[REVIEW] The Nourishing Cupcake - AKA Happiness in a Jar

Back in September I went gluten free. I wasn't sure if I had an intolerance but I was having awful headaches and wondered if my diet could be the culprit. Elimination diets are basically a big ole experiment. While reducing gluten didn't fix my headaches (but a trip to the chiropractor did), I noticed some other changes (more energy, less gas/bloating, less joint inflammation) so I decided to stick with it. For someone who thought she LOVED bread, I sure didn't miss it near as much as I thought I would. However, dessert is a whole other problem. No brownies, no cake, no cookies. Hmpf!

One of my favorite sweets of all time is a homemade whoopie pie. They can be hard to come by so I have been known to improvise. With cupcakes. Because if you take half a cupcake and and flip it up on top of the icing.... ta-dah! You have yourself a whoopie pie. Except that gluten free eaters don't get cupcakes.

Until now.

Enter The Nourishing Cupcake. This brand new business just launched in my area and I am so tickled about it. For starters, all of their cupcakes are gluten free. Bam! But it gets better.

They are also grain/soy/corn/dye free AND...

they are sweetened all naturally with no refined sugars AND...

they are made with Local and Organic ingredients!

This is probably the healthiest cupcake you will ever eat. It's 100% guilt free!

Now, I know what you are wondering. "A healthy cupcake? How's it taste?" I'm glad you asked.

Monday was my birthday and a sweet little sampler arrived on my doorstep. I had an opportunity to sample 3 of their "Cupcake in a Jar" varieties. For starters, I was born and raised in Alabama. I'm convinced that all good things come in glass jars. This was no exception because there were actually TWO cupcakes stacked on top of each other. Each jar comes adorned with the cutest little wooden spoon to boot!

My sampler included Purely Peppermint, Cookies & Cream, Vanilla Bean & Chocolate. Yes, I tried all 3 flavors. No, not on the same day but it took a lot of restraint. 

Oh my stars! Happiness in a jar, I tell ya.

The first thing I noticed was how absolutely delicious the icing was and oh so creamy. Next, the cake part was really smooth and full. In my brief experience with gluten-free cooking I have found that baked goods can be dense and grainy. This was not the case at all with The Nourishing Cupcake. Even my 7-year-old declared them scrumptious!

The peppermint was my absolute favorite. I have a soft spot for chocolate & mint pairings and this cupcake did not disappoint. Here's a quick peek at the ingredients.

PURELY PEPPERMINT

mint infused chocolate cupcake topped with 

peppermint cream cheese frosting and organic candy cane bits

Nourishing Ingredients: organic black beans, local free-range eggs, organic Madagascar vanilla extract, organic peppermint extract, sea salt, organic coconut oil, organic maple syrup, organic stevia, organic cocoa powder, aluminum-free baking powder, baking soda. Frosting: organic cream cheese, organic butter, organic maple syrup, arrowroot powder, organic Madagascar vanilla extract, organic peppermint extract.

See? Told ya they were healthy. But you will need to do a taste test of your own to verify the yumminess factor.

The Nourishing Cupcake can be found at Farmer's Markets around town each week.

• Downtown Nashville  |  MONDAY  |  4-6 pm
• Franklin  |  THURSDAY  |  10-12 pm
• East Nashville  |  THURSDAY  |  3-6 pm
• Hendersonville |  Local Pickup Anytime

They also deliver so you can do a custom order for special occasions or parties. Contact Michelle Hiatt at thenourishingcupcake@gmail.com or  615-630-3717.

Until you can taste one for yourself, you'll just have to drool over these pictures. They are not only delicious but gorgeous too! View the full album.

The Nourishing Cupcake is passionate about changing the way people eat just like we are passionate about nurturing YOU naturally. I dare say we share a common goal. Be sure and check them out and try a cupcake, guilt free!