Brownie Cupcakes
Brownie cupcakes are dramatically more decadent than regular chocolate cupcakes. What sets brownies apart is the intense flavor of real, cooking chocolate in addition to cocoa powder. The intentional lack of leavening results in a chewy, fudgy texture, characteristic of brownies.
Because they are so rich, brownie cupcakes are best eaten either with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or frosted with nothing more than fluffy whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder, as I have done here. I went a step further and spiked the whipped cream on these cupcakes with some rum!
Vanilla Cupcakes
My vanilla cupcakes are perfect for parties, weddings, kids birthdays and more. They are eye-catching and tasty! Slightly sweeter but less intense than my chocolate cupcakes, I use my standard formula of organic free-range eggs, organic butter, and organic sugar.
These sunflower themed cupcakes were for a girl’s birthday party. I found the centerpiece golden raspberries at my local farmers market (a big shout-out to Pudwill Farms!). Simple, pretty, and delicious!
I use a limited palette of colors, based on what’s easily available in nature. Instead of Red No. 32, or Yellow No. 5, I rely on spinach powder, beet powder, carrot powder, and turmeric (don’t worry, the sugar completely overpowers the veggie flavors – leaving the cupcakes tasting like cupcakes). See my post about natural colors here.
Vanilla cupcakes are also delicious with my simple two-ingredient Chocolate Ganache frosting and a sliver of strawberry as pictured below!
Chocolate Cupcakes
My chocolate cupcakes are aimed at chocaholics and occasional chocolatiers alike. Made with organic free range eggs and butter, they are slathered with a modest layer of pure chocolate ganache or piped thickly on top.
The double-chocolate cupcakes are aimed more at the connoisseur of chocolate rather than kids at a birthday party. I made the batch pictured here for a Fall-themed event, accenting the cupcakes with pure butter cream icing (butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and a touch of milk) tinged an autumn orange with carrot powder and turmeric.
I’ve managed to achieve a more festive look such as the one below, topped with ganache swirls and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds colored with natural vegetable dyes (available at Trader Joes).
Below are photos of a recent order quite different from those above that cut the chocolatey-ness of the cupcakes with a dollop of rich cream frosting. Instead of the traditional butter-cream topping that can really make one’s teeth ache, I combined mascarpone cheese with crème fraiche (Italy meets France!), and a dash of vanilla extract – no added sugar. The resulting cupcakes were decadent!
For color I topped them with assorted berries instead of artificially colored sprinkles.
Oatcakes (vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free)
Based on a great recipe for vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I found on www.101cookbooks.com I developed these unique and healthy breakfast items. They were perfect as a sugar-free treat for my toddler’s preschool friends on his birthday! These delectable oatcakes are so tasty, you’ll wonder how they could be so good for you! Sweetened with nothing but ripe organic bananas, they contain coconut oil, chopped organic apples or dried figs, oats, and almond meal. They are vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, preservative-free, and most of all delicious!