These are my go-to cupcakes for all parties lately. They are delicious. And if you really must know, each cupcake only has 150 calories and 5 grams of fat (until we add frosting...). Ryan has admitted to actually dreaming about these.
Yep, dreamworthy cupcakes. And let's top those dreamy things with some luscious frosting.
*This is a Cooking Light recipe, but I have adapted it slightly with ingredients that I use more commonly or find more easily in the store.
1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt--I always use Kosher
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup egg substitute*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk*
1 1/4 ounces dark chocolate (use 60-70% cacao, I use bittersweet), finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with muffin cup liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Note: I have to double or triple this recipe every time. Things got ugly one time at a party when I only made enough for each person to have one. I learned my lesson.
Yep, dreamworthy cupcakes. And let's top those dreamy things with some luscious frosting.
*This is a Cooking Light recipe, but I have adapted it slightly with ingredients that I use more commonly or find more easily in the store.
1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt--I always use Kosher
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup egg substitute*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk*
1 1/4 ounces dark chocolate (use 60-70% cacao, I use bittersweet), finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with muffin cup liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Note: I have to double or triple this recipe every time. Things got ugly one time at a party when I only made enough for each person to have one. I learned my lesson.
Now for the frosting: You'll notice the recipe called for simply 'dusting' the cupcakes with powdered sugar after they have cooled--now, that's just fine if you are into that sort of thing--but might I suggest this frosting?
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (from Sprinkles cupcakes)
1 cup butter, softened
3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt (maybe more like a pinch)
In a bowl, combine butter, sugar and salt. Beat til blended.
Add the milk and vanilla and beat for an additional 3-5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
This made enough frosting for me to frost about 4 batches of cupcakes (so no freaking out about the cup of butter!). Evidently the people at Sprinkles really pile it on because this recipe was for 12 cupcakes!
*If you are wondering "What the heck do I do with my leftover egg substitute and buttermilk?", you might enjoy marbled chocolate banana bread or buttermilk chocolate chip pancakes.
Click here for printable version.
