Cook Yourself Thin Vanilla Cupcakes
"A little over 200 calories for a CUPCAKE?!?! While watching tv one afternnoon, my DH & I stumbled upon the show "Cook Yourself Thin" and watched Harry make these healthy cupcakes. Sounds so great!"
- Ready In:
- 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Yields:
-
12 cupcakes
- Serves:
- 12
ingredients
-
For the Frosting
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 finely grated lemon, zest of
-
For the Cupcakes
- 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 cup finely ground almonds
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 3⁄4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1⁄4 cups peeled zucchini, finely grated
directions
- For the frosting: Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a heatproof bowl and set over (not in) a pan of simmering water.
- Stir continuously over heat until the mixture is warm and the sugar is completely dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the heat. Using an electric mixer, beat on high until the mixture is entirely cooled, glossy and stiff, about 7 minutes.
- Blend in the lemon zest until smooth — once smooth, take care not to overbeat or the mixture will get lumpy. Let frosting set and cool in the refrigerator (at least 30 minutes), while making the cupcakes.
- For the cupcakes: Whisk together the flour, almonds and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla with a mixer until thick and light-colored, about 4 minutes.
- Beat in the zucchini on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl once with a spatula during beating. Use a 1/3-cup measure to spoon into the muffin cups.
- Bake at 350 until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the pan midway through baking. Transfer cupcakes out onto a wire rack and cool completely before icing with the chilled frosting.
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Reviews
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This was so good! Honestly happy I tried this recipe and I will be making it again. Found this on my search for desserts around 200 calories. Thank you for the recipe post! -
I followed this recipe to a tee, but it was just plain disappointing. The taste of the cupcake tasted way too vegetal - you'll find out if you can bear the odor as you draw one to your mouth. The frosting ended up being a glaze. Although it didn't taste bad, the texture was too runny. The cupcakes could have stood a little more sweetness up top, but the icing simply slides off. Calling these things cupcakes might be an overstatement... -
These cupcakes are honestly delicious and also very filling because of the almonds-they taste just like regular vanilla cupcakes. I used 1 egg and 2 egg whites to lighten it a bit and it came to 3 weight watchers points vs. 4 with the two eggs. I also used a different frosting than the one used here (it was the one used on the show); there seems to be like 3 different versions of the frosting out there. I used 3 egg whites, pinch of salt, 1 cup confectioner's sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. I also added a squeeze of lemon juice, a drop of vanilla extract, and I scraped some vanilla beans from the pod. The key to the frosting is NOT to overbeat it-just beat it until the stiff peaks form and LEAVE it alone-put it in the fridge for 30 minutes and frost the completely cooled cupcakes. The frosting does not taste like buttercream like Rachel on the show said (more like marshmellow fluff); however it is very good. There is another recipe for the frosting that calls for 3 tablespoons butter so if you are looking for a buttercream type frosting, I would try googling "cook yourself thin cupcakes butter." These cupcakes would also be good without frosting but I am a frosting freak. Oh and I was concerned about getting pieces of zucchini in my cupcakes or big chunks of almond so I made the whole thing in the food processor. I put about a 1/4 cup almonds in the food processor with 2 tablespoons of the flour called for so I wouldn't get nut butter (make sure you get 8 tablespoons plus 2-8 for the 1/2 cup and 2 for the 2 of flour you added in). I then added the rest of the dry. In a separate bowl I peeled the zucchini with a regular peeler (wasn't very fine) and then added the eggs and vanilla extract. I added that all into the very fine mix of flour, almonds, baking powder (takes care of shifting for you too). I then pulsed it and blended for a few seconds until well mixed (don't want to overbeat or you will get tough cupcakes). I then added it in the tins and baked it 18 minutes (it could have used a minute less but it depends on your oven). Flip the tins around at 10 minutes and check it at 16. The tops should spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick should come out clean when inserted. These were a little more work than the average baked good but they are really worth it. And like I said, they were very filling-I actually ate half of one last night and half just before. Enjoy!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I am a fun 28-year-old gal. Married to a really fun 34-year-old guy. We are expecting our first baby in July 2010! <b>Mrs. M</b> is my mom, and <b>Mrs.J</b> is one of my sisters.
My family is very important to me. I'm the oldest of 11 kids, 2 boys and 9 girls. We range in age from 7 to 28! And we're the best-looking bunch of kids you could find!
I <b>love</b> to travel, and have been to lots of different countries, mostly in the Middle East and Asia. I'm a Christian, and have spent many years doing overseas mission work. I like to meet new people, and I love to make people feel at ease, comfortable, welcomed. I am outgoing and love to laugh! I enjoy learning new things and never finishing them, gardening, learning frugal tips, games, trying to live environmentally healthy, and researching anything. I'm very passionate about God, relevant Christianity, worship and music, and helping people understand missions and the dynamics of overseas adaptation. I like anything that is different and unique, sometimes playing the devil's advocate, but yet at times I find myself very conventional.
I'm trying to learn how to cook....and thanks to the 'Zaar, I'm slowly learning! But I'm not very good yet, and not quite confident to cook for others(besides DH), but that may be related to my perfectionistic tendencies.
Most of the stuff I know how to make I've learned to make as I've traveled and lived overseas. I didn't grow up learning how to cook(I had ZERO interest), and when you stay overseas, you have to learn to cook really fast. A couple of years ago, I found myself in a bind in Afghanistan with only basic ingredients, onions, flour, eggs, rice, lamb, chicken, spices, etc. I didn't know what to do with any of these ingredients and I was in charge of daily supper! The only thing I had ever made from scratch was cookies, and chocolate chips were definitely NOT available! :)
So between once-a-week access to a sketchy satellite internet connection, a couple of cook books that were brought from the States, and lots of help from Afghan women, I began to build a repertoire of basic things, all made from scratch.
When I returned from the States and started enjoying convenient food again, I couldn't forget the frustration I felt in Afghanistan of not being able to cook, and I really began to miss the hours in the kitchen I spent with my Afghan friends. I also knew I would be traveling a lot more in the future and so in order to avoid hunger in other countries, I took up an interest in cooking!
Since Afghanistan, I've traveled to more places, and everywhere I go, I always hang out in the kitchen with the women....talking, laughing, learning, picking up any neat little tips, and adding more recipes to my ever-growing list!
I'm still very much in a learner/observer mode. And I have A LOT to learn!
<img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/IWasAdoptedfall08.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
