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Home ยป Recipe Type ยป Desserts ยป Cakes
5 from 4 reviews

Spinach Cupcakes and Muffins (Naturally Green)

32 minutes
spinach
By: Pamela Reed
Posted:3/21/21
Updated:3/12/24
Jump to Recipe

Naturally green cupcakes made with fresh spinach. Spinach is mixed with applesauce and cake mix, baked in a cupcake tin and then you can top with frosting for cupcakes, or just eat them as spinach muffins – up to you! This is a great way to get kids to eat more veggies!

closeup of spinach cupcake with frosting on top.

Spinach Cupcakes Recipe 

These cupcakes bake up green because they are full of fresh spinach. There’s no food dye in them, just pure vegetables pureed along with applesauce and cake mix.

How good are they? They’re so good that my 2 year old stole one of the cupcakes from the kitchen counter before I could even photograph them all together! How’s that for a rave review?

And with one bite, even your picky kids will gobble these up (like mine!)! I promise you can’t even taste the spinach in them!

Want more sweet treats baked with vegetables? Try my Green Tomato Pie, Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies, 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies and Glazed Cucumber Bread.

spinach cupcake cut in half with frosting.

Eat as Spinach Muffins or Cupcakes

So here’s the part that’s up to you! You can top these with frosting and sprinkles and made the cutest green cupcakes, or you can just leave as is and eat them as spinach muffins.

If you are making them as spinach muffins, make sure to check out my freezing instructions below if you are making a few batches to keep!

spinach muffins in tin.

3 Ingredients

  • fresh spinach, 4 cups, rinsed
  • applesauce, unsweetened
  • yellow cake mix, your favorite boxed cake mix
  • making cupcakes? then you will need frosting and sprinkles too.
cake mix, applesauce and spinach on table.

Let’s Make Green Spinach Cupcakes

Add spinach and applesauce into a food processor.

spinach and applesauce in food processor.

Blend until the mixture becomes pureed.

pureed spinach mixture in food processor.

Add the cake mix to a mixing bowl with the spinach puree, beating with a hand mixer until completely combined.

cake mix and spinach mixed up in bowl with hand mixer.

Fill baking cups in cupcake pan with the batter.

spinach batter in pan.

Bake for around 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

baked spinach mufins in pan.

Let cool before popping them out of the cupcake tins. You can serve these up as muffins right away, or decorate with frosting and sprinkles to make cupcakes.   These are my favorite sprinkles to use!

cupcake with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles on top.

Freezing Spinach Muffins

You can easily freeze these spinach muffins to keep on hand for quick breakfast and snack options! Simply allow to cool and then freeze on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes. After they’re frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and freeze They are good this way for 3-4 months.

As you need them, take them out of the freezer and defrost in the microwave until fully thawed. Enjoy!

Green Cupcake Ideas

Some ideas to serve these green cupcakes:

  • For any birthday party that is rainbow happy!
  • How fun would these green cupcakes be for St. Patrick’s Day? Use rainbow or green sprinkles on top.
  • For the holidays these would be cute as Christmas tree cupcakes or Grinch cupcakes.
  • For Easter, decorate with pastel egg candies, or small candy bunnies on top.

Pin for later:

Naturally green cupcakes made with fresh spinach. Spinach is mixed with applesauce and cake mix, baked in a cupcake tin and then and then you can top with frosting for cupcakes, or just eat them as spinach muffins - up to you!   This is a great way to get kids to eat more veggies!
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5 from 4 reviews

Spinach Cupcakes and Muffins (Naturally Green)

Print
Naturally green cupcakes made with fresh spinach. Spinach is mixed with applesauce and cake mix, baked in a cupcake tin and then you can top with frosting for cupcakes, or just eat them as spinach muffins – up to you! This is a great way to get kids to eat more veggies!
By: Pamela Reed
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes
Total Time 32 minutes minutes
serves 12

