Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting
Early Friday morning, before we had even put the coffee on, the FedEx guy rang our bell with a box of stuff. W was understandably excited as gifts have begun to appear under the tree, but was perplexed when he opened a box packed with avocados and tiny chocolate cupcakes. Who would mail us avocados, he asked – did Santa send them to us? No, Miss Ava Cado did. You see Virginia, I sometimes get food products in the mail. (Not often, but sometimes.) Just because I get something doesn’t mean I’m going to write about it, but I do love avocados, and this was a most creative package – fresh jalapenos, garlic and cilantro, even, to make up my own guacamole, which we did over the weekend… but I was intrigued by the cupcakes.
I had heard of chocolate avocado cupcakes, but never tried them. These were cute, but so naked – I quickly became distracted by the thought that a perfectly ripe avocado might make a fine base for a frosting. (Turns out I wasn’t the first to think it, of course.) So when I should have been doing other things – wrapping up end of the year assignments or wrapping gifts or shoveling the hairdrifts Lou has been leaving in every corner of the house – W and I mixed up a batch of avocado frosting. Turns out, pale green frosting is very festive. It also turns out green isn’t at all offensive to four-year-old boys when it’s on the top of a cupcake the way it is when it shows up in pasta or in a casserole or invades a burger.
This frosting is for any kid who, like mine, licks the top off a cupcake and leaves the stump. W devoured the tops of about half this batch and asked for more. Others might not like it as much – when I asked my sister (who adores avocados) if she had tried some, she was all “yes I did, I ate half of one, and it got all over the inside of my mouth.” (Translation: not a fan.) But they’re worth a try – the cupcakes and the frosting.
Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes
adapted from MissAvacado.com (warning: Mexican music will kick in when you click on this!)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium Mexican avocado, mashed well
3 large eggs
3/4 cup canola or mild olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vanillaPreheat the oven to 375F and line 12 muffin tins with paper cups.
In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl combine the avocado, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined; don’t worry about getting rid of all the lumps. Divide among the lined muffin tins, filling them almost full.
Bake cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes are springy to the touch. Tip the cupcakes in their tins to allow them to cool. Allow them to cool completely if you’re going to frost them.
Makes about 1 dozen cupcakes.
Avocado Frosting
To make chocolate frosting, add about 1/4 cup cocoa, too.
1 ripe avocado
2 tsp. lemon juice
4 cups (ish) icing sugar
1 tsp. vanillaIn a medium bowl, mash the avocado as much as you can; add the lemon juice and about a cup of icing sugar and beat with an electric mixer to get rid of as many lumps as possible. Add a couple cups of icing sugar and the vanilla and beat until as smooth as you can get it. Add more icing sugar until you have a spreadable frosting.
Use it immediately; it sets up pretty quickly. If you’re going to add sprinkles, do it quick or they’ll just roll off.
So THEN I got the idea to turn the rest of the batch chocolate, which would of course mask any evidence of avocado content, and it worked brilliantly, too. Beat in some cocoa, and that’s it.
Brilliant! I’d rather W eat icing made with heart-healthy fresh avocado than butter or shortening.
December 21 2009 12:31 am | cake
Lana in South Mountain (ON) on 21 Dec 2009 at 7:23 am #
That is VERY interesting! Hmmm.. my girlies might only eat it if it were disguised as chocolate. Good thinking!
Love the shot of the beater with the cupcakes in the back.
xo
Trudi on 21 Dec 2009 at 9:44 am #
Did the frosting turn brown as it sat out…as avacados, sometimes do, or with the sugar added did they keep the nice green colour? Just wondering…Tartelette makes a delicious avacado cream to top mereingues…if you are looking for another delicious avacado idea!
the other Al on 21 Dec 2009 at 9:51 am #
I adore Avocados! I can see a savoury cupcake recipe on the horizon….cilantro line cup cakes with avacado icing and salsa verde kind of thing. Yum Also, YOUR pictures and blog are outstanding. I have been wondering through the food blog world and in my opinion your photos blow the others away! Donna Hay eat your heart out. Seriously! Don’t stop, create many many books(series 1,2,3 etc)and a film. Print & Save everything!!!!!
Donna on 21 Dec 2009 at 10:36 am #
I like my avocados straight up – or as guacamole.
But with chocolate – it might be worth a try.
I briefly watched Breakfast TV before 10 this morning.
Amoung a counter full of suggested hostess gifts were One Smart Cookie and Grazing. The lady said they were her own personal copies, so hands off !
Great gift ideas – either the books or treats made from the recipes.
Laurie on 21 Dec 2009 at 10:47 am #
Using the heart-healthy avocado oils instead of butter is brilliant, but I can’t imagine the avocado taste in a cupcake. Can you taste it, or does it vanish under the chocolate?
JulieVR on 21 Dec 2009 at 10:52 am #
The frosting doesn’t turn brown at all – I added lemon juice for this reason, and it seems to do the trick!
In terms of flavour – I noticed it in the frosting more than the cake itself!
Barb on 21 Dec 2009 at 3:46 pm #
I never would have thought to use an avacado this way. I’m intrigued.
Erica B. on 21 Dec 2009 at 4:10 pm #
What a unique and yummy way to use avocado. Was the flavour noticable in the chocolate frosting?
Jennifer J on 22 Dec 2009 at 1:10 pm #
chocolate + avocado = one happy girl over here
Brilliant!
Serge Lescouarnec on 22 Dec 2009 at 4:36 pm #
Julie
Could not resist mentioning your convention wreaking creation on Serge the Concierge after I noticed it while doing a story on Menu for Hope 6 Canadian prizes.
Here’s the link
http://www.sergetheconcierge.com/2009/12/avocado-and-chocolate-all-in-one-cupcake-via-dinner-with-julie.html
Hope you forgive me
Serge
‘The French Guy from New Jersey’
Dajana on 22 Dec 2009 at 6:08 pm #
I love avocado bubble tea so why not avocado cupcakes! They look scrumptious!
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite on 22 Dec 2009 at 11:15 pm #
Love that you frosted yours! I agree that they were a little “naked” but still good tasting nonetheless! My staffroom DEVOURED them! Next step – make my own….
Dana on 23 Dec 2009 at 7:25 pm #
I made these this afternoon (left the frosting green, it seems greener than your pictures) and sprinkled with crushed candy cane for a Christmas treat. I think it could have made more than a dozen as my cupcakes were pretty big! My three year-old did exactly as expected and ate the top off only. The cake tasted like regular chocolate cake and the frosting has a vegetable flavour, but in a sweet, good way. I am used to camouflaging vegetables in smoothies for my picky eaters so the family didn’t even bat an eyelash at the cupcakes! Also, I was looking for a way to make a green frosting (among other colours) for birthday cakes. This is great!! Thanks! and Merry Christmas!