Nothing makes me happier than finding ways to turn something sinful into something delicious, nutritious and GUILT-FREE! These chocolate cupcakes are the answer! Sweet potatoes provide the base in the frosting, while black beans are the base of the cake. All this with no gluten, no dairy, and no refined sugar, nothing but plant-based yumminess!...Just stop it!
Plant based sweeteners will not spike your blood sugar like refined and processed sugars do. Also, the fact that these are loaded with nutrients means that eating just one (okay, maybe two) will leave you naturally satisfied as opposed to wanting to eat the whole batch...ever done that???
Give them a try this chocolate season and see how you feel.
Happy Valentine's Day,
Leslie
No-Guilt Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes one dozen)
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can black beans (or about 2 cups), rinsed and drained
2 flax eggs (2 heaping Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water)
2 Tbsp coconut oil, softened
¾ cup raw cacao powder (I used TerraSoul brand)
¼ tsp Himalayan salt or sea salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon, optional (I prefer Ceylon since I consume a lot of cinnamon;)
Vegan chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life brand)
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard-size muffin pan with coconut oil.
2) Make your flax egg. In a small bowl, whisk flaxseed meal with water and allow to sit and congeal for about 5-10 minutes while you prepare other ingredients.
3) Add beans, coconut oil, cacao, salt, maple syrup, baking powder to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add flax eggs and mix until combined. Batter should be smooth.
4) Drop batter by spoonfuls into the muffin tin and smooth out with a spoon or offset spatula.
5) Drop a few chocolate chips on top of each cupcake.
6) Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges start to pull away from sides of pan. Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from pan and frosting.
7) Store in an airtight container. These will keep in fridge for up to one week.
Chocolate Frosting
(makes about 2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 cup sweet potato puree (see note)
2 Tbsp agave nectar (can sub maple syrup)
¼ cup raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut butter
bee pollen, lavender, and cacao nibs, optional for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Note: for fresh sweet potato puree, peel an orange sweet potato, and steam in a double boiler until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and mash.
Comments