Let me be honest from the start. I adore chocolate. I crave it, but I also want to maintain a healthy weight. So I’ve searched for a chocolate indulgence that doesn’t make me feel like I’ve just wasted my hour at the gym. Finally, I think I’ve found it!
I was searching for a good recipe last night and dragged out my “Forks Over Knives,” cookbook. There it was on page 285 – Double Chocolate Cupcakes. I’m always a little skeptical of desserts that have had a healthy make-over. They often taste like it, and what’s the fun in that? But I decided to give it a try and I’m so glad that I did! These cupcakes have a rich chocolate flavor and are incredibly moist. They get two thumbs up from this chocolate lover! They don’t have any oil, eggs or butter and all of the ingredients can be found in nearly any large grocery store. Take a look at the recipe:
Double Chocolate Cupcakes:
2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (I used Bakers brand)
1 cup of unsweetened plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup dry sweetener (I used organic cane sugar)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup of whole wheat flour or spelt flour (I used half of each)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 batch of fudgy chocolate frosting (recipe at the bottom of the page)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave and set it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk and vinegar and let it set for a few minutes until it curdles. Stir in the sweetener, applesauce, vanilla and melted chocolate. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in halves, stirring until it’s well mixed. Fill the cupcake tins 3/4 of the way full and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes. (I only needed 18 minutes.)
Believe me, you won’t miss the oil or eggs. These cupcakes came out moist and light. The frosting ingredients may sound a little odd, though. They did to me. But you can’t argue with the taste; it’s really good and again, no butter. Here’s the recipe for the frosting:
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups dried, pitted dates, tough ends removed
1 tablespoon of brown rice syrup (you can find this in the natural foods section)
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Add the boiling water and cocoa to a blender and mix together, then add the dates, rice syrup, salt and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. The consistency will be a little thin, so you have to refrigerate the icing until it gets thick enough to spread. The icing doesn’t taste like dates; the dates just give it a thick, rich taste and good texture.
So the next time you want an (almost) healthy chocolate cupcake, give this recipe a try!