My friend Melissa is a culinary genius! She is passionate about food and about eating the best, most healthy food possible. A few weeks ago she went and stayed with her sister’s family and got to celebrate her niece and nephew’s birthdays. Her niece is allergic to eggs so Melissa came up with a recipe for vegan chocolate cupcakes, including zucchini and other unexpected ingredients.
Here are her and the kids making the cupcakes.
I told her I would love to try the recipe because I’m always trying to find healthy alternatives to desserts we love {that way I have an excuse to eat more of them}.
Yesterday Malea and I were stuck at home without a car so I decided it would be the perfect day to try them out! Malea loved the process and didn’t even flinch at the fact that we were blending up zucchini to put in the cupcakes! In fact, I’ve never seen her lick a beater so clean… ever!
The process was fun and after adding all the ingredients I was even more excited to see how the cupcakes were going to turn out. It felt more like doing a science experiment then making cupcakes. :)
When the cupcakes came out of the oven we frosted them and then sat down to eat our afternoon snack. Let me tell you they were so delicious!!! I was ecstatic about the delicious chocolate flavor, they were incredibly moist and they were all around delicious! And the best part… they are full of healthy things so I didn’t have to feel guilty about eating 2 of them!!!
Ingredients
* 2 cups flour
* 2 TBSP gluten
* 1/2 cup cocoa powder
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 TBSP ground flax seed
* 1 tsp instant espresso {optional}
* 2 1/2 cups zucchini puree
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 cup sugar {white, brown or a combo of both}
* 2 tsp vanilla
* 2 TBSP water
* 1 TBSP vinegar
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Mix dry ingredients on the lowest speed in a stand alone mixer.
2. In a blender add chopped zucchini {skins and all} and blend to a puree. Keep adding zucchini until you get to 2 1/2 cups.
3. Add sugar and remaining wet ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth and mixed well.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well and then beat for 2 minutes.
5. Put the batter in cupcake papers and bake for 19-23 minutes.
Allow the cupcakes to cool, then frost.
Frosting Recipe
* 6 TBSP cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup softened butter {use avocado for a dairy-free substitute}
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1/4 cup milk {Use coconut milk for a dairy-free substitute}
* 1 tsp vanilla
Add all ingredients in a stand alone mixer and mix until well blended.
I promise you, when you bite into these cupcakes you will think you died and went to chocolate heaven! Enjoy!!!
- 2 cups flour
- 2 TBSP gluten
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ TBSP ground flax seed
- 1 tsp instant espresso {optional}
- 2½ cups zucchini puree
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cup sugar {white, brown or a combo of both}
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBSP water
- 1 TBSP vinegar
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix dry ingredients on the lowest speed in a stand alone mixer.
- In a blender add chopped zucchini {skins and all} and blend to a puree. Keep adding zucchini until you get to 2½ cups.
- Add sugar and remaining wet ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth and mixed well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well and then beat for 2 minutes.
- Put the batter in cupcake papers and bake for 19-23 minutes.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool, then frost.
About Anna
I”m going to try these. I’m wondering why you add the extra gluten? Does the zucchini make it heavier? I think I’ll do it sans t he extra gluten as we’re actually trying to head in the gluten -free direction.
My friend added the gluten for texture. When I made them I actually used wheat flour instead of regular flour and gluten. My friend said “you can’t mess it up” so play around with it and make it your own! :)
Anna
These look so yummy! I want to make them today, but I’m wondering if you add extra water with the zucchini to get it to blend up or do you just blend the zucchini by itself? Not sure on that step. Thanks!
Nope, no extra water. I just cut the ends off of the zucchini, cut it in large chunks and then tossed the zucchini in the blender (skins and all)!
You’re going to love them! :)