Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
![[cupcakes photo]](http://www.nomeatathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/cupcakes-photo-300x200.jpg)
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes Recipe
Wet Ingredients:1-1 1/2 cups (packed) shredded zucchini, about 1 medium
1 green to yellow banana
3/4 cup demerara sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbs instant coffee
3 tbs creme de menthe
1 green to yellow banana
3/4 cup demerara sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbs instant coffee
3 tbs creme de menthe
Dry ingredients:1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
4 tbs (1/4 cup) flax seed, ground
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
4 tbs (1/4 cup) flax seed, ground
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
For the icing:
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 tbs coconut oil
2 tbs creme de menthe
3-4 tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
big pinch of salt
1 tbs canola oil, if needed
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 tbs coconut oil
2 tbs creme de menthe
3-4 tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
big pinch of salt
1 tbs canola oil, if needed
Directions:
- Preheat the oven of 350 degrees.
- Peel and shred the zucchini with a hand grater or food processor, set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients, set aside.
- In a mixer, combine the wet ingredients (except for the zucchini) and beat until just about uniform. Sometimes the banana stays a little bit lumpy and that’s ok. Stir in dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Stir in the zucchini. Use an ice cream scoop and divide into cupcake cups. I got 15 cupcakes, but no joke, I ate a significant amount of batter.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they are nicely domed and tops spring back with a tiny touch. You can also test to see if a toothpick comes out clean. Mine were done at 18 minutes.
For the icing:
put the coconut oil and chocolate in a microwave bowl for 60 seconds. Stir, then microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat with decreasing times until smooth. Stir in the creme de menthe, honey, vanilla, and salt. The alcohol will make the chocolate “seize up”, keep stirring and add the extra tbs of canola oil if needed. The icing is very rich like a ganache, so just spread a thin layer on each cupcake. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.