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
  • your favorite frosting and sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups if you are making cupcakes or spray with nonstick spray if you are making muffins.
  • Add spinach and applesauce in food processor. Pulse for about a minute, or until completely smooth.
  • Add cake mix into large mixing bowl. Add in spinach mixture. Use a hand mixer and mix until the batter is completely combined and no longer lumpy.
  • Fill up your cupcake cups with batter, about 90% of the way full.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • Remove from cupcake pan and either serve as spinach muffins or decorate with frosting and sprinkles for cupcakes. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 180kcal (9%)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: spinach cupcakes, spinach muffins
Fall, Spring, Summer
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

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5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Tina says

    February 13, 2024 at 1:13 pm

    Can these be frozen once they are cooled?

    Reply
    • Pamela Reed says

      February 14, 2024 at 10:04 am

      Absolutely! I often freeze these for quick spinach muffins for breakfast/snack!

      Reply
      • Tina says

        February 14, 2024 at 10:14 am

        Thank you! Have you frozen them, thawed them and frosted them? Would they seem the same as if I baked and frosted them same day?Does it change the texture? Do they seem the same as fresh baked?

        Reply
  2. Caroline says

    December 10, 2023 at 11:22 pm

    I wonder could a person utilize Broccoli as added option, how much of does a person use and what to use to hide the taste?
    I like broccoli, I can never find what to make into stuff is my issue.

    Spinach is completely new thing to me, could I utilize spinach into roll cake?
    What would that look like.

    Reply
  3. Millie G says

    March 6, 2022 at 12:26 pm

    I think that you made a mistake on the number of ounces in the cake mix box for your spinach and applesauce cupcakes. You have said it was 115.25 ounces. I could be wrong ๐Ÿ˜‘

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      March 6, 2022 at 12:54 pm

      Hey Millie, there’s a space in there. ๐Ÿ˜‰ It’s (1) 15.25 oz box of yellow cake mix.

      Reply
  4. Erica says

    April 21, 2021 at 11:41 am

    Should the applesauce be sweetened or unsweetened? I’m going to make these for my family very soon. Thanks ;).

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      April 21, 2021 at 11:53 am

      Hey Erica, I recommend unsweetened applesauce, but either will work! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Erica says

        April 22, 2021 at 11:55 am

        Okay great! That’s what I have on hand. Thanks.

        Reply
  5. Kate @ Framed Cooks says

    March 24, 2021 at 3:27 pm

    Okay, GENIUS! I’ve got to remember these for next St Pats!

    Reply
  6. Jaclyn says

    October 18, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    I made this years ago with my son for St Patrickโ€™s Day. Have you tried this with a chocolate cake mix? Heโ€™s so picky Iโ€™m trying to come up with different options to sneak some veggies in his diet.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      October 20, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      Absolutely! Works great with chocolate cake mix too! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  7. hani/haniela's says

    August 26, 2013 at 5:47 am

    I love spinach but I haven’t thought of using it in a cake. I have to try this. I love the fact that the cupcake is green without any food coloring. I might try these for Halloween, or St. Patricks’ day, they would be really cool, too. Thanks for sharing these Pam.
    Maybe next year I’ll grow spinach do you have a type you like the best that you grow?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      August 26, 2013 at 12:13 pm

      Using spinach for holidays is a great idea! Christmas too.. green cupcakes.. red frosting.. yum!

      We recommend http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7449-tyee-f1.aspx and New Zealand Spinach which grows great in the heat! https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/2013/08/15/new-zealand-spinach-taketh-over/

      Reply
  8. dixya| food, pleasure, and health says

    August 20, 2013 at 3:22 pm

    I need to make these ASAP!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      August 20, 2013 at 3:35 pm

      They are delicious!

      Reply
  9. Jenn @ Once Upon a Tier says

    April 17, 2013 at 10:31 am

    Ok, I have to try these cupcakes. I am very intrigued!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      April 17, 2013 at 11:55 am

      Please do and let me know what you think! I was pretty scared of them before making, but one taste of the batter and I knew I was going to be in love!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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