Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting Recipe

Whether you're an experienced baker or a newbie in the kitchen, you can't go wrong with some good old chocolate cupcakes with caramel frosting. Especially when they are incredibly easy to make, healthier than regular chocolate cupcakes, and are so pretty they would make any foodie smile. Intrigued? Read on for the recipe to make your very own Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting!

As the end of the year approaches, our thoughts turn to family time, festive jingles, bright decorations...and yes, glorious food! We all look forward to once-a-year festive treats that we can't wait to sink our teeth into. Unfortunately, along with these treats comes with the uncomfortable awareness that they typically contain "Naughty" ingredients - refined sugar, unhealthy fat, lots of salt, and so on.

Instead of letting that get us down, we decided to create a "Nice" version of the traditional "Naughty" chocolate cupcake. These cupcakes use olive oil (a healthy fat) instead of butter, molasses (an unrefined sweetener) in place of white sugar, and our very own creamy Caramel Pecan Almond Butter as a convenient (and deliciously indulgent) frosting!

Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
½ cup olive oil
¾ cup molasses
2 pc eggs
1 cup wholemeal flour
½ cup cocoa powder
¾ cup milk
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp Himalayan rock salt

Frosting (serves: 1 cupcake)
1 tsp Caramel Pecan Almond Butter

Garnish (optional)
Dried star anise
Berries of choice

Method:

1. Preheat​ ​oven​ ​to​ ​175​ ​degrees​ ​Celsius.
2. Mix​ ​olive​ ​oil,​ ​molasses​ ​and​ ​eggs​ ​in​ ​a​ ​bowl​ ​and​ ​whisk​ ​until​ ​combined​ (​about​ ​5​ ​mins).
3. In​ ​a​ ​separate​ ​bowl,​ ​combine​ ​all​ ​the​ ​dry​ ​ingredients (wholemeal​ ​flour,​ ​cocoa​ ​powder,​ ​baking​ ​powder,​ ​baking​ ​soda​ & ​salt)​.
4. Pour​ ​in​ ​1⁄2​ ​​ ​of​ ​the​ ​dry​ ​ingredients​ from Step 2 ​and​ ​1⁄2​ ​of​ ​the​ ​milk​ ​into​ ​the​ ​wet​ ​mixture.
5. Whisk until ​well​-​combined (about 5 mins).
6. Bake​ ​in​ ​preheated​ ​oven​ ​for​ ​25-30​ ​min​ ​or​ ​until​ ​a​ ​skewer​ ​inserted​ ​into​ ​the​ ​cupcake​ ​comes​ ​out​ ​clean.
7. Let​ ​cupcakes​ ​cool​ ​completely.

Once​ ​cool,​ ​frost​ ​each​ ​cupcake​ ​with​ ​one​ ​teaspoon​ ​full​ ​of​ ​Caramel​ ​Pecan Almond​ Butter​ ​and​ ​decorate​ ​with​ ​dried​ ​star​ ​anise and​ ​berries​ ​of​ ​choice.

These chocolate cupcakes with caramel frosting are perfect for a DIY Christmas gift, a gesture of goodwill while Christmas visiting, or to delight your family and friends!