A somewhat more healthy chocolate Easter treat made with raw cacao.
Wednesdays are pudding nights in our house. This (in theory) stops the kids from asking for sweet things after every meal through the rest of the week. In theory. It doesn’t actually work like this, but I do try.
Some of you might have noticed that I’m on a healthy eating kick at the moment with my strength and fitness training for my upcoming epic 250 mile mountain bike cycle and mountain climb this summer (please consider sponsoring me – I’m raising money for the RNLI!). I’ve never been so aware of what’s been going into my body, and I’ve never felt stronger or more fit. I’m feeling on top of the world, to be honest!
I still love chocolate though, and sweet treats, but I’m trying to make them a bit more healthy. Small steps.
These cupcakes are made with golden wholegrain plain flour from Marriage’s, which is a sweeter, milder wholemeal flour with a lighter colour, ideal for biscuits and cakes. It provides all the goodness and fibre of wholemeal flour, but it’s still quite light and resulting bakes are not stodgy like a lot of wholegrain flour bakes are.
It’s also made with dark brown sugar (just the supermarket variety, nothing special), instead of refined caster sugar. Even though it’s still sugar it’s sugar with a lot of the nutrients still in it, like potassium, calcium and iron. They’re present in minimal quantities, but it’s still better than white sugar which has no nutritional value whatsoever.
I’ve reduced the butter, and therefore the fat content and I’ve also used some superfoods raw cacao powder, kindly given to me to play with by BioGlan. Raw cacao provides a whole host of nutrients and it’s been used for generations in Mexican, Central and South American cultures for it’s invigorating and healthy properties.
And it tastes fantastic.
These chocolate topped cupcakes were my second attempt at making some Easter cupcakes for the kids. For the first lot my husband had specially picked up, at my request, some Easter coloured cupcake cases from a shop in town. They were rubbish! The cupcakes, when baked, hid the colour of the cases. They looked horrid before I’d even decorated them.
My attempts at naturally colouring the buttercream frosting with spinach powder from Absolute Spice, although successful in taste and texture, were wholly unsuccessful in the decorating department as I ran out of piping bags and have discovered that freezer bags are not a good alternative. Oh, and whizzing up freeze dried fruit with some butter in attempts to make coloured frosting doesn’t work either. As for using yogurt coated peanuts as ‘Easter egg’ decorations? I liked them, but the kids were not so enamoured. They picked off the decorations, scraped off the icing and just ate the cakes.
My second attempt at icing was a bit more healthy, and it’s a recipe my husband prefers. Vita Coco organic coconut oil is mixed with raw cacao and sweetened with some Canadian maple syrup and a touch of vanilla bean paste and decorated with raw cacao nibs. I used a fork to mix the ingredients, but you could always whiz it up in a blender for a smoother texture.
As an afterthought I stuck some Caramel bunnies from Hotel Chocolat on the top, but you could always decorate with whatever you fancy. They ate the chocolates, still scraped off the frosting (who doesn’t like frosting?!) and devoured the cupcakes with glee.
Pudding night. Sorted. Even though my husband said the chocolate frosting looked like the rabbits had had a bit of a messy poo on the top of the cupcakes (the the rabbits themselves slightly remind me of The Cat in the tv series Mad Dogs).
The cupcakes themselves are approximately 145 calories each, without the icing and decoration, or 214 calories with the frosting.
Raw Cacao Easter Cupcakes
Ingredients
for the cupcakes
- 150 grams wholegrain plain flour I used Marriages
- 150 grams dark brown soft sugar
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 115 ml water
- 30 grams raw cacao I used BioGlan Superfoods
- 60 grams unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste I use Neilsen Massey
- 75 grams full fat milk
- 1 large free-range egg
for the frosting
- 80 grams coconut oil solid form
- 20 grams raw cacao I used BioGlan Superfoods
- 2 tbsp Canadian maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste
decorations
- raw cacao nibs
- Chocolate decorations as desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170 C (fan), 190 C and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
- Sift together the flour, sugar and bicarbonate of soda and set aside.
- Place the water, raw cacao and butter in a small saucepan and gently heat until completely melted.
- In a measuring jug, measure the milk and add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add the cacao mixture and the milk/egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Spoon into the prepared cases and bake for 15- 20 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To prepare the icing, beat the solid coconut oil, cacao, maple syrup and vanilla together until creamy. Spread over the top of the cupcakes and decorate as desired.
Click here to view the nutritional information for this recipe.
OTHER SLIGHTLY MORE HEALTHY EASTER TREATS YOU MIGHT LIKE
Chocolate Dipped Salted Figs by Celery & Cupcakes
Nettle, Lemon & White Chocolate Cupcakes by Tin and Thyme
Roasted Beetroot and Raw Cacao Cupcakes by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns by Fab Food 4 All
Gluten and Grain Free Hot Cross Buns by Simply Sensational Food
Superfood Cake Bars by Veggie Desserts
LINKING UP WITH SOME FOOD BLOGGING CHALLENGES
Recipe of the Week by A Mummy Too
Alphabakes “C” by Caroline Makes and The More Than Occasional Baker
No Waste Food Challenge by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary (my flour was out of date!)
Simply Eggcellent by Belleau Kitchen
We Should Cocoa by Tin & Thyme, guest hosted by Lancashire Food
Treat Petite by The Baking Explorer and Cakeyboi
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With thanks to Marriage’s, BioGlan, Absolute Spice, Hotel Chocolat and Vita Coco for all the product samples. This is not a paid post, although it does contain Amazon affiliate links, highlighted in orange. Any purchase you make through these links (even if it’s not the products mentioned) will earn us a small commission, and you will be directly helping pay our car garage bill, because the bleeping thing has broken down. Again.
