Tri-Valley Psychotherapy

Can Chocolate Cupcakes be Healthy? In general no dessert is healthy for you but made correctly you can eliminate cholesterol, significantly decrease saturated fat, and use high quality organic ingredients to make your favorite decadent treats. For the past 10 years, I've been creating amazing desserts with
no dairy, no eggs, no refined white sugar, and no bleached white flour. My desserts became so popular that I taught sold-out cooking classes at Whole Foods Market and Sur La Table.

My goal as a clinical psychologist was to help people change their relationship with dessert by learning to bake with healthier ingredients. It worked and many people loved baking and sharing my healthy desserts with friends and family. Baking dairy-free and egg-free desserts definitely requires outside-of-the-box thinking.

Shopping List for Healthy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

Most ingredients for this recipe can be found at Trader Joe's in Livermore or Pleasanton. However, Wholesome Powdered Sugar and Rumford Aluminum-Free Baking Powder can be found at Raley's or Nob Hill Grocery Stories in Livermore or Pleasanton. 

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
1/4 cup Canola Oil   
1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar  
1/4 cup Sugar   
1/2 cup Warm Water
1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce   
1/2 teaspoon Decaf Coffee Crystals
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract   

1 teaspoon Baking Soda  
1 teaspoon Aluminum-Free Baking Powder   
3/4 cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder  

STEP 1: Add 1/4 cup Canola Oil, 1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup Sugar, 1/2 cup Warm Water, 1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce, 1/2 teaspoon Decaf Coffee Crystals, and 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract to a large bowl.   

STEP 2: Whisk together wet ingredients until fully mixed together.
STEP 3: Add 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Aluminum-Free Baking Powder,
3/4 cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour, and 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder to a medium bowl.
STEP 4: Whisk together dry ingredients until fully mixed together.

STEP 5: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix together with a spoon. Final mixture should resemble a pudding with small lumps.  Avoid over-mixing.

STEP 6: Line a standard cupcake tray with 6 cupcake tins. Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full with batter, approx. 1/4 cup of batter for each cupcake. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for approx. 15 minutes until a toothpick or chop stick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

STEP 7: Let cupcakes cool for 15 - 20 minutes before icing. While cupcakes are cooling, make the icing. See instructions below.

Chocolate icing Ingredients
1/4 cup Coconut Milk Fat
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar 
1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract  STEP 1: Chill a can of full fat coconut milk overnight in the refrigerator. Open the chilled can. Coconut milk fat will have hardened at the top of the can. Scoop out a 1/4 cup of hardened Coconut Milk Fat and add to a large bowl with 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar, 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract.

Why Coconut Milk Fat instead of Margarine, Shortening or Butter? Pure Coconut Milk Fat is healthier for you than processed oils or dairy butter containing large amounts of cholesterol.  It also tastes great and performs the same as shortening or butter in icing. 

STEP 2: Mix together icing ingredients with a hand mixer or a large spoon until the mixture becomes a smooth icing.

Decorate Cupcakes with a small amount of Chocolate Icing and Serve.