The softest and most virtuous cupcakes, ever.

Yesterday when I blogged my recipe for banana rusks, I discovered that my one year old nephew (himself a delicious little morsel, utterly sweet and lovely) is currently eating just about only bananans, and certainly prefers finger food to being spoon fed. Ahhh, the moment a baby becomes an independent being. It's so wonderful and rewarding, but let's not forget, it's also incredibly hair-pullingly frustrating.

I am always experimenting and today, on my to-do list in the kitchen, was to have a play around with cupcake recipes. My daughter is turning one in less than eight weeks and I want to throw a party with yummy, healthy party food that doesn't send her running to a psychologist at eighteen, screaming, "My mum's a crazy weirdo health nut!" Which, FYI, I certainly am not. But since being diagnosed at 26 with type 1 diabetes, what has always been a bit of an interest in healthy eating for me ramped up a gear into a proper preoccupation, and I find myself steering the little kids away from all sorts of "treat" foods as often as possible.

So. You can imagine my delight when my first recipe experiment absolutey nailed what I am not too modest to call the best, most amazing, fluffiest, NO SUGAR cupcakes. As in, ever. Seriously. Make a batch and I dare you to disagree.

Ingredients

1 banana, mashed
100g unsalted butter - room temp
1 vanilla bean (please use fresh if possible, but, if like my sister-in-law you are on a dairy farm in you know, the middle of glorious nowhere, then a half teaspoon of vanilla essence will suffice....)
1 free range egg
1 and 1/4 cup organic spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 170'

Using an electic mixer, beat butter, mashed banana and vanilla beans of one pod at moderate-high speed until paler in colour. It will not fluff up the way butter and sugar does, but mix it for sbout three minutes to be sure you have whipped sufficient air in. While the motor is still going, beat in an egg and continue to beat for another two minutes at high speed until well incorporated.

Fold in the sifted spelt flour and baking powder until incorporate.

These quantities make 9 satisfyingly sized cupcakes.

Bake for approx 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Honestly, try to resist these. ...

Next step, I am trying out some different icings. I want to avoid using colours if possible... But this afternoon's configuration of icing sugar, butter and raspberries spoils the "no sugar" nature of these lovely bites. So. Next I am going to try cream cheese, the juice from an orange, and raspberries. Fingers crossed.