I've been working on renewing my commitment to clean eating lately, and wanted to try coming up with a clean but still delicious cupcake. I've loved this cream cheese frosting recipe for years, and have been waiting for just the right time to share it here. I paired it with an easy chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate ganache and strawberries. Sinful and decadent, in a clean eating sort of way. Congratulations, Krystal, I hope you enjoy these cupcakes, and I can't wait to "meet" your new little one! See the rest of the baby shower at Eva Bakes
Double Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
Source: Adapted from The Way to His Heart, Veronica's Cornucopia, and Clean Eating Magazine, Sept/Oct 2009Yield: 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder (dutch-processed is preferred)
2/3 cup sucanat
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 egg whites
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup water
For the filling:
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup almond milk (or whatever milk/cream you use)
12 strawberries, chopped (you will need fewer if they are large)
For the frosting:
1 cup low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons water (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sucanat, vanilla, vinegar, coconut oil, egg whites, applesauce, and water.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners.
- Bake cupcakes for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- When cupcakes have cooled, prepare the ganache. Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Add the milk to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Pour milk over chocolate and let sit 5 minutes. Slowly begin stirring the chocolate-milk mixture until it is completely smooth.
- To prepare the frosting, add the cream cheese, honey, cocoa powder, and cinnamon to a medium bowl. Whisk or stir until smooth. Add water as necessary to attain desired consistency.
- To assemble cupcakes, remove center portion of cupcake. Fill with strawberries and a dollop of ganache. Top with cream cheese frosting.