CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CUPCAKES

I have to admit, I'm not a big chocolate fan.  I had to come up with something to make for my twin aunt's birthday that fit in with the WFPB lifestyle and it had to be easy.  I came across a recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz on the Forks Over Knives website and tweaked it just a little (Check out their websites for more amazing information and recipes).  The resulting cupcakes were both rich and delicious.  I've always loved raspberries and chocolate so the addition of the raspberry filling checked that box for me.

Preheat the oven to 350°

Ingredients:

Cupcakes Dry ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Coconut Palm Sugar

Cupcakes Wet ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used almond)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened vegan chocolate

Filling:  Just Fruit raspberry Preserves (Just Fruit is a brand and it's just fruit)

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler.  Once it's melted take it off the burner and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Mix the almond milk with the apple cider vinegar and set aside for it to curdle

Use a whisk and mix all of the dry ingredients together.

Mix all of the wet ingredients including the melted chocolate in a large bowl.  Slowly add the dry to the mix, about 1/4 of the dry at a time, and make sure everything blends well with no lumps.  Line a large muffin tin with cupcake baking liners.  Fill each of the twelve (12) liners about 3/4 of the way up...they'll all be even in the end.  Drop about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry preserves in the center of each cupcake, and using the spoon, push it down into the batter.  Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting:  (The bold items are the ingredients...recipe on the next page)


Mix 1 cup boiling water with 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a blender making sure everything is smooth.  Use a rubber spatula to push down any that climbed up the sides.  Be careful opening it when you're done as the steam will build up.

Mix 1 1/2 cup pitted medjool  dates with 1 tablespoon agave syrup, pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Add the date mixture to the chocolate and water mixture and blend until completely smooth.  Place the frosting in the refrigerator in an airtight container for at least 3 hours.

Decorate and serve.  If you don't serve them right away or eat them all by yourself, put them in the refrigerator until you're ready.