Garbanzo Berry Cupcakes

The base for this recipe may not have been cupcakes, but with a tad more moisture and a couple of edits to these chickpea flour banana muffins you now have a successful fiber-ful berry cupcake. Even better, I have the easiest and most nutrient-rich ways to add patriotic color. This way you can celebrate Memorial Day and 4th of July with them!
Berry Cupcake Ingredients
Like many of my recipes, I used garbanzo bean flour in these cupcakes, giving them a fluffy texture while also being rich and fiber and gluten-free. Between the applesauce, ripe bananas, blueberries, and honey or maple syrup in the cupcake batter, there’s just the right level of sweetness. Plus, the creamy texture of the vegan frosting complements the cupcakes nicely, and the berry topping adds a nice pop of color. The hemp seeds are another fun topping that add a touch of protein, iron, and healthy omega-3 fats (though a small amount). Try adding a heaping tablespoon of hemp seeds to your oatmeal to get more of these benefits, or try my cashew cookie bars made with hemp protein!
My favorite thing about these cupcakes is they come together quickly, and because of your colorful toppings you know they’ll look beautiful regardless of how smoothly you spread the frosting (no pastry bag necessary!). So what are you waiting for? Grab some ripe bananas, fresh berries, and hemp hearts and please everyone at your summer parties with these healthy garbanzo berry cupcakes.
Garbanzo Berry Cupcakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Garbanzo Berry Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3 medium, ripe bananas mashed
- 3 tbsp coconut oil melted and cooled
- 2 tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup applesauce
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs or 2 flax eggs (1 egg = 1 tbsp ground flax & 2.5 tbsp water)
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or crushed raspberries
Frosting
- 1 stick room temperature grass-fed butter or vegan buttery spread (such as Earth Balance)
- 3 cups organic confectioners sugar
- 2 tbsp milk or non-dairy milk
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
Toppings
- 1/3 cup fresh strawberries sliced and halved
- 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
- 4 tbsp hemp seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a cupcake tin with olive oil cooking spray or grease lightly with coconut oil or vegan butter spread.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine melted coconut oil, mashed bananas, honey, applesauce, vanilla extract, eggs, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar; mix until well combined and creamy. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in blueberries.
- Pour batter into prepared cupcake tin. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean.
- While cupcakes are baking in the oven, mix the butter and 1 cup of sugar at a time with the hand-mixer until well-combined. Add 1 Tbsp of milk and the vanilla and beat until mixture becomes fluffy. If necessary, add the last tbsp of milk.
- Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert, remove and place back on wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, frost each muffin and top with sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and 1 teaspoon of hemp seeds.
Ok, I started on your blog at the asparagus ricotta salad and 5 posts later I’m here and completely in love with your recipes!! These cupcakes look incredible – I’d never have though to bake something sweet with garbanzo flour.
Thanks so much!! Garbanzo flour is my #1 pantry item. So so versatile and way more filling than regular flours 🙂
So true – I have just started using it and am loving it!
I JUST bought garbanzo flour…but forgot which recipe I was going to make. So I’ll just HAVE to make these. They look way better than anything I was going to make. Can’t wait to bake up a batch
Awesome! I use it for garbanzo flatbread and pizza all the time, too. And you can make these without frosting if you realllly needed to 😉
Serena, weren’t you going to make my Rhubarb Ginger Lemon Muffins with that flour 😉 I say, make a batch of both! LOL
I don’t think I realized you used this flour in those, Jessica! Even more reason to get past my fear of never having used rhubarb and just make em!
???? these sound amazing with chickpea flour! I must try them out!
Thanks! Love this flour – so versatile but filling!
Not gonna lie – non-wheat flours intimidate me a little because I’ve heard such horror stories. You’ve definitely inspired me to try some new flour options!
I just made muffins using garbanzo flour and was so happy with how they came out! Can’t wait to try these cupcakes!
These are absolutely beautiful and what a healthy round-up of ingredients. Pinned to my “Patriotic Food” board!
Thanks, Mona! I just love bright meals and treats!
These look great! Perfect summer treat!
These look great! Perfect summer treat!
What a fun recipe! I love using whole chickpeas for baking gluten free, vegan cookies, but I haven’t done much baking with chickpea flour. These look like the perfect treat for Memorial Day or 4th of July. Yum!
Thanks! At first I didn’t know what to do with it but it’s such a staple in my house now!
Trying again! The first comment wouldn’t go through! These look so light and perfect for summer – pinning so I can try at a BBQ next week!
Thanks, Liz! Let me know if you try!
Yuuuuum! Looks so good!
They look awesome! I love hemp seeds too!
Thanks, Danielle! I put hemp seeds on almost everything 🙂
I have never used garbanzo flour, are these quite dense? They look fabulous.. especially with the berries. Just a few more weeks and we will have local strawberries I can use for topping!
The original muffin recipe is a bit more dense but the extra liquid ingredients here really lighten it up! Garbanzo flour is much lighter than using the beans themselves. Enjoy!
these looks amazing! i love that there are beans in them!
Thanks! Garbanzo flour is my go-to!
Love cooking with Garbanzo flour! These look amazing
Thanks, Gaby! Isn’t it great?!
I am wondering if almond flour would work in this recipe as well. I am having a hard time locating garbanzo bean flour in my supermarket.
I haven’t tried with almond flour unforuntately. Have you asked at your local grocery store? It’s often in the gluten free or “natural” aisle vs. the baking aisle! My friend and colleague has an almond flour banana bread though that you could easily make in a muffin tin and then add your own frosting 🙂 https://www.milkandhoneynutrition.com/recipes/almond-flour-banana-bread-with-sprinkles/