By
Guess what? These chocolate cupcakes are
lower fat than usual! And our creamy topping is made with mascarpone
instead of the traditional buttercream so it’s light and luscious.
MAKES 20 – PREP 20 MINS – COOK 18-20 MINS
What you need:
400g can pears in natural juice, trained
100ml natural yogurt
1tbsp sunflower oil
1tbsp vanilla extract
6 egg whites
350g golden caster sugar
125g cocoa powder, sifted
175g self raising flour, sifted
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the frostings:
500g tub mascarpone cheese
2tsp vanilla bean paste
225g icing sugar, sieved
2tbsp cocoa powder, sieved
20 paper muffin cases
20 sugar decorations
What you need to do:
What you need:
400g can pears in natural juice, trained
100ml natural yogurt
1tbsp sunflower oil
1tbsp vanilla extract
6 egg whites
350g golden caster sugar
125g cocoa powder, sifted
175g self raising flour, sifted
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the frostings:
500g tub mascarpone cheese
2tsp vanilla bean paste
225g icing sugar, sieved
2tbsp cocoa powder, sieved
20 paper muffin cases
20 sugar decorations
What you need to do:
- Heat the oven to 180C, gas 4. Put the pears into a processor and blend until smooth. Pour the yogurt into a jug, add the sunflower oil, vanilla extract and pear puree. Mix together with a fork to combine.
- Whisk the eggs in a clean, grease-free bowl until they are stiffly peaking. Gradually whisk in the sugar, 1tbsp at a time, until it is all combined
- Slowly pour in the yogurt and puree mixture and continue whisking.
- Sieve in the cocoa, flour and bicarbonate of soda into bowl and gently fold in to combine.
- Use an ice cream scoop to divide the chocolate mixture between the paper cases.
- Bake for 18-20 mins until well risen and just firm to the touch. Push in a cocktail stick – if it comes out clean the cupcakes are ready. Cool on a wire rack.
- For the toppings; divide the mascarpone into 2 bowls and add 1tsp vanilla bean paste to each one. Stir to soften.
- Sieve 100g icing sugar into one bowl with the 2tbsp cocoa powder and 125g of icing sugar into the other bowl. Gently stir contents of each bowl to combine.
- Pipe large swirls of vanilla cream cheese frosting on top of 10 cupcakes. Spoon the chocolate frosting into another piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe onto the remaining 10 cupcakes.
