I never used to eat avocados. After my son married a girl from Southern California (17 years ago), she made tacos and guacamole for dinner one night.  I never had it before and I thought it was one of the tastiest things I had ever eaten!!

Over the years I have looked forward to the nights we have tacos, mostly because I know my daughter-in-love is going to make the guacamole…YUMMMM!! She has taught me everything I need to know about picking the right avocado and how to ripen them fast!  Feeling and squeezing the avocado is not an easy task!!! When that thing is ready, you need to make that guac PRONTO!

I have wanted to make avocado cupcakes for a while now, so when I had an avocado that was ripe, I knew that now was the time. Fun fact #1- Avocado can be used in place of butter and adds moistness to cupcakes, cakes and other baked goods.  I used ½ cup mashed avocado and ½ cup extra virgin olive oil in my cupcake recipe.  Those things were so moist!

Fun fact #2- Avocado is a fruit. They are by no means sweet!   They grow on a tree that is part of the flowering plant family Lauraceous.  The avocado (also known as the alligator pear or avocado pear) is a large berry containing a large seed).

Fun fact #3-Hass avocados are perfect for mashing, so I recommend using these for your cupcakes.

I frosted these gems with some cream cheese frosting. This frosting goes perfectly with these cupcakes (let’s face it, cream cheese frosting goes well on just about anything!!).

Last Fun fact- Dogs and cats can eat the cream center of an avocado, but the pit and the skin are highly TOXIC!!! The remains of the avocado can be used in your compost or just discard it in the trash.

I hope you make these cupcakes. If you do, tag me on Instagram and show me your finished product.  Enjoy!!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with paper liners (this recipe makes approximately 18 cupcakes).

Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix the eggs and granulated sugar on high for 5 minutes. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the oil and mix until combined.  Mix in the mashed avocado just until incorporated.  Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.  Pour in the milk and other half of the dry ingredients and mix for 1 minute.  Scrape down bowl and beater. Let mixture sit for two minutes.  Stir mix and pour (or scoop) into cupcake tins.  Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full and bake for 16-18 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling rack.  Frost and eat.  If there are any left-over…cover and refrigerate.

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups of flour (180 grams)
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
• 2 large eggs – room temperature
• 1 medium avocado, mashed (115 grams)
• ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (108 grams)
• 2/3 Cup of whole milk – room temperature (163 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice (I like to use Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice)
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese – room temperature (227 grams)
• ½ cup unsalted butter – room temperature (113 grams)
• 2 cups sifted confectioner sugar (220 grams)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Mix cream cheese and butter on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Slowly add sugar and mix until combined.  Add salt and vanilla bean paste.  Mix on high for one minute, scraping sides and bottom of bowl when needed.  Add to bag with tip or use offset spatula. Decorate cupcakes as desired.