Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes

1/2 cup coconut flour (sift before measuring if lumpy)
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
1/2 cup agave nectar (I used honey)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners.

• In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, agave nectar, and vanilla extract. Blend the wet ingredients into the coconut flour mixture with a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined, then fold in the strawberries.

• Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.

• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 1 hour, then frost and serve.

And because you’d have to be a daft fool not to want frosting, we of course will prepare our frosting as follows,

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup agave nectar (I would use honey instead)
  2 egg whites
  2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh
  strawberries

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the agave nectar to a boil, stirring constantly. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 6 to 10 minutes, watching constantly and stirring occasionally, until the agave nectar darkens slightly from its original amber color, then remove from the heat and set aside.

• In a deep bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using a handheld mixer. Be sure to push the beaters around the bowl to incorporate air into the whites. This step is important; if your egg whites are not whipped to stiff peaks, the recipe won’t work. Stop whipping as soon as the egg whites are stiff; overwhipping will result in egg whites that are dry and grainy. The foam of the whites will be stiff enough to stand up in well-defined, unwavering peaks.

• Drizzle the warm agave nectar very slowly into the egg whites, while whipping with a handheld mixer, to keep the peaks stiff. The meringue will become pearlescent and shiny.

• Allow to cool to room temperature, then fold the strawberries into the meringue. Use right away.