Red Velvet Cupcakes : The Healthy Chef ? Teresa Cutter

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Posted by Teresa Cutter on Monday, August 27, 2012 ? 18 Comments?

This is my healthy take on the traditional red velvet chocolate cake. ?It?s lovely and moist from the fresh grated beetroot that i?ve added into my cupcake batter and it replaces the traditional red food colouring found in traditional recipes. I?ve thrown in a handful of raisins to add a touch more sweetness and it marries well with the cocoa and cinnamon. You can also add prunes in place of the raisins that provide a lower glycemic response and suited for more mature palettes. The final cupcake looks wholesome and healthy, quite rustic actually which I really love. I enjoyed them topped simply with a spoonful of thick Greek style yoghurt, but check out my frosting recipes below to choose the one that suits you ! ?If you?re entertaining, then adding a few raspberries over the top will add another amazing flavour sensation.

What?s good about it:
Beetroots are packed with phytonutrients called betalains that provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support to the body. Dark chocolate is associated with a reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes according to studies from the British Medical Journal.?Chocolate contains compounds that act as stimulants believed to boost serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.? It contains the stimulants theobromine and caffeine that can increase alertness and give you a pleasurable sensation similar to the high people get after exercise. Egg and almonds are packed with protein your body needs to help it repair as well as support a healthy immune system.

260 g ( about 2 large/ 9 oz) ) beetroot, grated raw with skin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
150 g (1? ? cups/ 5 ?1/4 oz) ground almonds or almond meal
? cup ?or 3 tablespoons cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
3 tablespoons your choice (macadamia oil, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil) or melted butter
? cup (60 ml) ?honey or pure maple syrup
? cup raisins or prunes chopped (optional but lovely)
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder or 1/4 teaspoon bicarb soda or baking soda

Preheat your oven to 160 C. (320 F) fan forced or 180 C (356 F) no fan.
Combine raw beetroot, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ground almonds, cocoa, honey, raisins or prunes if using and baking powder into a large bowl.
Mix well with your hands until combined.
Spoon into paper lined cupcake or small muffin tins.
Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the tin.
Serve alone or topped with your desired flavoured frosting (see below for frosting recipes)

NB: I love to serve mine simply with thick vanilla, Greek Style yoghurt.
Serve topped with raspberries which add that extra layer of deliciousness to the eating experience.
You can buy almond meal or almond flour from most health food stores. ?You can also make your own almond meal by blending in a Vitamix dry jug.
For those who want to use a wholemeal spelt flour 1 cup should replace the almond meal. ?You will need to add another 1/4 your choice of oil or butter to the recipe.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Protein: 4.7 g
Total fat: 11.8 g
Saturated: 1.4 g
Carbs: 12 g
Sodium: 31.4 mg
Calories: 171
kilojoules: 714
Fiber: 2.4 g

Yummy Simple Frosting ideas:

1 ?Thick Greek Style yoghurt or coconut yoghurt.

2 For a delicious almond or rice milk cream combine 1 1/2 cups ?milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup and 2 heaped tablespoons arrowroot or corn flour then heave over a low heat until thick like a custard. Remove from the heat and cool in the fridge. ?Once cold place into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy?add a little splash of milk or even coconut milk if you want a creamy consistency. This is based on a blancmange style custard cream recipe.

3 For yummy cashew nut cream combine 1 cup of raw cashew nuts or macadamia nuts with 1/2 cup of water or orange juice and a little vanilla. Blend in a good high speed blender until smooth and creamy.

4 To make the vanilla soy cream, combine in a high speed blender like a Vitamix 300 g silken tofu with 2 teaspoons honey and 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract.? Process until smooth and creamy.? For a thicker cream, add 50 g cashew nuts and process until creamy.

5 ?For a chocolate cream frosting combine 2 ripe avocados, 1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder, 1/4 cup honey, a pinch of sea salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste. ?Blend in a Vitamix until smooth and creamy. ?Add a little splash of water for a smoother and fluffier consistency.

6 ?for a creamy cheesecake style frosting, combine 250 g (9oz) soft cream cheese such as quark with a little lemon zest, juice, vanilla ?and a little maple syrup or honey to taste. Beat well until combined and creamy.

7 A simple dollop of marscarpone or whipped ricotta.

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Filed under Cakes, biscuits, pies & breads, Recipes ? Tagged with almonds, antioxidants, beetroot, chocolate, dairy free, desserts, diabetic friendly, gluten free, grain free, healthy cooking, heart healthy, low carb, Low gi, organic, paleo, protein, red velvet cake, snack, sugar free, sustained energy, vegetarian, weight loss, well-being, wheat free

Source: http://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/08/red-velvet-cupcakes/

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