Chocolate Cupcakes With Spinach And Blueberries Recipes

BETTER-FOR-YOU CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, spinach purée, water and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling about three-fourths full.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread frosting on cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH SPINACH AND BLUEBERRIES

Steps:

• Make sneaky chef purple puree (this recipe calls for 3/4 cup) by cooking the spinach and blueberries until soft. I microwave them for 4 minutes, but you could also put them in a pan and gently cook (covered). Take the cooked spinach and blueberries and puree them in the food processor or blender. I find that the liquid that cooked off from the spinach is the right amount to make the puree work. Process until smooth. You don't want the texture to give away the presence of the veggies! 1 cup of each makes approximately 3/4 cup of "purple puree" and I find that whatever the yield has worked in this recipe.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and prep your pan(s) with cooking spray or liners.
• Melt the butter and chocolate chips together. I use 30 seconds in the microwave, but you could do this over the stove.
• Stir together the wet ingredients (melted butter and chocolate, pureed spinach and blueberries, egg, vanilla, and sugar).
• Whisk together the dry ingredients (white flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt). If you follow sneaky chef, the original recipe called for 1 cup of her flour blend.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
• Pour into cupcakes or mini-bundt pans. I got 16 of the little silicon mold cupcakes or 6 of the wilson mini-bundt pan size.
• Bake at 350°F for 23 to 25 minutes for the cupcakes. I baked at 340°F for 25 minutes. You'll know they are done when the top springs back to the touch, or when a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool completely before tasting. If you taste these while warm, you can kind of smell the spinach even though you can't taste it. The large amount of vanilla helps cover any spinach smell that might linger.