Fiber Chocolate Cupcakes

My sister Laura sent me this recipe she got-Fiber Chocolate Cupcakes. I had to make them for fhe last night (even though we had cupcakes for our last fhe treat) because they had a secret ingredient and I was anxious to see how they tasted. The secret ingredient is... black beans, really. They were very moist and no one could guess what was in them, so I just told them. You have to blend the beans in a blender and I added prickly pear juice (but you can use water)- you blend until it is the consistency of cake batter. This is a great substitute for oil and eggs. Sounds strange, but they turned out really good. I like to double the recipe so that I use a whole can of beans.

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Chocolate Fiber Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/2 can pureed black beans (Drain can and blend with tap/filtered water. Blend in a blender until it's the same consistency as the cupcake batter)
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle. Combine 1 cup cold water, pureed beans, vinegar, and vanilla in large glass measuring cup or medium bowl. Pour liquid ingredients into the hole in the dry ingredients (there will be some overflow). Using a whisk, stir until batter is smooth. Line cupcake pan with paper or foil liners. Fill cups 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.) Frost with chocolate or vanilla frosting.
Makes 12 cupcakes. (*can be made in sheets, cook 15 min.)

Alternatives:

White Almond cake: omit the cocoa, sub. in for Great White Northern/Canillinni, and add 1 tsp. almond extract.

Spiced cake: Pinto/Canillinni, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. clove (opt.: coconut, pecans)

Sweet spiced: Pinot/Canillinni, 1/2 c. flaked coconut, 1 grated rine of lemon, 1 tsp. almond extract

Jess Bear

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