Chocolate Cupcake Recipe in This Post! : )

I have had just the best day!  Home alone!!  Well, Hurley is here, and I have had a few chances to see Jode as he ran in and out to hit the golf course.  His day has been pretty good too, I'm sure.  How great to work a half day and run off to play in a scramble, complete with lunch, prizes and a steak dinner!  Em is going to the new bakery downtown after play practice.  Her friend Audrey is working there and tonight is their grand opening!  Mia is going home with a friend who is having a party tonight.  Gary will be coming home on the bus and we will go pick Ace up from school after a little special time together....But for now, I am enjoying being at home all by myself.  


I had a great talk with a friend this morning and got all of my household things squared away.  The greatest thing about today is the freedom I am feeling.  Free-flowing love!  You see, I have been learning something lately.  I have learned that I have things that need my focus and I have been stressing myself out sifting through distractions.  (yes, some of you are saying, "well duh!  I have been telling you this FOR YEARS!"  It's just that I sometimes forget my lessons and need to really really really L-E-A-R-N these things myself.)  These distractions are all good things, but I have decided to say "no, thank you" to them and "YES" to the things already in my life.  I have 5 people that I love to take care of, 2 businesses that are so much fun I can hardly believe it, a house that needs purging (that's a topic for another post), and work on my own self.  I want to say no to the good things and yes to the BEST!  Once that was clear and decided, and I felt satisfied with my very thorough explanation to Jode (bless him!), I was free to just simply enjoy my day!  


I even got creative in the kitchen.  Last night I went to Aldi after I dropped Em off at work and found zucchini on sale. (*and by the way, grape tomatoes for 69 cents a box!  You're welcome!)  I bought some with chocolate zucchini cupcakes for Gary in mind.  It was a good day to experiment in the kitchen, and because these were made especially for Gary, it was a really great time!  When he got home, his little friend from across the street was ready to play and while Gary changed clothes, I sent her home with some cupcakes and a note about the ingredients and asking her mom to let me know what she thought about my little experiment.  Brenna came right back with half of her cupcake pressed against her little mouth and chocolate on her cheeks!  She said her brother was eating his and she said they were great!  Hilarious!  It had been about 45 seconds since I sent her across the street!!  Precious!  Since they think they are yummy enough, I thought I'd share my recipe so you can try it too!  

Don't get all excited.  I had a terrible time with icing because my bag was yucky.  Since I am impatient, they are not so lovely.  You can make them prettier.

And let's be real, if Em were home you would have much better pictures!

So here is the recipe:

Gary's Chocolate Zucchini Cuppycakes

{You're thinking, "wait a sec, Stef!  I thought these were healthy!"  Well, they can be "healthed" up some more, but getting veggies and yogurt into bellies is sometimes just a simple goal.  Just make these changes:  exchange applesauce for butter OR, better yet, use a can of pumpkin puree, which is great with chocolate.  Sugar can be replaced with Splenda or Stevia or Agave or Honey (you will have to reduce other liquids slightly to compensate for liquid in agave and honey) You can try gluten free flours, coconut flour or others in place of the flour; leave out the chocolate chips or exchange them for coconut or carob chips, nuts or dried fruit; Have you tried PB2?  It is a YUMMY sort of powdered peanut butter.  Just thought a little of that mixed in with the cocoa could be a good idea!  Anyway...here's the way I made them}


Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups sugar 

2 eggs at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

2-ish cups grated zucchini

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Cream together butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each one.  Add vanilla. (I think you could add almond or coconut or banana extract here instead for a different flavor)  

In another bowl,you should mix your dry ingredients, but I rarely do anything like that, so I added flour a half a cup at a time, making sure to mix it in and scrape down the sides (*with the machine turned off! Hello!)  Then add cocoa powder a little at a time (**Little tip: if you are using a mixer and don't know this, you will learn it for sure!!  Slow down your mixer all the way when you add powdered ingredients.  Start slow and once it is somewhat mixed, increase the speed or you will be wearing your ingredients!Didn't learn this today, but guess how I learned this?! ALSO, you could add a little cinnamon, ginger or chili powder to the cocoa for a yummy twist) OK.  Once that's mixed in, add your baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix it in and then add your yogurt.  I suppose you could use other yogurt flavors or plain greek stuff, but I had vanilla on hand.  Mix it up and add your zucchini and then fold in your chocolate chips.  

Fill your muffin tins with paper cups sprayed with Pam, or for you fancier friends, grab your silicone cups, then distribute your mix as evenly as you can.  I use an ice-cream scoop.  Bake them in your oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.  This made 24 regular sized cupcakes.  Let them cool before you frost them! (I don't think they really need frosting but I was feeling ambitious and my people will appreciate it)

For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (YUM!):


{to make this one healthier, mix your cream cheese with butter if you choose, and some sort of sugar substitute.  I think you will absolutely want to add a little vanilla extract too, and get your cocoa powder in there.  You could try creaming cream cheese with a ripe banana and cocoa and see how you feel about that taste.  Here's how I made it}

1 8oz. block of cream cheese at room temperature and

the other half of the stick of butter you used in the cupcakes.

Beat these together and add 4 cups of powdered sugar, a half a cup at a time, making sure to mix it in each time. Don't forget the tip on slowing down your mixer!!

Add a half cup of cocoa powder and mix that up.  As I was mixing this frosting, I thought 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger mixed in with the cocoa might be nice some day too.  You might try it and let me know!  

So that's it! 

The ones I quit piping got sprinkles to dress them up.  He loves sprinkles!

I surprised him (or annoyed him) with my picture taking, but look at those blue eyes!  Love that guy!

Nothing but blue skies!  Loving feeling free!  AND, it's FRIDAY!!  Doesn't get much better than this!

Have a FABULOUS weekend!

XOXO