Recipes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cup Sucanat, divided
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup organic low-fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tsp skim milk, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites
• 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cocoa powder, 1 cup Sucanat, flour, salt and baking soda.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, 1/3 cup milk, oil, vanilla and whole egg. 
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Combine everything with a rubber spatula.
5. Add egg whites to a large clean, dry mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip whites with hand beater or whisk attachment of stand mixer until they begin to get foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup Sucanat very gradually to whites. Continue whipping whites into medium-stiff peaks. 
6. Fold whites in thirds into cake batter, gently but assertively with rubber spatula. 
7. Fill each of the 12 cupcake liners 3/4-full with batter. Tap bottom of filled muffin pan on countertop and transfer immediately to oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool completely. 
9. When cupcakes are completely cool, combine chocolate and remaining 2 tsp milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir until melted chocolate is completely smooth. Spread a thin layer on top of each cupcake. Sprinkle additional chocolate shavings on top, if desired.

TOPPING TAKE-TWO:

Substitute 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream mixed with 1 tbsp honey for the chocolate glaze. Put a 1/2-tsp dollop on each cupcake and top with sliced strawberries.