These sinful dark chocolate cupcakes are made with cauliflower puree. So decadent and chocolatey, no one will ever know the secret ingredient. The fact that these are super healthy, can be our little secret!
I've always been a sucker for a pretty cupcake. I love moist cake, frosting, sprinkles, decorations; everything a cupcake entails. I mean I don't think I know anyone who could ever turn down a cupcake. As good as cupcakes taste, they aren't very good for the waist line.
As I am progressing with my healthy eating journey, there are several things I am missing. Mostly sweets, but I am also missing butter, tons of cheese and bagels. The past 3 weeks of really buckling down and starting Weight Watchers has really opened my eyes as to how much sugar, cheese and carbs I had been eating.
Being a baker and trying not to eat sweets is so tough. I love to bake! It relaxes me, it helps me focus on the task at hand, instead of over thinking whatever is in my head, and it lets me tap into my creative side. Which is what I did with these cupcakes.
I had steamed broccoli in the fridge that had been staring at me for 4 days and I decided I needed to do something with it. Many of the WW recipes I've been reading for dessert, are made with beans, apple sauce and bananas, so it got me to thinking- what if I added cauliflower puree to a dessert. I just needed to figure out a way to make the cauliflower in a way that no one would even know it was there.
Chocolate was an obvious choice. I mean chocolate can make pretty much anything taste good. I first thought of making cauliflower brownies, but I thought they'd be too dense, so I opted for chocolate cupcakes.
I remembered a super yummy chocolate banana cupcake recipe I have had for years, so I dug it out and went to work; swapping out the bananas and replacing it with cauliflower. I really wasn't sure how it would turn out and I was VERY happy when the cupcakes came out light, fluffy and moist. Ok they looked great, but did they taste great? I opted to frost them with a spirulina cream cheese frosting. Delicious, and a beautiful shade of blue, thanks to the spirulina. Spirulina is a cyanobacteria that grows in both fresh and salt water. It is more commonly know as blue-green algea. It is a great source of B vitamins and Iron and is a great alternative to food colouring.
I frosted the cupcakes, added sprinkles and called the kids for the taste test. Breath held, (Oh who am I kidding, I was stuffing my face with a cupcake too, LOL), I awaited the verdict. I knew I liked the cupcakes and I couldn't really discern the cauliflower taste, but would the kids be able to figure it out? Well both kids LOVED the cupcakes. Neither of them mentioned anything about them tasting weird and they still don't know that there was cauliflower in them. Shhhh don't tell them ;)
PIN IT!!!
Equipment needed for this recipe
- mixer
- food processor
- mixing bowls (3)
- measuring cups for both dry and liquid
- measuring spoons
- whisk
- spatula
- cupcake liners
- muffin tin (12 count)
- large cookie scoop
1 C white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 C unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1 egg
2/3 coconut sugar
1/4 C coconut oil
1/2 C mini chocolate chips
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 C cooked and cooled cauliflower
2/3 C unsweetened almond milk
Frosting:
4 oz light cream cheese, softened
1/4 C butter, softened
1/2- 1 tsp spirulina powder
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
Sprinkles for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
In a separate bowl, beat the coconut oil with the egg, sugar and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients, along with mini chocolate chips, into the wet ingredients and beat for 5 minutes, until fluffy. Using a large cookie scoop evenly fill each cupcake liner with batter, to 3/4s full.
Place muffin tin in oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake cupcake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in tin for 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter, until very fluffy; scraping down sides as you go. Add in the spirulina and beat until the colour is uniformly distributed. Add in powdered sugar, half cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in almond extract and beat for 5 minutes longer, to make the frosting smooth and fluffy.
Frost cooled cupcakes and dip tops in sprinkles before serving.
I am sharing this recipe with these linky parties!
I have a special place in my heart for cupcakes and I'm pretty sure I could eat a lot of these! how smart to make them healthy with cauliflower! I'm going to make these and not tell my boys what in them...LOL!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to make these with my boys, they would love them! Adding cauliflower is genius!
ReplyDeleteI love this "secret ingredient" approach to cupcakes! Smart and delicious!
ReplyDeletecauliflower in a cupcake! sounds good to me
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious! I’m looking for something to do with the kids this afternoon, and I think I just found it! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis is genius! I love this. Pinning! Thanks for sharing at the TFT party.
ReplyDeleteI love healthier chocolate recipes! These look like a great treat.
ReplyDeleteThis looks really scrumptious and crowd pleaser. Can't wait to try! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLove this it looks like such a fun cupcake. I'm like you I bake to relax and I'm going to give these a try. Thank you.
ReplyDelete