Things have been a little quiet in blog land of late, but with these Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes I'ma breakin' the dry spell. These cupcakes are delicious, grain-free, gluten free, dairy free morsels. If you're looking to make a more kid friendly version (ie. no stimulating cacao) you can replace the cacao powder with carob powder. Carob powder is naturally very sweet as well, which I don't think many kids would complain about.
Chocolate sweet potato cupcakes might sound a little strange to you but trust me on this, they aren't! The sweet potato creates a delicious density and moistness. I've skipped out on a frosting for these cupcakes because personally I don't think they need it. My kids chowed down two each of these cupcakes in one sitting so I'm thinking they didn't mind about the lack of frosting. What I do love though, is serving these up with a dollop of natural or vanilla coconut yoghurt. Ah, yum!
Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes = Paleo Friendly
If paleo is your deal then you'll find that these cupcakes are relatively paleo friendly. They do contain some coconut sugar but otherwise they are totally grain and pseudo grain free. Sweet Potato is a complex carbohydrate that is pretty big in paleo land as it is a great grain free carbohydrate source.
A Little Note on Balanced Eating
With today being Halloween I thought it would be a good time to chat a little about balanced eating and helping your children to have a healthy relationship with food.
Normally we follow a relatively low sugar diet, with the kids getting mostly only refined sugar free treats in their lunchboxes or at home. In saying that, I want my kids to form a healthy relationship with food so I don't restrict them from eating sugar or "junk" food when we're either at parties or on days like Halloween. It's really important for kids to learn how to self-regulate their intake when it comes to these foods. I also don't want them to feel guilty for eating sugary foods, if they're going to eat it then they may as well fully enjoy it right?
There's really a fine balance because it's important for children to be able to experience 'sometimes' foods from time to time so that they don't put them on a pedestal. BUT it's also important that they don't get too much of these foods so that it negatively impacts their health. I feel like I have worked out a pretty good balance by letting them make their own choices when we're out at a special occasion or party, with home time and school lunchboxes for the healthy stuff, refined sugar free stuff.
Anyways, that's it from me for today. We are going trick or treating shortly so I'm off to make a healthy dinner to fill them up before sugar-geddon hits.
Enjoy,
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Ingredients
- 1 cup pureed sweet potato
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond meal
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder aluminium free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, olive oil, eggs and vanilla essence.
- Add almond meal, coconut sugar, cacao powder, coconut flour and baking powder. Mix together until well combined.
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers and spoon mixture into each paper.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until each cupcake springs back when gently pushed.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
GracieAnne
Sounds great! I look forward to trying your recipe!
SarahB
Thanks! Hope you love it ????
Leah
Do you think the arrowroot egg replacement would work in this?
SarahB
Yes, absolutely! I would add another 1/4 cup of arrowroot with about 1/2 cup of milk. I'd love to know how they turn out with the eggs replaced!
Leah
They turned out great, thank you! Day made!
SarahB
Oh excellent, I'm so glad! Thanks for sharing.