Healthy Hostess Cupcakes {healthy post monday} …
When the news broke that the company, Hostess, was no more, my hubs and I were both very sad. I was sad for the 120+ employees in Tulsa and the thousands more across the country who lost their jobs right before the holidays. My hubs was sad he can no longer sneak off to the convenient store to buy a Dr. Pepper and Hostess cupcake, only to leave the wrapper as evidence in his floor board for me to find later. :)
For his birthday, I decided to make a healthy version of his favorite chocolate treat from one of my favorite cookbooks, Gluten Free Cupcakes, by Elana Amsterdam. We shared them with my family who met us at a restaurant to celebrate. These cupcakes got raving reviews as the best gluten free cupcakes I’ve made to date! Here is Elana’s recipe that I tweaked just a tiny bit.
CREAM-FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES {healthy ‘Hostess’ cupcakes}
BATTER
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup agave nectar (I used local honey)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 muffin cups with paper liners.
To make the batter, in a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Blend the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a mixer until thoroughly combined.
Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cupcakes cool in pan for 1 hour.
MERINGUE FROSTING
1/4 cup agave nectar (I used local honey)
2 egg whites
In a small saucpan over medium heat, bring agave nectar to a boil, stiring constantly. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 6 to 10 minutes, watching constantly and stirring occasionally, until the agave nectar darkens slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a deep bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks using a mixer. Stop whipping as soon as the egg whites are stiff. The foam of the whites willl be stiff enough to stand up in well-defined, unwavering peaks.
Drizzle the warm agave nectar very slowly into the egg whites while whipping with a mixer, to keep the peak stiff. The meringue will become pearlescent and shiny. Allow to cool to room temperature, then use right away.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces dark chocoalte chips (74% cacao)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil then immediately remove it from the heat. Stir in the chocolate until it is melted and smooth, then stir in the vanilla and salt.
Let the ganache stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until the ganache thickens and becomes shiny and spreadable. This could take 10 to 30 minutes. Use immediately.
{Here is where I diverted from Elana’s instructions. I had about 5 minutes to fill and frost the cupcakes before running out the door to meet my family at a restaurant. And please excuse the terrible quality of the photos}.
Using a paring knife, carve out a small hole in the top of each cupcake. Save the pieces to reseal after frosting each cupcake.
Fill a pastry bag with the Meringue Frosting. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the cupcake cavities and squeeze to fill. Seal the cupcakes with the carved pieces.
Frost the cupcakes with the Chocolate Ganache to a smooth finish, then decorate with the remaining Meringue Frosting, making curly-Q’s across the top of each cupcake. Serve immediately.
The ganache was very runny because I didn’t have time to let the cupcakes cool or to let the ganache thicken in the refrigerator long enough. But it did not affect the taste. :)
Excited to eat her Daddy’s birthday cupcakes …
He is serious about his cupcakes …
Funny story, so as my family was devouring these cupcakes at the restaurant, my brother-in-law asked my hubs across the table, “so when was the last time you had one of these from the store?” With eyes bigger than normal, my hubs said through the side of his mouth, “can we discuss this later?” Catching on to some secret he was trying to hide, I blurted out to my hubs, “have you been buying more of these at the gas station??” Totally busted, my hubs proceeds to tell everyone at the table how his sweet, caring office assistant brought him A CASE of Hostess cupcakes from Sam’s that day for his birthday. He admitted he MIGHT have had one, two, or more that day at work. But he was quick to assure me mine were a thousand times better. I was quick to assure him mine were a thousand times healthier too. He could have as many of my cupcakes as he wanted guilt-free. Busted. :)
Elana has an amazing website you can view here. All her awesome recipes are gluten free and grain free. Many are dairy free as well. I use her other cookbook, ”The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook” all the time. If you are more of a Twinkie fan than a Hostess Cupcake fan, check this recipe out. You won’t be disappointed. :)
