Reduced Guilt Chocolate Cupcakes

Do you ever need a chocolate fix that won’t leave you feeling guilty after indulging?

These cupcakes(or “pup cakes” as the little one calls them) are the way to go for you then. So moist and delicious no one will know their low fat OR whole grain!! One of my cousins brought these to a family pot luck a few years ago and they have been one of my go to chocolate desserts ever since.  I make them a couple of different ways, one is with the chocolate icing for a serious chocolate fix and the other is with fluffy delicious seven minute frosting that has more of a marshmallow texture.  Brian storm, these need a squirt of the 7 min icing inside and chocolate frosting on top kind of like a Hostess treat I used to know….gonna need to try that! Either way both are excellent!

Makes 10-12 cup cakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup water, or leftover coffee

1/2 cup all natural unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 egg

1/2 cup light or fat free sour cream, yogurt, or greek yogurt, whatever you have handy

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350’F

In a large bowl combine water(or coffee), applesauce, and cocoa powder and mix until combined

Add the egg and sour cream to the wet mix and beat on a low speed until combined

In another meduim bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in thirds at a low speed on your mixer just until combined.

Don’t mix too long or your cakes will be tough.  You can also mix by hand if you like, just take care to make sure all the lumps are mixed in.

The batter will be a little on the liquidy side.

Line or grease your muffin tins and pour or scoop the batter into your muffin pans, whichever you prefer.

Bake cupcakes for 18-20 min, but start checking around 15 min depending on your oven.

Chocolate Icing:

5 TBSP Butter

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

5 TBSP cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 TBSP milk, start with 2 and see how your icing looks, it should be thick but spreadable.  Add more milk a little at a time depending on what your icing looks like. Powdered sugar can be a bit tricky sometimes and is inconsistent in texture. It’s always best to go with the less-is-more philosophy when making icing.

Seven Minute Frosting:

from Dinners for Winners

3/4 cup sugar

2 TBSP water

1 TBSP corn starch

3 large egg whites at room temperature

Bring water, corn syrup, and sugar to a boil in a heavy sauce pan, stirring, making sure sugar dissolves

Once boiling cook without stirring until 230’F on a candy thermometer, occasionally wash down the sides of sauce pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

Meanwhile, whisk egg whites in a stand mixer until soft peaks form.  As soon as the sugary syrup reaches 230’F with the stand mixer running, pour a steady stream down the side of the mixing bowl really slowly. Once you’re finished pouring raise mixer speed to high and beat until thick, shiny and cooled for approximately 7 minutes.  Turn off mixer and you’re done. Now to ice those cupcakes and enjoy!