Molasses Brown Sugar Chocolate Cupcakes

Happy late Easter!! Chocolate and Easter are two things that tend to go hand in hand, so how could I not make chocolate cupcakes for my family's Easter gathering? The dark richness of these cupcakes are complimented quite well by the very light meringue/marshmallow-y frosting, and I will say that I ate more than three :)

Molasses Brown Sugar Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields about 30

Cupcakes:

1 cup butter substitute

4 ounces semi-sweet dairy, soy, nut-free baking chocolate chips

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flower

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 overflowing tablespoon molasses

1 cup almond milk

Frosting:

{1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water}

1 cup brown sugar

4 egg whites

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Melt the butter substitute and chocolate together in the microwave.

In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and molasses together until smooth.

Add the cooled butter substitute/chocolate and whisk until smooth.

While still whisking, add half of the flour mixture, then half of the almond milk.

Repeat until everything is added. Stir until just combined

Bake on 350 for 18-22 minutes

Now for the frosting. This recipe for frosting was highly experimental, but why not, right? It can be hard to do a dairy-free frosting, so I'm always trying new things to see if I can make it better. This recipe is kind of a twist on a meringue, and it definitely sounds more complicated than it is, but give it a try!

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together the granulated sugar and water. Try to combine them as much as you can {whisk for about 3 minutes}.

Once they are fully combined, add the brown sugar to the pan and whisk it into the sugar water.  

Keep the sugar water at a medium heat {it will boil, and that's ok}, whisking occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes.

In the mean time in a large bowl with the electric mixer, beat the egg white until soft peaks are formed.  

Once the sugar water is done boiling {while still beating the egg whites}, slowly pour it into the meringue. 

*When the hot sugar hits the meringue, beat it in right away. If you don't, it will harden, and there will be sharp pieces of sugar in your frosting.*

Once all of the sugar is poured in, keep beating it for about a minute just to make sure you didn't miss any sugar.

Scoop the frosting into a piping bag, and pipe with a star tip.

I would love to pretend that the cocoa powder in the picture was a creative expression, but it's not. I was just being lazy. 

I left one cupcake un-frosted, crumbled it, and used it as a topping.

The frosting will feel like it got hard, but that is just the outside. Inside, the frosting will be light, fluffy, and wonderful, I promise. :)

Happy Easter everybody!!

Don't forget the real reason for Easter.