Chef notes
A rich, moist chocolate cake can turn around a bad day, I firmly believe that. But for me, unfortunately, dairy can turn a good day back into a bad one. So these cupcakes are the answer to that. The coconut milk adds flavor and also great richness so you don’t need dairy milk or butter.
One tip: When you open a can of coconut milk, you’ll want to toss the contents into a blender before using it. The fat usually separates from the water and if you don’t blend it, you’ll end up with a chunky mess that won’t cleanly be incorporated into your batter.
I’m gonna keep it real with you and let you know that these are in no way diet cupcakes – but if you’re off dairy and want a treat, this is going to hit the spot!
Ingredients
- 3⁄4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 3⁄4 cup maple syrup
- 1⁄4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Chopped peanuts, if desired
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners or grease with oil spray.
2.In a medium bowl, sift together the Dry Cake Ingredients and whisk to combine.
3.In separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and pour them into the dry ingredients. Combine well so there are no crumbs.
4.Add the chopped chocolate and mix. Spoon the batter into the cupcake cake tin, about 3/4 of the way full.
5.Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the middle of one and check that it comes out clean.
6.Cool for about 5 minutes before removing cupcakes from the pan.
7.While the cupcakes are cooling, make the ganache. Fill a pot about 1/4 full with water and bring to a simmer. In a bowl that sits right on top of the pot, add the coconut milk, chocolate chips, peanut butter and maple syrup. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir to mix until chocolate melts into a decadent, shiny sauce.
8.When the cupcakes are completely cool and the ganache is still slightly warm, it's time to bring them together! Turn each cupcake upside down and dip into the ganache. Give the cupcake a twist so you get a nice, even coating of chocolate on each. Garnish with peanuts if desired!
