new sugar substitute. Have you heard of Swerve? Swerve is a delicious, natural sweetener that is made from ingredients derived from fruits and vegetables. Swerve contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors. It is also zero-calorie, non-glycemic and safe for those living with diabetes.  

The wonderful people at Swerve sent me a box full of goodies so that I could try out their products and create some yummy recipes. I've tried Swerve in my coffee, as well as in a couple of different desserts, and I love it. You substitute it cup-for-cup and it tastes great.

You can learn more about Swerve on their website and find a location near you. The good folks at Swerve have also offered my readers a discount! Use coupon code SWITCH10 until December 31, 2013 to receive a 15% discount on your online orders!

Very Vanilla Mini Cupcakes

There are days when I need some help in the kitchen. Sometimes it's good to have shortcuts, ya' know?

Although I don't use boxed mixes very often, I do find they are nice in a pinch. Instead of measuring out all of the separate ingredients, I like tossing the mix into a bowl and being done with it in about 60 seconds.

One thing that's fun to do is to jazz up a boxed mix, which is exactly what I did here. I swapped out the vegetable oil for coconut oil (making this a bit healthier), added more vanilla, and made the most delicious and moist mini vanilla cupcakes ever.

The whole family loved these, and I will definitely be making them again.