Chocolate Cupcakes: Going Back to the Ground

Recently, I had a request made for a chocolate cupcake recipe. Yes, you heard correctly: chocolate cupcakes.

“But how can you make healthy chocolate cupcakes?” you may be thinking. Seeing the word “healthy” and “cupcake” in the same sentence is usually unheard of.

And the truth is: You cannot really make a completely healthy chocolate cupcake if you want it to taste like a traditional cupcake.

So we're not going to.

But we are going to make cupcakes that are healtheir than normal. And they are quite delicious, if I don't say so myself.

Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes! They can sing! They can dance! After all, this is France! And a dinner here is NEVER second best! (Please excuse the Beauty and the Beast reference, I couldn’t resist. J)

What I’m trying to say is:

You’ll never know what you’re missing until you try this recipe for intensely rich, yet light and delicate cupcakes!

One of my good friends has plans to start a cupcake business, and she gave me expert advice on how to make the perfect chocoalte cupcake. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all your help, Crystal!  

I served these cupcakes at a party over the summer and they all vanished! (Hardly anyone knew of their healthiness, of course, but that’s between us. J On top of that, most of the guests were in their late teens or early twenties, so that says something about the taste…I think. J)

Okay, so enough of my blabbering! You have to go get baking now!

Chocolate Cupcakes

¾ cup coconut milk

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

¼ cup brewed espresso, cooled

3/4 cup turbinado or organic sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

½ cup melted and slightly cooled semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pinch of salt

In a kitchen-aid mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the coconut milk and lemon or lime juice, espresso, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract and beat together until it turns frothy.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.

Add the cocoa-flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing well until the mixture is fairly smooth.

Add the melted chocolate and mix well.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Pour the batter into each liner, about 3/4 full.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Then unmold the muffins and place them on the rack until thoroughly cooled.

 

Ganache Frosting

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 

3/4 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons earth balance vegan butter

1 tablespoon kahlua

Heat coconut milk until it starts to simmer. 

Pour onto chocolate and let sit for a minute. 

Whisk until the mixture is glossy. 

Then whisk in kahlua and earth balance.
 

Refrigerate until firm. 

Then scoop into piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.