Make Your Children Eat Their Vegetables...in a Cupcake! #SundaySupper

If you are a parent, you are the best authority on the subject of children and vegetables. But if you do need back pocket recipes for “one of those days”…You can make your children eat their vegetables in a cupcake!

You are probably aware that chocolate is a fantastic trickster. And chocolate cupcakes are the perfect hiding place for pumpkin. (Zucchini and spinach in brownies work well too.) The Great Pumpkin season is upon us in the US, so supermarkets sell pumpkin puree at reduced prices. Double win! Your child gets the nutritious value of vegetables and you save money!

If you can get your hands on Japanese miso, the protein-packed salty soybeans compliment the sweet chocolate. P.s. Skip the salt in a chocolate cupcake recipe if using Japanese miso. (For baking I’ve discovered white miso works the best.)

More good news: Pumpkin also works for yellow cake. Yes, the cake looks ever so slightly orange. But, with a dollop of chocolate frosting, your vegetable laden cupcake is disguised.

Frosting is also a splendid vehicle for transporting the benefits of beetroot powder. Calcium, iron, potassium is secretly and silently delivered to the cupcake consumer via the bolder and louder flavored frosting. Beetroot powder is also a wonderful way to avoid artificial food coloring. The red beets naturally tint white frosting pink or red. (Depending on how much you use.)

For more tips on how to make your children eager eaters of veggies, scroll down to the sumptuous line-up of recipes starring vegetables. The maestro of veggie fare, Susan Pridmore of The Wimpy Vegetarian, proposed a meatless meal for this week’s Sunday Supper. If you’d like to gather around the virtual table with us, please scroll down to see your invite.

Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Japanese Miso

healthy chocolate Japanese miso cupcakes recipe

Delightfully moist, decadently rich and resplendent with chocolate, this cupcake delivers deliciousness. Tucked into the batter is pumpkin puree which surreptitiously provides a blast of vitamins A and K into the system of the cupcake consumer!

If available, add Japanese miso to the mix. The salty soybeans compliment the chocolate. (Do skip the salt in a recipe, though, if using Japanese miso.)

Ninja Note: Beetroot powder can also enhance the health benefits of the cupcake and the frosting. 

Adapted from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

Ingredients: 
  • 1 chocolate cake mix
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk creamer
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (Plain...although I might try chocolate next time!)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Japanese white miso
  • 1 generous cup of dark chocolate chunks
Directions: 

Yields 12 regular (medium) size chocolate cupcakes and 24 mini chocolate cupcakes

With an electric mixer, combine all the ingredients except the chocolate chunks.

When the batter is smooth, stir in the chocolate chunks.

Divide into cupcake cases in a muffin tin.

Bake in a 350° oven: 26~27 minutes for regular (medium) size cupcakes & 20~21 minutes for mini cupcakes. 

 

Healthy Yellow Cupcakes

healthy yellow cake Japanese fan easy recipe at NinjaBaker.com_

A pale and pretty pumpkin orange peeks through this yellow cake cupcake. However, if need to hide the nutritious value of this cupcake; conceal all edges with extra frosting - loaded with beetroot powder!

My Healthy Yellow Cupcake recipe is made in minutes. Thanks to the pumpkin and yogurt the crumb is moist. No one would know the traditional yellow cake flavor is packed with  vitamins A, K, iron, calcium and potassium.

Ninja Note: Enhance the nutrition value of the cupcake by adding beetroot powder to the frosting. (Any beetroot powder flavor will disappear in the sweet frosting. But, the health benefits will remain.) 

This recipe is adapted from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious yellow cake recipe.
 

Ingredients: 

 

  • 1 box of your favorite yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 container (6 ounces) of maple yogurt (vanilla works, too)

 

Directions: 

Yields: 12 medium healthy cupcakes + 24 mini healthy cupcakes

Combine all the ingredients (in a large bowl!) with an electric mixer until the batter is smooth.

Divide into muffin tins lined with cupcake cases.

Bake at 350° for 24 minutes for medium cupcakes, 18 minutes for mini cupcakes. 

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Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.


Wishing you the joy of making children eat their vegetables in a cupcake!

The Ninja Baker

© ™ Watkinson 2012

The Ninja Baker has guest blogged and contributed recipes to numerous food sites. These additional recipes can be found here.

 

 

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Tags: 
#Japanese #miso #pumpkin #cupcakes #beetroot powder #easy #recipes #SundaySupper