Changing times….call for moderation

So, how many of you remember being able to indulge in whatever cakes, pastries and treats that came our way when we were young? I distinctly remember gorging on luscious chocolate filled treats in the most unconcerned manner….my mom never told me that its full of “flour, processed sugars, and butter”. I was allowed to enjoy to my hearts content. Of course....today it is a different story all together....my waistline does not permit such indulgences :).

Most mothers I meet nowadays seem to look for the best way to make “treats” healthy for their children. It seems like if a cookie does not have some pure brown sugar, healthy dose of nuts and whole grains within it…there is definitely something wrong with it. When did we become so conscious of what our kids eat?

In thinking further about it, I realized this may have to do with the change in lifestyles and quite honestly the excessive ease of availability of all sorts of products nowadays. I would have to admit that my “treating” myself to unlimited pastries was a once in a fortnight occurrence at best…so some moderation came into play naturally. Today we are surrounded by cupcake chains, cake outlets, we cannot enter malls without seeing the cookie man posted right at the entrance...all in all, we are bringing up a generation of children for whom having a “treat” daily is almost an expectation versus an indulgence. 

With this in mind, I made the below noted super-moist-eggless-chocolate-cupcake and you have to try it to believe it….and then let me know how your kids took to it!!

Chocolate Cupcake

(makes 10 small cupcakes – moderation helps with the healthy factor J)

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup powdered oatmeal

1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate chunks

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup apple puree (I make this at home)

1/4 cup water

1.5 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp Vanilla extract

3 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)

10 cupcake liners size 4.4 cm*3.5 cm

 Oven pre heated to 175 degree Celsius

 Nutella Icing

1.5 tbsp  Nutella

2 tbsp unsalted butter softened

3/4 cup icing sugar

2-3 tsp milk

Sprinkles or any other decoration (optional)

 

 

Start by mixing up all the dry ingredients thoroughly......the flour, powdered oatmeal, salt, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda.

 



 

In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients....the apple puree, the water, vanilla extract, oil and vinegar.

 



Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix enough to combine...don't over mix. Add the chopped chocolate chunks and give a quick stir. 

Fill your cupcake liners 1/2 way....since kids will be eating this (primarily), I want to keep the cupcakes within the cup, icing included....and bake for 15-18 minutes.

 



 





Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes or so. And make the icing in the meanwhile.

 

 

Warm the nutella in a microwave and whisk with softened butter and add the milk and sugar in small amounts alternatively till you get the consistency that you desire. Occasionally tasting this helps as well :).

 

 

Spread the icing using a simple spatula and ensure cupcakes are fully covered......

 

 

Add sprinkles if desired.....one taste and I kid you not...your kids will be smitten!!! I store these for 2-3 days in a airtight container. Its fantastic when microwaved for just 4-5 secs before serving to allow the chocolate chunks inside to get slightly gooey....

 

So go ahead....let your children eat their cake....