Healthy Valentine’s Treat: Chocolate Zucchini Mini Cupcakes {Recipe}
| January 28, 2013 | Posted by Stacy under Cupcakes, Healthy eating at home, Healthy treats |
There’s nothing like a little chocolate to add life to a party (or provide cause for celebration at the end of a meal). These chocolate zucchini mini cupcakes are winners for several reasons: First, they contain zucchini (which I don’t hide from my kids but is not terribly noticeable for children with green food aversions). Second, they are small. Third, they are really quick and easy to make.
My 4-year-old daughter Reese helped make this batch. She shredded the zucchini (quite a feat given that her left arm is in a cast–and she is a lefty), stirred the sugar and egg mixture, helped measure the flours, and, of course, licked the spoon. The cupcakes would be even better with a few chocolate chips, natch. But they also are sweet and yummy enough on their own. I hope you enjoy them every bit as much as we do!
Chocolate Zucchini Mini Cupcakes
Adapted from Taste of Home
Yields: 36 mini cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use extra-light virgin olive oil)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup almond meal (if you need a nut-free recipe, use whole wheat pastry flour instead)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder (I use Dagoba)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups shredded zucchini
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flours, cacao, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in zucchini.
- Fill mini muffin cups about 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.
I created this blog to raise awareness and start a dialogue about the various issues involved in school food. By writing about it, I hope to provide parents and educators with ideas and inspiration for making healthy changes in their own schools. Since healthy eating habits start at home, I also address common feeding challenges faced by parents.
[…] Chocolate zucchini mini “cupcakes” Made with whole wheat flour and shredded zucchini, these are much less sinful than traditional frosted cupcakes but plenty sweet enough to please the kids. I put mine in mini muffin liners adorned with pink and red hearts. Add a Valentine’s cupcake topper to up the cute factor. […]