CUPCAKES!!!

It's been so long since I've baked a batch of cupcakes. I know, me? How could this be? Total twilight zone over here. Matthew and I have been trying to lower our carb intake. We're staying away from breads and sweets mostly. I rarely make desserts at all, except for birthdays. The closest we get to dessert these days are homemade protein bars.

This week I broke down. I miss cupcakes so much.


"I'm so sorry for desserting you cupcakes. Don't be mad. Let's be friends again." Get it? "Desserting" you? Ha!

Giving way to craving I chose to make a gluten free black bean brownie cupcake. Whew! That's a mouthful. My husband questioned my choice. He knew I had been craving cake and wondered why I chose such a healthy option. Well I can't give up entirely after all. 

I used a recipe I modified a while back that I always pull out when I'm trying to eat healthy.



This brownie batter comes together in the food processor. It's not quite as good as a regular brownie or chocolate cake, but it scratches the itch without annihilating my diet - although the frosting might just do me in.



It also bakes up a little strange. Maybe strange is the wrong word to use. The tops look and feel a little hard and shiny. Just use the toothpick test to tell when your brownies are done. It should come out almost clean with a little brownie stuck to it, but not liquidy looking.



This cupcake is a mini spumoni brownie cupcake. I tossed some chopped pistachios in the brownie batter, made a sweet cherry frosting, used up some leftover chocolate ganache drizzled on top, sprinkled pistachio dust on top of that, and topped it with half a maraschino cherry. A lot going on here, I know.



It's hard for me to make plain cupcakes. I do enjoy them, I just have a hard time making them. You could say I have a problem.



This was my little "helper" in the kitchen while I baked. I had to strap her into her stroller while I used the oven. She is always right behind me. Love her!!! She even matches the cupcakes.

Spumoni Brownie Cupcakes

GLUTEN FREE BLACK BEAN BROWNIE CUPCAKES:

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well

¾ cup cocoa powder

½ cup sugar

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp xanthan gum

¼ cup chopped pistachios

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners (makes about 24).

2. Dump eggs in the food processor and scramble.

3. Add all other ingredients (minus pistachios) and process until batter is smooth.

4. Stir in pistachios.

5. Fill each liner with a small cookie scoop or about 2 Tbsp worth of batter.

6. Bake about 12 to 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. You want to see a little brownie stuck to it, but not liquidy batter. Check after 12 minutes.

7. Cool completely.

SWEET CHERRY FROSTING:

INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice

½ tsp almond extract

1 to 3 Tbsp additional maraschino juice for consistency

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat butter for 30 seconds.

2. Beat in 2 cups powdered sugar until creamy.

3. Beat in 3 Tbsp maraschino juice and almond extract.

4. Beat in 2 more cups powdered sugar.

5. Scrape down bowl and check consistency of frosting. If it's too firm add another ½ Tbsp maraschino juice, beat, and check again. Repeat if necessary.

6. Beat 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

INGREDIENTS

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

¼ cup cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl.

2. Heat cream in a clear microwave safe cup or bowl in the microwave for 1 minute or less watching it carefully until it just starts to bubble.

3. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.

4. Stir until all chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Let sit 15 minutes before using.

PUTTING THE CUPCAKES TOGETHER:

To put the cupcakes together you'll need about 12 maraschino cherries cut in half and about a tablespoon of pistachio dust from when you chopped your pistachios for the brownie. Just use the tiny pieces/particles that are left over.

I used a large round tip in a snipped ziplock bag to pipe puffs of frosting on top of the mini cakes. Then I used a tiny round tip in a snipped ziplock bag to pipe ganache on top of the frosting. You can also drizzle the ganache with a spoon. Sprinkle with pistachio dust and top each with half a cherry cut side down.

I ended up taking these cuties to our church potluck so I wouldn't eat them all. When they were all gone the boys asked if I could make some more. I guess they miss cupcakes too.