When it comes to raw cupcakes, my little lady (I guess I should have titled this, "My littlest cupcake fan") is always willing to give one a try. She never turns down a taste of her mommy's raw creations, and today was no exception.
As I had planned (well, sort of; hoping to make something and actually putting a plan in place aren't quite the same this), I found a small block of time to spontaneously (see what I mean about "planned" not necessarily being the best choice of words) whip up my version of the Sticky Fingers Bakery's Chocolate Seltzer Cupcake featured on the latest episode of "Cupcake Wars." Mine was "unbaked" (raw vegan, of course), and perfect to share with some sticky little fingers in my household (after she polished off most of the top, I salvaged some of the bottom and re-frosted it for myself).This recipe was based/inspired by both the Sticky Fingers recipe and the fudge I've been craving off of Chocolate-Covered Katie's blog. I love it when I can satisfy two craving at once. It's not as sweet, since it is agave-free (bananas and dates did the trick). That didn't stop Hayden and I from devouring every last bite.
To make this raw chocolate cupcake special like the original, I added seltzer (I ended up using sparkling mineral water, which I happened to have on hand) to the date paste (soaking the dates in it instead of water before processing them into a paste) and the raw Bali cocoa powder that reminds me of strong coffee (I haven't had coffee in years, but I thought it would be a good substitute for the coffee in the Sticky Fingers recipe). The seltzer/mineral water seems to lighten the date paste much like in the baked cake, and it gives it a distinct flavor. The coffee-like cocoa powder also intensifies the chocolate experience.As for the topping, simply combining ripe mashed banana with coconut oil and vanilla creates a quick version of the icing seen on "Cupcake Wars." It's a little lumpy from the banana (so was the first batch during "the war"), but it shows you used the real deal in this.
For the ganache, I used half of the banana icing and mixed it with cocoa powder just like Katie's fudge. It was just enough to line the rim of the cupcake. Delish!
To finish it off, I topped it with a "carmelized" banana minus the rum (I'm not really a drinker and I didn't have the extract in the house either). In a pinch, I covered a slice of banana with some more of the date paste and used it as my garnish. If you have more time, feel free to use a date-based raw caramel (the addition of macadamia butter, grade B maple syrup, sea salt and vanilla to the date paste really bring this up a notch) and dehydrate the coated banana a bit.If you were unable to follow all those steps close enough to replicate it in your raw kitchen, here is the recipe below for one simple unbaked cupcake:
"Unbaked"
Chocolate Seltzer Cupcake
A rawified single serving version
of Sticky Fingers winning recipe
Cupcake- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1 Tbsp. shredded coconut
- 1 Tbsp. Bali cacoa powder
- pinch of sea salt
- touch of vanilla
- 1 Tbsp. of "seltzered" date paste
- 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp. ripe mashed banana
- touch of vanilla
(a.k.a. Chocolate-Covered Katie's Naughty Girl Butter)
- 1/2 of the banana frosting above
- 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- banana slice coated in date paste
In a food processor or blender, process the almonds and coconut flakes into a fine flour and add to a small bowl along with 1 Tbsp. Bali cocoa powder and a pinch of sea salt. Whisk to combine.
Add a touch of vanilla (like a small drop), 1 Tbsp. "seltzered" date paste (soak the dates is seltzer or sparkling mineral water instead of water before blending into a paste) and 1/4 tsp. of apple cider vinegar. Whisk again to combine while allowing some separation between the "grains."Form the cupcake "batter" into a cupcake shape with the help of a small ramekin or silicone reusable cupcake liner. Try not to compact it too tight, so your cupcake will maintain some of its fluffiness (or as fluffy as you can expect from a raw cupcake). Set aside while you make the frosting and ganache.
In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil with about 2 Tbsp. (2 small chunks) of ripe banana, mashed. Add a touch of vanilla for that familiar frosting flavor.
In another small bowl, combine 1 Tbsp. of cocoa powder with about half of the banana frosting until smooth. Frost the outside edge of your raw cupcake with this "ganache" and then fill in the center of the ganache ring with the rest of the banana frosting. Garnish with a sliced banana coated in more date paste. Set in fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!
*****
Oops, I almost forgot to mention that the lovely Raederle Phoenix awarded me the One Lovely Blog Award. First of all, I want to thank her, and secondly, I supposed to tell 7 things about myself and pass the award along. I've already shared so much about me that I decided to post a list of 7 short and sweet (literally) things to go along with the above post. Here ya go:
- Pink is my favorite color, in case you missed it the first billion times I've mentioned it here. It's Pinkalicious like these smoothies!
- I used to like to wear fragrances that reminded me of baked goods, like Demeter's Sugar Cookie, Graham Cracker, Angel Food and Birthday Cake. Now, I just put a touch of vanilla behind my ears.
- I love to both bake and unbake. I even considered opening my own bagel bakery years ago in a spot now occupied by a successful bakery in our area. I guess I was on to something.
- I've had a sweet tooth for as long as I can remember. No wonder I was a round baby with the nickname, "Tubs."
- I'll eat almost anything shaped like a cupcake, which explains my savory varieties.
- I actually love working out (especially dancing). I have to do something to burn off those sweets.
- Although I am enjoying my time off from blogging, it is nice to check in every once and a while :-)