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Riz says
Healthy cupcakes??! Okay. That’s it. I’m declaring it! You win at life.
Kelly Simpson says
These look yummy and really healthy too!
kim neville says
The bunny cupcakes look too nice to eat
Emma White says
oh wow these look incredible and I can get away eating more as they are healthy love that idea
bakingaddict says
Good luck with your moutain bike cycle and mountain climb! These cupcakes are super cute especially with the caramel bunny on top. Love that you’ve made the cupcake healthier – I’d happily eat one or maybe two of these! Thanks for entering AlphaBakes.
ashleigh allan says
These look amazing!
Natasha Mairs says
I am loving these Elizabeth! And the bunnies are so cute. WE had some of them from Hotel Chocolat, the kids loved them
Divya@Divya's Culinary Journey says
These cupcakes look cute! My kids will love them!
Alexandra Ashton says
Mmmmm these look delicious, the caramel bunnies from Hotel Chocolat especially! I need to bake more x
Sarah says
How yummy do these look 🙂 I love the little touch of little rabbits on top too. Look delicious and beautifully presented 🙂
Katerina says
Our Easter is in two weeks so I have plenty of time to make these cuties!
qualitypoint says
Wow!!Looking so beautiful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAN5SnpxGVs
Sally - Mycustardpie says
So pretty. With you on the natural colourings – the bright vivid type laden with chemicals always look so unappetising to me.
William Gould says
We have some raw cacao powder we’ve not used. I’ll bookmark this page and show my wife later. They look really yummy!
Laura Hartley says
This.. is healthy? Seems too good to be true!! I’ve heard so much about cacao and cacao nibs so I’d be curious to cook with them. I’ve only ever had the nibs once before and that was in guacamole! (an interesting addition..)
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
It’s fantastic to see a healthier twist on Easter treats as it can be such a carolie heavy season! Best of luck with your bike ride and climb. Thanks for entering these into Treat Petite!
Rebecca Smith says
They look delicious – and the fact that they are healthier is a bonus!
Jessica McDonnell says
Those cupcakes sound so yummy and look great, I’d love to try making these.
Charli Bruce says
These look amazing, I am always so jealous of everything you post! They sound like they would taste absolutely amazing too x
Helen at CAsa Costello says
You are so much more organised than me to have a dedicated pudding night – Even if it doesn’t always work! I use wholemeal flour quite a bit in my baking – makes me feel so virtuous. Those bunnies are super cute toppers too!
Dom says
I mean there is nothing sexier than a ‘slightly more healthy easter cupcake’ right? I love these and it’s very good of you to bring those calories down a little. I find I suffer terribly from a sweet tooth when i’ve been sugar free for about three days. I’m on a low-carb diet during the week and it’s killing me! These are so pretty and a welcome addition to Simply Eggcellent, so thank you and Happy Easter x
WhatLauraLoves says
Great to see a healthier option as theres so many over indulgent sweet treats around at this time xxx
Emma T says
Yum, they look good. I’ve got some raw cacao powder, but haven’t made anything with it yet. Really should ry it out
Rhian Westbury says
These are so cute and really yummy, I always use wholemeal flour in my cakes because it’s better than normal flour x
Camilla says
These cupcakes are so cute and great that they are slightly healthier. Good luck with your cycling adventure and thanks for linking up to my Hot Cross Buns:-)
Mandi says
Half of mine scrape off the icing and the other half only eat the icing, so it works out quite well, the bunnies look lovely, and the fact that they are healthier, can only be a good thing.
Oliver Long says
OMG how good do these look!! Thanks for the recipe… I’m not great at baking but I’m saving this one for when I try. 🙂
Oliver • http://suedeandsymphony.com
Liz Mays says
Super clever ingredient picks! The cacao cupcakes are really cute and they sound good too.
Leila Benhamida says
Wonderful recipe.
Stella says
You are so good at this. I wish I could bake all these.
Lynette says
Well I would have no problem scoffing these cupcakes and eating all the icing 🙂 Yummy!
Lancashire Food says
So cute, almost healthy and I’m with you who doesn’t like frosting. Thanks for linking up to we should cocoa
Sarah Bailey says
Oh wow they look absolutely wonderful – I would just love to take a bite and ohh yummm <3 x
gingey bites says
These are great although I think the first ones looked ok too. You’re so clever to come up with something chocolatey and a treat but still healthy(ish). V impressive!
rachael says
they look delicious and im pretty sure that much like christmas, chocolate at easter doesn’t count 😉
Choclette says
Oh no, still giggling from your husband’s description Elizabeth. I’m saying nothing! I actually really like your spinach icing with yogurt nuts, they look really elegant. I’ve heard of marriage’s flour and would be interested to try some, though I’m trying hard not to be offended by the idea that all my cakes are stodgy 😉
Thanks for linking to my nettle cupcakes and Happy Easter.
Urvashi says
Some lovely healthy links here. Thanks for sharing. I think both batches look cute x
Chris @thinlyspread says
I shall be making these immediately! I love that yours scraped the icing and decorations off, that is exactly what my lot would do too! I’m judiciously ignoring the ‘looks like poo’ bit – so many food stuffs do look a bit dodgy, I’d never eat anything!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
Healthy easter cupcakes – Now heck yeah.