People love Red Velvet.
But why does it have to only be red velvet? What about green velvet, purple velvet, or—dare I say it—blue velvet? When I was asked to make cupcakes for a boy baby shower, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at blue velvet cupcakes. However, two problems existed: One, I wanted the cupcakes to be natural (no blue food coloring). And two, I didn’t have a healthy chocolate cupcake recipe!
EDIT: There is finally now also a Healthy Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe.
Experiments are always fun when they include chocolate, because you get to eat the not-so-perfect trials. (Fortunately and unfortunately for me, I got this cupcake recipe right on the first try.) At first, I’d planned to use a recipe straight from the cookbook, VCTOTW. But as I worked, I changed it up completely!
Blue Velvet Cupcakes
(healthy and low-fat!)
- 1 cup spelt or white flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar of choice
- 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup yogurt (I used SoDelicious plain coconut)
- 3 tablespoons canola oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 cup blueberries (60 grams)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mash or puree the blueberries (or just leave ’em whole). Mix dry ingredients, then add in wet. Don’t overmix. Pour into 12 cupcake liners, and bake 22-24 minutes. The blueberries didn’t exactly turn the cupcakes blue; but they are blue in spirit… and when you bite into one, you can see the blue from those lovely–and antioxidant-packed–berries.
Click for notes about a fat-free version.
Since I wasn’t really a guest at the shower, I didn’t eat one of the final-product cupcakes. However, I did eat an unfrosted one (straight out of the oven) that morning as part of my breakfast! Someone had to be a taste-tester, right?
The Icing on the Cake
2013 EDIT: I frosted the cupcakes with Pillsbury (surprisingly vegan), but if I were to make them again I would use my new favorite frosting of choice: Vegan Cool Whip. Just add a blueberry or two for a vibrant frosting.
blueberries and chocolate sounds amazing! it reminds me of Trader Joe’s powerberries, which I’m pretty sure I can inhale in an hour.
I definitely want kids, but not now! As of the moment, I want a big family considering how lonely it was growing up as an only child. But I know that number is going to reduce after having one kid.
These look so cute…I bet everyone loved them! Not to mention I def took a little looks at that red velvet pancake recipe 🙂
I’ve never heard of blue velvet cupcakes.. those look AMAZINGGG though and I want to try them! 🙂
that blue is cool!!
What beautiful and yummy cupcakes! I love blueberries!
I think I’ll want children someday, but it’s not something I think a whole lot about right now. I’ve got time. I have not thought about baby names in a while either. I did, however, name my sister when I was 2. My parents read the name Skyler out of a baby name book, and from then on I went around saying, “my baby’s name is Skyler,” so my parents were forced to name her Skyler! We call her Sky for short!
this is great Katie! Your photography again is just stellar! I will make these for sure.
Yes, I want kids…ideally in 1-2 years. No must plans but that is just ideal as we are soooo busy right now. 🙂
I never really understood why everyone was obsessed with red velvet cake. Isn’t it just a fancy way to make chocolate cake? This blue velvet is way more exciting, plus it has bloobs in it! Yay!
I want to have a son and name him Miles. My parents will probably hate me for naming my son after a running term, but I like it!
I know, right? It’s just chocolate with food coloring! Not that the chocolate, in itself, isn’t something over which to get excited… 😉
Mmmm blueberries and chocolate sound heavenly together! I alwaaays have to taste stuff before I give it to other people….gotta make sure it tastes good right!?! 🙂
Yes, and then you gotta taste again. Just to make 100% sure ;).
Oh yum. I kind of want to make a fruit-sweetened version of these, minus the frosting. I feel like mashed banana would taste really good with the chocolate and the bloobs. Hah, let’s see how far away from the original recipe we can get, right? 😉
Btw I hope you’re doing well after what happened with your doggie. I’m still thinking about you and Molly will always be in my prayers <3
Aww thak you so much, Stephanie. And if you do try a banana version, let me know how it goes! I have big plans for a chocolate-filled version… but lol yours might just be a *little* healthier ;).
We named our son, Alexander Keaton, after Michael J Fox’s character on Family Ties. My husband’s parents nicknamed him Alex P Keaton growing up because he was always scheming to get money. 🙂
These cupcakes look incredibly delicious. There’s a bakery in my town that makes green velvet cupcakes around st.patty’s day. Why limit it to just one color? Colors are fun!
i absolutely loathe the movie blue velvet but i read on because of the scrumptious looking cupcake haha! i’m really impressed with the color using natural dye in the fruit! bravo!
You obviously don’t understand the film noir/mystery genre or David Lynch
Love this idea! You’re a genius! 😉
Beautiful photos Katie!! Love the popping blue color frosting.
Oh yes I want kids, probably two.
Thank you, girls! P.S. Saw your mallomars on foodgawker. They look super-awesome! (Not that they didn’t look super-awesome back when you first posted them too!)
aww thanks sweetie!
I definitely want to be a mom someday too! Just like wedding plans, I’ve been thinking about baby names for years:)
I’d love it be able to pick that cupcake off the screen. Looks devine!
Another recipe I need to make. Blimey, my list is getting pretty long!
As for childrens names. We have three and choosing names was not an easy task. You not only need to like the name but, of course, your partner does too. Names he liked I did not, or names I liked he’d known someone by that name and didn’t want that association forever more. You’d think 9 months would well and be well and truly enough time to choose a name but it’s just not that easy.
We liked the name Xander (from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’) but didn’t want Alexander, as it’s always shortened to Alex and he have one of those in the exttended family. So we settled on Zander (pronounced ‘Zarnder’, as I’m British and ZAnder felt forced). Then came Anya (yes also from Buffy) and by the time our little boy Drew was born it was almost a given it would be another ‘Buffy’ name. Mind you it’s not as though so many other names around either appealed or weren’t already horribly popular.
We do, occasionally, have complete strangers ask if we are Buffy fans, once they hear us call to 2 of our children. 🙂 That’s ok. We like the names and I think they will endure. 🙂
I love Anya! It’s like Anna, but way more unique!
It is actually Russian for Anna. My mum’s father was born in Lithuania, so there is a connection.