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Let me just preface this post by mentioning that I freaked out on my 10th birthday because it meant I would never celebrate a single-digits birthday again…so yeah, you can imagine how I’m feeling right about now now that I’ve reached 25.

In case you can’t imagine it, it sits somewhere between checking my forehead for wrinkles and a very real state of panic. Yet at the same time I’m feeling overwhelmingly proud for everything I’ve accomplished in my 25 years. No one mentioned that 25 brings a whole new level of confusion!

I’d always assumed that by 25 I would be a real adult. I’d have all of life’s questions answered and would be on a path to accomplishing all that I wanted for my future. Then again I always thought that that path involved med school and certainly not blogging so clearly I was way off.

And up until about 5 minutes ago I always thought that life was about checking off everything on your bucket list, but I have since discovered that I was very wrong about this too. This is evidenced by the multitude of goals and lists posted on this blog from which I have accomplished a whopping 5 of them. For the record I purposely added “drink more wine” to my 25-by-25 goal list because I knew I would accomplish that one. And no, I still haven’t seen a Harry Potter movie…

I’ve come to learn that life isn’t all about checking things off. It’s about enjoying the ride and those beautiful moments that happen when you’re not planning for the-next-best-thing.

It’s about defining your own success regardless of what other people might think.

It’s about trying everything and not stopping until you find what you love.

It’s about taking every opportunity and never comparing them to anyone else’s.

It’s not about a number and it certainly is not about having it all figured out.

And sometimes, it’s about making your own birthday cupcakes because you know no one will do it as well as you can.

About that…I’m really okay with making my own birthday treat. Partially because I’m picky and I know I am the only one who can give me exactly what I want and also because the best birthday treat is 2 blissful hours baking in the kitchen. Using the ultimate bday gift C got me for my birthday last year, of course.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting // thehealthymaven.com #glutenfree #veganIt’s crazy to think about how much can change in a year, or 10 years for that matter. I am thankfully nothing like the obnoxious, unibrow sporting teen I used to be but one thing has remained the same, my love of baking.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting // thehealthymaven.com #glutenfree #veganWhether it be Betty Crocker cake mix, oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies or Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting, baking has and will forever be my happy place. And is the only thing I know with certainty will be a part of my next 25 years and then some.

I am declaring today National Eat ALL THE CAKE Day (cupcakes count). I hope you’ll join me in the festivities 🙂

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Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting

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  • Author: Davida Lederle
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I used the flour blend from my Healthy Breakfast eCookbook*
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk (left in fridge for at least 1 hour-do NOT shake)**
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • optional: 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes for garnish

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line a cupcake tin with liners or grease with non-stick spray or coconut oil.
  3. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. In a separate bowl (or mixer) combine applesauce, coconut oil, almond milk, egg, honey and vanilla.
  5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until combined.
  6. Divide batter evenly in cupcake tin and bake for 22-25 mins or until tops have browned slightly and bounce back when pressed.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 mins before removing and allowed to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting:

  1. While cupcakes are cooling open coconut milk and scoop out cream from top of can. Place in a mixer bowl and using a stand-mixer with the whisk attachment or hand-mixer, whisk for 5-10 mins or until cream has reached hard-peaks. Cream should be very stiff.
  2. Add in honey and whisk for 1 more minute.
  3. Place frosting in piping bag and pipe over cupcakes in a circular motion. OR frost cupcakes using a knife. Top with toasted coconut, if desired.
  4. Keep in a cool place or keep in fridge to last longer (will dry out slightly in the fridge).

*OR use whole-wheat flour.
**I find Thai Kitchen brand works best.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting // thehealthymaven.com #glutenfree #dairyfree

What lessons have you learned from getting older? Anyone else make their own birthday (cup)cakes?!

Meet the Maven

Hi! I'm Davida and welcome to my corner of the internet. I'm a wellness blogger, yoga teacher, certified herbalist, and green beauty lover.

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85 Comments

  1. Happy birthday love! The list you complied is so, so true–will we ever have everything on our bucket list checked off or have everything “figured out”? I don’t think so, but I think that’s ok. Enjoy your day and thank you for being so helpful alllllll da time. Xoxo

  2. Happy birthday Davida!! 25 is not old at all!! In fact, it’s the best age you could possibly be at. Mid-twenties rock!
    I usually make one birthday treat myself, and my mum makes another one or two. Nobody beas her cheesecake 🙂
    I hope you’re having a fantastic day. All the best wishes from Germany!

    1. you better bet I ate cheesecake too! So far so good for 25 😉 Not sure what I was so freaked out about! Thank you for the birthday wishes!

  3. isn’t it funny how you feel exactly the same when you say the number….yet 25 sounds so old….as does 26, which I just turned, but I thought I would just wake up so mature…..nope! I love that you have redefined what you want to do with your life though. That is so important, and I love your perspective! These cupcakes look yummy 🙂

  4. Happy Birthday, gorgeous! I hope you have the most amazing day filled with plenty of good food and tonnes of love xox. I swear, the older I get, the harder of a time I have remembering how old I actually am — I always have to stop and think about it for a second when someone asks. I like to think that that’s because I’m a whole lot younger than I feel, and not because it’s old age senility settling in ::lol: But happy birthday again <3

  5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you have a great day. An age is just a number; it doesn’t mean you are any less awesome 🙂 These cupcakes look delicious! I’m with you on making the dessert because no one else makes it as well 😉

  6. Happy Birthday Girl!! I hope you are eating cupcakes and mimosas for breakfast 🙂
    25 – that is me in December – feeling you on the mild freak out. Age is just a number though – boom!
    Love this – Life is about “enjoying the ride and those beautiful moments that happen when you’re not planning for the-next-best-thing.” Hell to the yes!

  7. Happy Birthday, lady!!! And at no age, do I ever think we will consider ourselves, “real adults”! We must always live out the kid in us so we don’t take life too seriously!
    Have a fantastic day 🙂

    1. Amen to that!!! I’m going to see a Dr. Seuss Musical today so I’ll consider that my inner-kid moment of the day 😉 Thanks for the bday love!

  8. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Love this post. And love the irony that today I have posted my bucket list 😉 more for the fun of writing it to be honest!
    My birthday was 5th July and it was only the other day that I realised that I never had a birthday cake (I was in the Andes in Arg.) so I’ve ‘officially’ declared 5th September my fake birthday aka cake day and, yes, I will be making my own cakes. My dad tried to make a cake once. It was a 2 layer one and about 2cm high. I’d say it was more of a pancake.
    Have a beautiful day!

  9. Happy birthday! I prefer not to bake for my birthday and go out for a special dessert treat instead. However, no one else can bake for me either. If that’s the option, then I am the baker because no one would get it right! Enjoy 25! I was way too much of an adult back then so I say just go with the flow and life just happens and falls right into place.

    1. Well I’m still making quite a few dumb mistakes daily so I would say I haven’t quite grown up yet. I shall make more in your honour. Thanks for the bday love, babes!! xoxo

    1. reamaking these for your visit! GAHHHH I can’t believe it’s real!!! Thanks again for all the birthday love, you da best!