Healthy Red Velvet Cupcakes

This is an Easter treat that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Many eczema sufferers react to sugar so this cupcake recipe uses eczema-friendly ingredients including alkalising grated beetroot and rice malt syrup instead of sugar. 

As as sugar is acid-forming in the body, I tend to negatively react to sugar. So when I bake sweet foods I add alkaline fine calcium powder to give the recipe acid-alkaline balance. I find I don't react to sweetener/sugars when I have the calcium powder at the same time.

The recipe is dairy-free, milk-free, wheat-free and can be made egg- and gluten-free if you modify the recipe (see notes in brackets for instructions). It makes about 12 medium cupcakes.

This recipe does not contain cocoa or cacao as they contain caffeine which can really dry out your skin (especially if you have eczema or TSW).

I don't have eczema but my skin get's flakey and dry if I eat anything with cacao or cocoa in it. I know cacao is popular right now but it's like my skin can't hold water when I eat it.

Cocoa/cacao can give you pimples if you are acne prone... I only break out when I have cacao or chocolate so I limit these.

A skin-friendly alternative is pure carob powder. I can eat foods made from carob powder all day and my skin stays clear. So this recipe uses carob powder. Carob powder is rich in skin-loving minerals including calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese.

You should also try carbo tea, it's a lovely caffeine-free drink. 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced) (350°F) and line a cupcake tray with paper liners or alternatively grease the tray with rice bran oil.
2. Using a food processor on high speed, combine the grated beetroot, eggs, rice bran oil and rice malt syrup until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, calcium powder, baking powder and carob, sift and mix until well combined. Then pour in the wet mixture and stir with a spoon until combined.
4. Fill patty cases to ¾ full and bake for 18 minutes or until the middle bounces back when touched.
5. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

NOTES: if using gluten-free self-raising flour, omit the baking powder and baking soda from the recipe.
Optional: For special occasions such as Easter, dust a little icing sugar on top just before serving.

Egg alternative: Use ground flaxseeds as an egg replacement. 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water (allow 15 minutes to expand) is equivalent to 1 egg.

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At Eczema Life, we recommend nutritionist Karen Fischer's low food chemical program (The Eczema Detox) along with additive-free supplements for skin health and wellbeing. Click on the images to view more details: