Bring a bit of sunshine to your dessert table with these adorable Gluten-Free Beach Cupcakes! These tropical treats are made with a moist and fluffy paleo vanilla cake base, topped with vibrant blue spirulina cream cheese frosting, edible sand, and pretzel palm trees. Perfect for beach-themed parties, summer birthdays, or just a fun day in the kitchen with the kids, these cupcakes are as cute as they are delicious—all without any gluten, refined sugar, or artificial dyes.
Beach Cupcakes Ingredients & Accessories
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Eggs: Provide high-quality protein and healthy fats.
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Coconut Oil & Coconut Cream: Offer medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for quick energy.
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Raw Honey: A natural sweetener packed with antioxidants.
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Almond Flour & Coconut Flour: Grain-free, nutrient-dense flours rich in fiber and healthy fats.
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Cream Cheese: Adds creamy texture and calcium.
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Butter: Grass-fed butter is a source of fat-soluble vitamins.
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Maple Syrup: A natural sweetener with trace minerals.
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Blue Spirulina: A vibrant, plant-based superfood loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Tips for Perfect Beach Cupcakes
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Make sure your coconut cream is fully chilled for best texture.
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Use silicone molds for easy shell chocolate shaping.
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Pipe the green palm leaves generously to create full, tropical fronds.
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Let cupcakes fully cool before frosting to prevent sliding.
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Want extra flair? Add little paper umbrellas!
FAQs
Q: Can I make these cupcakes dairy-free?
A: Yes! Swap the cream cheese with a dairy-free alternative and use vegan butter. The texture will still be rich and creamy.
Q: What if I don’t have spirulina?
A: You can use natural blue food coloring or butterfly pea powder for a similar ocean hue.
Q: Can I prep these in advance?
A: Absolutely. Bake the cupcakes and prepare the toppings a day ahead. Assemble just before serving for the freshest presentation.
Q: Can I make this into a cake instead of cupcakes?
A: Yes! Simply pour the batter into an 8-inch round cake pan and increase baking time to about 25-30 minutes.
Q: Are these cupcakes freezer-friendly?
A: The unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw and decorate when ready to serve.
Other Fun Cupcakes To Make:
These Beach Cupcakes are so fun for any summer celebration! Tag me on Instagram at @healthyholme to show off your festive creation!
Beach Cupcakes
Ingredients
Paleo Vanilla Cake Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/3 cup coconut cream the thick part at the top of a can of chilled coconut milk, melted
- 2/3 cup raw honey
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp blue spirulina
Other ingredients:
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3/4 cup white chocolate melted
- 16 pretzel sticks
- natural colorants and green sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with 16 cupcake liners.
- Blend together the eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, coconut cream, and honey until smooth. Add in the flour and baking powder and mix together.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 16 cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While baking, blend together the icing ingredients. Mix together the almond flour and maple syrup to make the sand.
- Dye 1/2 cup of the chocolate green and 1/4 cup other colors for the shells. Add the different colored chocolate to the shell mold and place in the refrigerator to set.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe the green icing on the top of a pretzel stick to look like palm tree leaves. Sprinkle on green sprinkles. Repeat with the other 15 pretzels and place in the fridge to set.
- Once cool, frost the cupcakes with blue icing, add “sand” to part of the top of the cupcakes, place a chocolate shell on top of the sand, and insert the pretzel palm tree into the sand. Enjoy!
