Although this “month of love” seems to be full of sugary treats and decadent desserts, trick your taste buds with these wonderfully sweet Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting. Some of you out there might find you have an overload of pink and red treats from Valentine’s Day weekend still, but for the recipe I have today, I guarantee it will taste better than any candy you have lying around the house.
The ingredients of these cupcakes might surprise you. No flour, no sugar, and no artificial food coloring. Just simple, natural foods. These festive little treats are 100% raw, wholesome and delicious! Seriously, once you take a bite, you will not believe what hit you.
The cake. Bold beet mingles with the sweetness of dates (featured in my last post here) and chocolate-y carob powder. This cupcake has a deliciously indulgent soft-meets-chewy texture with a dark pink glow. Somewhere in the blending process of this recipe, the deep burgundy color of beets turns into a muted pink that looks just like traditional red velvet, except there is a certain vibrancy to it. With all of these nourishing ingredients, I’m sure these treats will leave you a spirit of energy that does not leave you with a crash.
The frosting… with a surprise ingredient! You would not guess that this frosting has avocado in it even after you read through the recipe. This frosting is rich in healthy fats and potassium and has a complex flavor with a hints of vanilla and chocolate that is much better than the overly sweet frosting that many processed cakes have. Your body and taste buds will thank you for reaching for this dessert over the commercially made ones!
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Adapted from a video on Fully Raw’s YouTube channel.
For the cake:
[box title=”For the Cake” style=”glass” box_color=”#2bb673″ title_color=”#000000″ radius=”4″]1 large beet, sliced. (Or 4-5 small beets) 3 dates 2 tbsp carob powder, raw ¼ cup raw walnuts ¼-½ tsp cinnamon[/box]
[box title=”For the Chocolate Frosting” style=”glass” box_color=”#2bb673″ title_color=”#000000″ radius=”4″]2 medium avocados 1 ripe banana 3 tbsp carob powder, raw 2-4 tbsp water (Or enough to get the blender spinning smoothly. If the ingredients blend well, this water is not needed) 1 inch piece of a whole vanilla bean (the seeds and pod) a few dashes cinnamon[/box]
Directions:
- To start making the cake, add the sliced beet into a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the remaining cake ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles a cake like texture. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
- For the frosting, combine all ingredients except the water into a high speed blender (or any blender, but a high speed one will pulverize the ingredients better) and blend until smooth. If it is not blending well, you may need to scrape the sides of the blender a little to reposition the ingredients OR add in a few tablespoons of water.
- Add some of the cake filling into cupcake holders and pat down with a spatula. Next, scoop a portion of the frosting into an icing piping bag, or a sandwich bag with one of the tips snipped off and ice the cupcakes. These are best eaten fresh from the fridge, stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. I have found it easier to store the cupcake batter and frosting separately.
Even though it’s past Valentine’s Day, it is still the month of love, and I know you will fall in love with these amazing cupcakes. They truly remind me of traditional red velvet cupcakes, but they are much for enjoyable in this season of loving the people around you and loving yourself!
By Grace Vance
Photo by Grace Vance
