Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine, August 2003 and the
Epicurious.com website. This delicious chocolate cupcakes will surprise you on how moist and
low-fat they are. The secret is the use of dates in the batter. Photo by Ramulo Yanes.
Check here for
Basic Rules For Baking or here for
Secrets Of A Successful Cake. Also check out more great
Cake Recipes.
This wonderful chocolate cupcake recipe and dinner menu were generously
shared with my by Linda Sandberg of Newberg, OR. Linda belongs to a Gourmet
Dinner Group that delights in making wonderful foods that they share
together. Check out
Taste of California Dinner (Cioppino Dinner) which includes this
recipe.
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Crème Fraiche
Recipe Type:
Cake,
Chocolate,
Dates,
Crème Fraiche
Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Ingredients:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Dutch-process
unsweetened cocoa powder*
1 ounce top-quality 70% dark or bittersweet
chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped into small pieces
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 large
egg
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose
flour
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon powdered (confectioners') sugar for dusting
Crème Fraiche
* May substitute Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Liberally spray 12 (1/8
cup) muffin pans with
non-stick cooking spray (if muffin cups are not non-stick, line
sprayed bottoms with rounds of wax paper and then spray the paper).
In a 1-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring
water and dates just to a boil; remove from heat and let dates soak for 5
minutes. Transfer date/water mixture to a food processor and add cocoa powder
and bittersweet chocolate pieces; pulsing just once to combine. Let cool 2
minutes and then add brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, and a pinch
of salt; puree until smooth. Add the flour and pulse just until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups,
dividing it evenly. Bake in middle of oven, approximately 15 to 18 minutes, or
until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean. Remove from oven.
Let baked cupcakes cool in the muffin pan on a
rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack (remove wax paper, if using) and let cool completely, right side up.
Just before serving, sprinkle tops lightly with powdered sugar.
Cupcakes can be made and cooled (but not dusted with sugar), 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at
room temperature.
Serve with Creme Fraiche on the side.
Makes 12 mini cupcakes or 4 servings.
Each serving ( mini cupcakes) contains about 177
calories and 4 grams fat.
