Roar.
My husband, the monster:
Did you know I was once married to Frankenstein? It’s true! Long before Bella Swan made it fashionable to marry a ghoul, Frankie and I had a one-night stand. I dressed up as the Bride of Frankenstein for Halloween and created a stuffed monster “husband” to carry around all night.
In case you’re curious, here’s a photo of us.
Although we didn’t stay married long (irreconcilable differences), I think Frankenstein would approve of the following mint-chocolate cupcake recipe. Whole-grain, and lower in fat and sugar, these are much healthier than your average cupcakes. And yet, they taste just as delicious.
As I said in yesterday’s post, these cupcakes were made for a good friend’s kindergarten class. I so wanted to throw some spinach in them, to see how they’d turn out. But I didn’t have enough time to make a second batch if the experiment failed.
If anyone is feeling adventurous, please do try adding spinach… and let me know how it goes!!
Monster Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (regular or dutch)
- 1 cup flour (I used white-whole-wheat. You can use all-purpose, spelt, or even ww pastry.)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar or evaporated cane juice
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pure peppermint extract (or 1/2 tsp, if you only want a very-slight mint taste)
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt of choice (such as SoDelicious)
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 3 tbsp oil (coconut or veg or canola oil)
- optional: add a few handfuls chocolate chips to the batter!
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients, then add wet. Don’t overmix. Pour into cupcake liners or tins, and bake for 18-20 minutes. (Mine took 19 minutes.) Nutrition Facts per cupcake: Each cupcake will have around 130 calories and three grams of fat, depending on what yogurt you use.
Cupcakes in the photos are topped with this recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting.
For a Mint-Chocolate Parfait:
Try crumbling this over Mint-Chocolate-Chip Ice Milk.
Or skip the parfait idea and just cover these babies in devilishly-delicious green frosting. With chocolate chips. Don’t forget the chocolate chips.
Question of the Day:
Do you remember any of your childhood Halloween costumes?
Some of mine: a Martian beauty queen, devil in a blue dress, purple-people-eater, monster chef, dust bunny (French maid with bunny ears), sand witch (sandwich), and “Indecisive” (where I wore a little bit of everything I could find. That one was really fun). I always hope that one of my friends will throw a party, so I have an excuse to still dress up even though I’m obviously way too old for trick-or-treating. I still have no idea what I’m going to wear to this year’s Halloween party.
Girl, you are SO amazing! MONSTAH cupcakes?! You’ve won me over. 😀
Cashew butter was probably a good choice because of potential peanut allergies in schools too! I know so many day cares and schools these days are banning all forms of peanuts from even entering the building… a life without PB ahhh!
My favorite costume was a more recent costume … Heromine Granger, with a little liquid courage from my friend vodka, I was casting spells on everyone. It was a blast … and I ended up meeting my boyfriend (we have since broke up) who was very impressed with my spell casting! haha.
My costumes when I was little were always a veriation of three words (according to my mom)
Sparkle, Fairy, and Princess…
One year I was a Sparkly Fairy Princess, the next I was a Princess Sparkle Fairy… you get the idea.
I think one year I was the yellow power ranger… haha
I love mint chocolate – one of my Favorite things about Christmas time!
Those cupcakes look really yummy! My youngest sister is a HUGE mint chocolate chip fan, so I bet both me and her could make a batch together. That would be so much fun!
I can remember every Halloween costume I was in…..thanks to pictures! Starting from age 0 to 20:
Pumpkin, Dalmatian, Dalmatian, Ladybug, Simba, Simba, Jasmine, Jasmine, Cowgirl, Cowgirl, cowgirl, Mexican dancer, cowgirl, zebra, Seattle Mariner Ball Girl, Arwen, Chinese Geesha, Kitty Cat, School Teacher,Irish Dancer. I think you can tell what I really liked to dress up as most of all! Yeehaw! :~)
This year I am torn from being either a Starbucks Barista, Padme from “Star Wars”, or Agent 99 from “Get Smart”. I can’t decide who to be! Any ideas?
Maybe you could be Leia from “Star Wars”….. you know, wear your hair in the cinnamon-role style! And you could give out mini cinnamon buns (bite-sized) for trick-or-treaters that come to your door (if you get any). Wouldn’t that be something? 😉
That would be incredible!! I need to work on my cinnamon-roll recipe anyway! 🙂
OMG you are so adorable in that 2000 picture! I can`t believe how quickly time flies; I was 15 on Halloween in 2000!
Love the look of these cupcakes, yum!
Katie – I just found your site, and I am such a fan! These cupcakes look great! Thanks for the great recipes.
Aww thanks, Lindsey! I’m so glad you found me :).
Yum! These look absolutely amazing!! And who doesn’t love the chocolate-mint combo! Mmmm!
I love your Frankenstein picture! Too cute! Growing up I was a princess every.single.year. Apparently, no matter how hard my mom tried it was the only thing I wanted to be. Oh except for when I was like 4 yrs old and went as a bride. Um, I can never tell any potential boyfriend this!
Hi katie! Me again. Just went to read yesterday’s post. Actually i had read it but skipped the bottom part. I am an Asian (Indian to be exact) kid. Well of that descent anyway. My parents are both from India. I came back from a trip there, and i was amazed at how intelligent my cousins are! Thing is, i’m not really that intelligent, not on their level anyhow! I have always felt pressure that being Indian meant i should be doing better. But i loved people’s comments on the subject and i don’t feel that pressure! You handled it with grace and everyone out there who commented positively- i want to thank you all for making my day- and possibly changing the way i handle my life. THANK YOU 🙂
Aww Sarah, you are SUCH a sweetheart!!
Technically you were married to Frankenstein’s monster/creature, not Frankenstein himself 😉
Ooh wow, you’re right! I never actually read the book, and so I always forget that it’s not the monster that was named Frankenstein!
*Feels a little silly*