Wednesday, February 1, 2012

"I find it fundamentally strange that you're not a dessert person": Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

"...and that doesn't mean that I'm not smart and tough and strong."

The frosting to cake ratio is difficult to get quite right.  How much is too much?
I'm pretty sure New Girl is based on me, and not just because my name is Jess.  I've met many people who insist they're not dessert people and I find it unnerving..."What do you mean you don't like frosting?  I don't think I can trust you..."  I've also found that they're usually just fooling themselves.  

The following recipes are from The Flying Apron, a great gluten free, vegan cookbook by Jennifer Katzinger.  I cut both recipes in half when I made them and found that they made more than enough, but I've recorded the recipe as it is in the book with a few changes I made in italics.

Dark Chocolate Cake
One 9-inch Three-Layer Cake or 25 Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup garbanzo bean or chestnut flour, sifted (I used garbanzo-fava bean flour and didn't sift it)
1 1/3 cups sifted cocoa powder
1 tbs baking soda
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
2 cups water
2 cups maple syrup (I've made this cake with agave, too)
1 tsp vanilla - not in the recipe, but I believe everything's better with vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the bottoms of three 9-inch cake pans with parchment.  Or line your cupcake pans with liners!

3. Combine the brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In a separate large bowl, combine the olive oil, water and maple syrup.  Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the olive oil mixture until thoroughly combined.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (I used an ice cream scoop to evenly portion out my cupcakes) and bake until the cake springs back when you press the center with your finger, about 25 minutes.  I only baked my cupcakes for about fifteen minutes.  Check on cupcakes earlier than normal cakes!! 

Sometimes cupcakes need to travel!
 Instead of making Jennifer Katzinger's Coconut Heaven Frosting, I made a coconut-free version of the frosting and added a pinch more vanilla.  Here it is...

Coconut (free!) Heaven Frosting
3 cups palm or coconut oil
1 1/2 cups agave 
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 tbs vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the palm oil, agave, salt and vanilla.  Mix on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high as the ingredients become incorporate.  

2. Use right away, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  When you're ready to use the frosting, warm it slightly in the double boiler, or with a metal mixing bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, and whip it again until it's fluffy.
If you want coconut frosting, add 4 1/2 cups toasted coconut to the frosting once the ingredients are combined.
Great afternoon snack.  It was too nice to eat inside today!
So, make cupcakes, rock polka dots and watch New Girl.

1 comment:

  1. That's too funny. My whole household keeps saying Zooey in New Girl is trying to be me with all her weird comments. I guess I've been caught with one too many ribbon hats!

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