A Chocolate Easter Treat You Can Enjoy!

There’s no need to feel deprived of a chocolate treat this Easter…ignore the eggs and other sweets and sit back and enjoy a healthy chocolate cupcake instead!

I still very much like my ‘Royal Wedding Cupcake’ recipe on this site but think this version of a chocolate one, made using Sweet Freedom is equally as scrumptious. It’s certainly healthy because the Sweet Freedom replaces the sugar, ground almonds replace the usual highly-processed white flour, and olive or cold-pressed rapeseed oil replace the butter….so far lower GI and more nutritious than regular cupcakes. There is also a wonderful but optional frosting made with cocoa, Sweet Freedom and cream cheese.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Ingredients

Metric/US

1/2 tsp baking powder

25g/1/4 cup cocoa powder

100g/1 cup ground almonds

50g/2 oz olive oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil

100g/4 oz Sweet Freedom Syrup

3 medium eggs

Frosting (optional):

125g/1/2 cup low-fat cream or soft cheese

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp Sweet Freedom Rich Natural Syrup

fresh fruit to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C/325 F/gas mark 3. Place 12 medium-sized paper cases into a bun tin.

2. Sift the baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Add the ground almonds and mix well.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, Sweet Freedom and eggs. Pour into the almond mixture and stir together until well combined. Divide evenly between the paper cases.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

5. To frost when cool (if liked), beat the cheese with the cocoa powder and Sweet Freedom. Spoon or pipe a little onto the top of each cake and decorate with fresh fruit to serve.

MAKES 12

WLS PORTION: 1/2-1

V suitable for vegetarians

* suitable for freezing

CALORIES PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 137

CALORIES PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 155

PROTEIN PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 4.2g

PROTEIN PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 5.9g

CARBOHYDRATE PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 8.4g

CARBOHYDRATE PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 10g

FAT PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 10.4g

FAT PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 11.1g