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.
I don’t have any vanilla yogurt on hand, so I made these with strawberry yogurt, strawberry-apple applesauce, and of course, lots of chocolate chips. Not bad, a little bit fruity and very chocolaty. I can’t wait to try the mint version!
I am absolutely thrilled to have stumbled across your website a few months back! It’s been awesome to try some of your recipes and have every single one of them turn out wonderfully delicious! The Mint Chocolate Cupcakes are my favorite.
I made one adjustment. I couldn’t find vegan yogurt so I used equal amounts of silken tofu.
I served these to my in-laws (who cringe at the very mention of “tofu” and “vegan”) and they raved about them! It was only after they had devoured the entire batch that I told them they were vegan and made with tofu. haha!
Those cupcakes look so good!
Hi Katie! Those cupcakes look so good!! I was wondering if it were possible to make these gluten free? Do you have any recommendations? Maybe substituting Oat flour for the wheat/spelt? Just curious! I know you have plenty of other recipes that have gluten free alternatives, and I thank you kindly for them!! I just love chocolate mint, and unfortunately my family can’t have gluten. I can have gluten though, and if I can’t find a substitute. I may need to go over to my sister’s place and make them there! 😉 Where there’s a will there’s a way!! Love your website!
ummm what is white flour? can I use all purpose or whole wheat flour? and also, I’m a beginner baker and I’m trying to find just a simple chocolate cake recipe and a vanilla recipe. do you have any good ones? maybe a post I haven’t seen..?:) thanks!
White is the same thing as all-purpose, which will work :).
I wouldn’t use whole wheat flour for this recipe.
For a simple chocolate cake, you can try my “crazy ingredient chocolate cake” (try the pumpkin version).
made a quarter recipie of these last night along with a quarter recipie of your blue velvet cupcakes! both very delicious but i must say i liked these a bit better! i frosted them with a banana-cocoa powder mix. very good katie
Katie, can I just say, your website is AWESOME!! I’m doing Weight WAtchers points plus, so something like this is an amazing treat. (and looks so sinful!)
Do you by chance have all of the info so that I can figure the points plus amount? I see the fat amount is 3g, but if you could post the carbs, protein and fiber, I would really appreciate it. (I just need to see how many points plus this decadent cupcake is going to cost me!)
Thanks for all that you do!!!!
Hi Katie, did I miss the recipe for that delicious frosting?
I’m posting my mint frosting recipe closer to St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s a variation of this:
https://lett-trim.today/2011/08/16/vegan-cool-whip/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Katie, Is it me, or am I missing your recipe for the frosting of these cupcakes? They look so good, I know my family would want me to try making these.
See above! 🙂
These are the best cupcakes I have ever made, hands down. They are so moist and delicious! I can’t stop eating them!!!