i'm popping in real quick to wish you all a happy end-of-summer! although, i have to say, it kind of seems bittersweet when there's so much heartbreak and devastation happening in texas. it's the large scale situations like these that have me feeling like anything i do isn't enough. that giving to a few foundations or food banks doesn't really make a difference in someone's life who's lost so much. my heart breaks for the families, and pets, and people there. if you're wanting to donate and you're not sure where to donate to, here's a link to Feed Texas, a non-profit that provides food during major disasters. also, the Houston Food Bank is another group working to help people affected by Harvey.

alas, i bring you these almond butter chocolate cupcakes with frozen frosting (ahem, ice cream)! frank loves an ice cream cake. or anything cookies and cream related. me? i could go without it. but since i'm not really consuming sweets as much, and there's nothing super sweet in the house for him to nosh on, AND because he's being such a great sport about it - i decided to make him something that would satisfy his craving.

these cupcakes are seriously my favorite. at first i was a bit afraid of how a grain-free cupcake would fare when mixed with almond butter. i didn't know if all that fat in a baked good would even work. i thought the result would be super dense, but the almond butter actually gave them a super lush texture, and the cassava flour (aka, my new baking buddy) gave them that delicate crumb that we're all used to having in a really good cupcake. if you've followed along on instagram stories, then you know i tinkered around quite a bit with this recipe until i got it just right. i hope you give them a try, and if you do, i hope you enjoy them as much as we do :)

wishing you all a bright holiday weekend, and the best end of summer! xoxo

Ice Cream & Almond Butter-Chocolate Cupcakes | dolly and oatmeal

ice cream almond butter-chocolate cupcakes | gluten/grain/dairy-free

i didn't make my own ice cream here, for lack of time (and sanity), but i have a few recipes here. i know the question is going to come up, so i'll just disclose here that i haven't tried making these vegan. but i'm hopeful that 2 flax "eggs" will do the trick (1 flax egg = 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water).

| makes 12 cupcakes |

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temp
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
2 pasture raised eggs, at room temp
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 pints dairy free ice cream of choice
sprinkles (optional)

method

preheat oven to 350°F and line your muffin/cupcake tin with 12 liners.
in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, breaking up any clumps. in another large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. mix the wet ingredients into the dry and use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together.
fill each muffin/cupcake cavity just below the top. bake in the center of your oven for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
cool cupcakes on a rack for about 10 minutes. then remove the cupcakes from the tin and let them cool completely.
scoop ice cream onto the cupcake and serve immediately.
cupcakes (without ice cream) can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.