"Unbaked" Super Bowl Cupcakes

Happy Friday everyone. Just wanted to thank everybody for their kind words during this tough time. I'm feeling a lot better now.

This weekend is the Super Bowl, which makes me think of my late grandfather. He was a big football fan, so we'll miss him terribly at Sunday's family gathering. Hopefully, some "unbaked" cupcakes will help sweeten the mood.

I say "unbaked" because they are not entirely raw, but certainly don't need to be baked. If I've learned anything from my grandfather (and all my other relatives who lived to see their 90s; my great-grandmother nearly made it to 100), it's that you do need to "live a little," if you want to live a long life. Therefore, I don't feel guilty at all for making these decadent treats, even with some natural peanut butter involved.

The peanut butter culprit is a semi-raw version of Manifest Vegan's Knock Off Butterfinger Cupcake, as requested by my blogger friend Bitt. Yes, I could have used my Better Than Peanut Butter, but this time, I just really wanted the real deal. I used it to make a no-bake vegan "butterfootball" (as in a football-shaped Butterfinger Knock Off), which I perched on top of a chocolate peanut butter cupcake, with peanut "butterdream" frosting, peanut butter crunchies (the crumbled up inside of the "butterfootball") and a chocolate drizzle.

Competing against this titan of sweetness is a football "fieldcake," inspired by the grass on the field, as well as this decorative cupcake I saw on the Cupcakes Take the Cake blog. At first, I thought about naturally dying some shredded coconut green to represent the grass, but since I had some parsley in the fridge, I opted to use it instead (I did, however, naturally dye some cocoa butter with turmeric, which I sweetened with a touch of pure maple syrup and piped out to look like a goal post).

So what kind of cupcake would work with parsley?

Well, I first considered this Coconut Cupcake with Poppy Seed Crust, Muscat Raisin Filling and Parsley Icing with Toasted Coconut, Flax and Poppy Seed Toffee and Organic Rose Petals from "Cupcakes Wars," but thought it may be too girlie for the event. Then, I decided on an olive oil cupcake base with herbs and chocolate chunks to tie in the parsley garnish and chocolate frosting. To my surprise, it worked for my unusual taste buds.

Here's how I made both "unbaked" cupcakes, in case you'd like to try them for yourself:

Unbaked Chocolate
"Butterfootball" Cupcake
*Semi-raw football version of Manifest Vegan's Knock Off Butterfinger Cupcake

• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  
• 1 Tbsp. date paste
• drizzle of pure maple syrup
  
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• dash of sea salt
• drizzle of natural peanut butter
  
• *1/4 cup "Butterdream" mixed with 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter for frosting
• *No-bake "butterfootball" filling, a chocolate-covered "butterfootball" and leftover melted chocolate for garnish (see recipe below for directions)

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the almonds, cashews and cocoa powder into a flour-like consistency (you can also substitute some of the almonds for leftover nut pulp from making nutmilk to result in a lighter cake texture), and transfer the "flour" to a bowl.

Next, add the date paste, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Drizzle a little bit of natural peanut butter, to taste (probably about 1/2 Tbsp.), into the batter and form it into a cupcake shape.

Frost the cupcake with Peanut Butter "Butterdream" Icing. Then, sprinkle the top with crumbled "butterfootball" filling pieces, drizzle on a little leftover melted chocolate coating and garnish with the "butterfootball." Enjoy!

"Butterfootball" and filling

• 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. shredded coconut
• 1 Tbsp. organic maple flakes
• *raw chocolate for dipping and drizzling

Add the peanut butter, coconut and maple flakes to a small bowl and stir to combine. Form into two football shapes (one for garnish and one to sample for yourself), leaving enough extra filling to sprinkle on top of your cupcake. Chill in the freezer until firm.

In the meantime, make the raw chocolate. I gently melted some cocoa butter in a ramekin. Once liquefied, I added a touch of vanilla extract, about a tsp. of pure maple syrup and enough sifted cocoa powder to reach my desired consistency. If you need more exact measurements, check out my online friend Marlie's recipe.

Dip the chilled football-shaped filling into the melted chocolate to coat and allow to set. I also piped the stitching on with some "butterdream" (optional).

*****

Unbaked Football "Fieldcake"
*Parsley-sprinkled cupcake, inspired by Miss Make's Super Bowl cupcake decor

• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
  
• 1 Tbsp. date paste
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  
• dash of sea salt
• vegan chocolate chips or leftover chocolate chunks from making the "butterfootballs" in the above recipe
  
• *1/4 cup "Butterdream" mixed with 1-2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, to taste, for frosting
• *chopped fresh parsley, extra "Butterdream" and a turmeric chocolate goal post for garnish (explanation within the recipe below)
  

In a mini food processor or blender, grind the almonds into a flour-like consistency (you can also substitute some of the almonds for leftover nut pulp from making nutmilk to result in a lighter cake texture). Add the rosemary, and process just enough to incorporate. Transfer the "flour" to a bowl.

Next, add the date paste, olive oil and sea salt. Whisk to combine (a whisk helps keep the "batter" fluffier). The batter should be moist, but not so damp that it requires "baking" in a dehydrator (although you could if you desire).

Add chunks of raw chocolate or vegan chocolate chips into the batter, and form it into a cupcake shape.

Frost the cupcake with Chocolate "Butterdream" Icing. Then, sprinkle the top with chopped fresh parsley, pipe "butterdream" lines onto your parsley "field" and garnish with the turmeric chocolate goal post (gently melt some cocoa butter, sweeten it with a tiny drop of pure maple syrup and naturally dye it yellow with a sprinkle of turmeric. Pipe it out onto some parchment to look like a goal post and chill until set). Yum!