Healthy Cupcakes!

Did you know it was possible to have a healthy cupcake?!
It's true! And they taste AWESOME!!!
I was super excited to find Chef Curtis Stone had a healthy cupcake recipe that I totally had to make it! My advice is to NOT overbeat the egg whites. I did the first time and the cupcakes were super sticky...
So...Try these! You won't be disappointed!!


Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes

5 organic egg whites
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the frosting
1 cup nonfat cream cheese
1/2 ripe banana

• Preheat the oven to 325F.
• Place the egg whites in a large bowl and using a handheld mixer whip the whites on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes or until the whites begin to lighten up and hold their shape.
• Increase speed to high and whip in the salt and honey until the whites hold a soft peak, then add the vanilla extract.
• Fold in the yogurt.
• In a separate medium mixing bowl combine the flour and baking powder and mix well.
• Sift the dry ingredients into the egg whites a little at a time, gently folding them in with a rubber spatula.
• Once fully incorporated, scoop the batter into cupcake tins lined with cupcake papers.
• Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes or until they have colored and gently spring back when pushed with a finger.
• Remove from the oven and cool the cupcakes at room temp.
• Mix the cream cheese and the banana in a medium mixing bowl until well incorporated, leaving small chunks of banana throughout the frosting.
• Once cool, spread a little of the banana frosting over the cupcakes and top with small banana slice and blueberry. 

( I had to make a healthy cupcake because, well, I was very unfair to my family when I made these cupcakes..I'm not advocating them for their health factor..but for their taste =)...They're not in the slightest bit good for you, I'm sure, but hey....If you want to go healthy, use the recipe above ;-) )


Black and White Cupcakes

• 2 cups Cake Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ¾ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• 3 whole Eggs Room Temperature
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• ¾ cups (plus A Tad More) Whole Milk
• 1 cup white chips
• _____
• FOR THE ICING:
• 1 can sweetened condensed Milk
• 8 ounces semi-sweet & dark chocolate (4 oz each)
• 3 Tablespoons Butter

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and mix for a few more seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Mix to combine. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk in three batches, mixing for a few seconds after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl, then mix one final time. Add white chips. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until poufy but not brown. Cool before icing.

Sticky Chocolate Icing: Mix ingredients together in a small/medium saucepan. Melt ingredients over medium low heat, stirring gently. Icing is ready when all ingredients are melted and combined. Spoon warm icing over warm cupcakes, stirring icing to smooth after every third cupcake or so. Allow iced cupcakes to sit at least ten minutes before serving.