Healthy Chocolate, Beetroot And Orange Cupcakes

These chocolate cupcakes are super moist and chocolaty. If you feel like adding a pink tinge to the topping, squeeze a little bit of juice from the grated beetroot (beet) and stir it into the topping mixture. Soak and cook your own cannellini (lima) beans if you have the forethought – you’ll need 240 g (8½ oz) cooked beans.

INGREDIENTS
400 g (14 oz) tin cannellini (lima) beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
½ teaspoon liquid stevia
80 g (2¾ oz) butter, softened
85 g (3 oz/¼ cup) rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
50 g (1¾ oz/½ cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 beetroot (beet) (about 175 g/6 oz), peeled and finely grated

Orange mascarpone topping
120 g (4½ oz/½ cup) mascarpone
2 tablespoons thickened (double/heavy) cream
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus extra shredded zest to garnish
a few drops beetroot (beet) juice (optional)

METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F (fan-forced) and line a 9-hole 80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹⁄³ cup capacity) muffin tin with paper cases.
2 Whiz the beans, one of the eggs and the stevia in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3 Without cleaning the bowl, process the butter, rice malt syrup and zest until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining eggs one at a time, processing well between each addition. Return the bean mixture to the bowl and sift in the cocoa, baking powder and salt, and then process until combined. Stir in the beetroot.
4 Spoon the mixture into the prepared cases and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
5 Meanwhile, for the orange and mascarpone topping, whisk the mascarpone, cream and zest until slightly thickened. Stir in the beetroot juice (if using). Refrigerate until required.
6 Spread the cooled cupcakes with the topping and garnish with extra zest. These cupcakes will keep, un-topped, for 2–3 days in an airtight container. Spread with the topping just before serving.

Extract from Incredible Bakes by Caroline Griffiths, published by Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99