Easter weekend is finally here and with it the perfect excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, whether it’s by unwrapping endless amount of Hershey kisses throughout the day or secretly waiting to take a bite out of that hollowed milk chocolate rabbit you snagged at the grocery store (guilty!).
If you want to up your chocolate game this year (and impress your brunch buddies tomorrow), you should definitely make these Gluten-Free Chocolate-Chile Cakes. Whether or not anyone at the gathering has gluten allergies, these fudgy and slightly spicy cupcakes will be the star of the show.
The flourless batter is made of cooked beets, dates and cocoa powder with a subtle warmth brought by ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper – a bit like having a Mexican hot chocolate in cake form.
The frosting is a rich and healthy spread of drained probiotic yogurt with honey and vanilla, leftovers making delicious bagel toppings for the next morning or spoonful of richness during the day.
The mini cakes are ideally sized for a small crowd and easy to grab and eat which you’ll be thankful for come Easter brunch time!
A dusting of chocolate shavings and crushed red pepper makes a festive garnish and adds a wonderful contrast to the tangy yogurt frosting.
These dark chocolate cupcakes with a bite are fun to eat, healthy, and will have every chocolate lovers around smiling wide from that extra heat!
- 2 cups full-fat plain probiotic yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 pound Medjool dates, pitted
- 5 ounces cooked beets, chopped (2 cups)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon tamari (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- Pinch of sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- Grated dark chocolate and crushed red pepper, for garnish
- Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Add the yogurt, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours to drain until thick. Transfer the yogurt to a medium bowl and stir in the honey and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla; refrigerate.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a food processor, combine the dates, beets, butter, tamari (if using), baking soda and the remaining 1 tablespoon of vanilla and puree until smooth. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and eggs and puree until well blended and smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack to cool completely, then refrigerate them until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Peel the paper liners off the cakes. Dollop the yogurt frosting on top of the cakes; garnish with grated chocolate and crushed red pepper. Serve cold.
- The cakes and frosting can be refrigerated separately for up to 4 days.
