40 Calorie Chocolate Muffin Cupcakes

I think I need to explain a couple things from the title.

First off, what on earth is a muffin cupcakes? 

Well, a muffin tends to carry the stereotype of dry and not very sweet.  A cupcake is supppsed to be moist cake covered in frosting.

This is a cross between the two.

These are incredibly moist and fluffy (the most moist and fluffy muffin/cupcakes ice EVER MADE) but they don't have frosting. So, muffin cupcake. Looks like a muffin, tastes like a (DECADENT) cupcake.

Also, I am not a calorie counter (did that for a while, hated it, and quit.)  But, other people do and they like these kind of recipes.  Win for them, win for me!  You would never guess these have no butter or oil. Never. Somehow, the zucchini shreds disappear while baking and become agents for the lightest, moistest cupcakes.

And let's talk about pumpkin. You may notice I use it way more than applesauce. In my experiences, pumpkin produces fudgier brownies and moister baked goods than applesauce. Although the color is a little more difficult to disguise, it is thicker and I've really liked the texture it has given my recipes. In both of these recipes my family was unaware "Mary Frances's pumpkin (my brothers act as if it is a bad word:)" was in it. 

Between the pumpkin and whole wheat  (fiber boost) and zucchini and applesauce (fruit and veggies) these are wonderful snack options. Or lunch. Good grief, eat them for breakfast - it's really good, I promise. (From experience:)

And they take all of 15 minutes to whip up and then less than 15 more in the oven. That's all the time you need to have a healthy, low cal, and delicious cupcake no one would guess has zucchini or pumpkin in it. 

 

40 Calorie Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe Source:  Slightly adapted from Yammie's Noshery
Yield: 24 muffin cupcakes

1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 375º. Grease muffin tin (24 mini)

Combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the applesauce, egg, vanilla, and zucchini and mix with a spoon just until combined.

Divide the batter into the baking cups and bake for 11-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.

Thanks to our zucchini plant, I've been using it in everything.

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies.  Tied with these.  Much thicker and fudgier than these cupcakes (they ARE brownies!) and the zucchini didn't disappear as completely as in these cupcakes.

Cinnamon and Sugar Zucchini Bread.  So moist and delicious!

Frosted Zucchini Bars.  My brothers and Dad love these.  I think it is the frosting more than anything:)

Carrot Zucchini Bread Pancakes.  My new favorite breakfast!