Taste-tested by many adults and children at parties and gatherings, these chocolate cupcakes with a healthy twist are a hit! I'm all for easy recipes and this is so simple and quick to make that I've done it with my little one many times! The best part? It is loaded with more than a full cup of zucchini which makes it extra moist. It's like you are eating your vegetables while indulging in this treat!
Servings: 10 fully-filled cupcakes or 1 dozen less filled ones.
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients bowl
- 1 and 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients bowl
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 cup sugar (can be brown or white or mixed)
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons coconut cream or 1 small 5.4 oz can** (see note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stirred in at the end
- 1 heaping cup grated zucchini (I used 1 medium zucchini which yielded ~1.25 cups when grated)
- Optional: 1/3 cup chocolate chips or nuts
Note: ** Coconut cream is the thicker, creamier and more solidified portion inside the can of a coconut milk. You can buy coconut cream separately or simply scoop out the thicker part from a can of coconut milk.
***If you do not have coconut cream, you can subsitute it with 1/2 cup regular milk (whole milk if available) + 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir the vinegar or lemon juice into the milk and let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grate zucchini and set aside. If it is too watery, blot off excess water with a paper towel. (If you’re doing the optional adding lemon juice or white vinegar into the milk step, do that now as well and set aside.)
- In a bowl, mix together everything listed under “Dry ingredients bowl.” Combine evenly to get rid of the clumps.
- In a separate, large bowl, mix everything listed under “Wet ingredients bowl” using a hand beater until combined.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients bowl. Use a large spoon or spatula to stir until combined completely.
- Stir in grated zucchini and optional chocolate chips or nuts.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners or a well greased pan (this recipe fits into an 8 x 8 pan).
- Bake for 18-22 minutes for cupcakes until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. For a larger sheet cake, bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the toothpick test is clean.
Enjoy!
