This chocolate cake recipe makes delicious cupcakes and muffins. The vegan cupcakes are very moist despite being low fat. The walnuts, whole wheat flour, and cocoa in the cake are all major parts of an anti-inflammatory diet. The resulting cakes are not only tasty, but also nutritious.
Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
Chocolate cake recipes usually have eggs, milk, and butter in them, which makes them delectable but high in saturated fat. This easy chocolate cake has no dairy ingredients in it, so it is suitable for vegans, those on a low fat diet, and people who are lactose intolerant. The ingredients for this chocolate cupcake recipe are:
- 3/4 cup - whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup - all purpose flour
- 1 cup - sugar
- 1/2 cup - unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon - baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon - salt
- 1 cup - cold water
- 1/4 cup - canola oil
- 1 tablespoon - balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon - vanilla extract
- 1 handful - chopped walnuts
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
This cupcake recipe's best attribute is that it is a "one bowl" chocolate cake. All the ingredients are readily available, making it a true pantry cake, or one that you can mix together and enjoy without having to buy a bunch of extra ingredients. The easy recipe instructions are as follows:
- Combine all cake ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Stir until smooth.
- Pour into greased and floured cupcake pan or cake pan.
- Cook cupcakes 14-16 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.
- Cool muffins on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
A cake in an 8-inch pan cooks in about 25-30 minutes.
Cupcake Ideas
The chocolate cupcakes turn out better if you use paper baking cups. The recipe yields between 12-18 cupcakes. The taste of these chocolate cupcakes is very rich, so they do not need icing.
Another unique twist on this cake recipe is the Mexican Chocolate Cake variation. Add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the batter for this tasty alternative. This extra zest does not make the cake too spicy but instead results in an exotic flavor much like the original Aztec chocolate drink.
The Health Benefits of Chocolate
This chocolate cake is low fat and vegan, so it is very healthy for everyone to enjoy. However, it also has unsweetened cocoa in it, which is packed with nutrients. Much like dark chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder has many flavonoids and antioxidants that boost your health. Cocoa powder is made from the ground seeds of the cacao tree. Andrew Weil, M.D. says that unsweetened, unprocessed cocoa can decrease the likelihood of high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.
The whole wheat flour and walnuts used in this recipe, along with the cocoa, gives you a dessert treat that is not only delicious, but has three components of Dr. Weil's new Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid.
What other recipe can taste good, satisfy your sweet tooth, and make you a healthier person?
(This chocolate cake recipe is adapted from one for Mexican Chocolate Cake originally found in the magazine Real Simple.)
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