Mint Chocolate Cupcakes & Iced Cappuccino Delight

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes
Calories per serving: 336

For the cupcakes
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 heaping cup peeled and finely grated sweet potato
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
3/4 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or mint chocolate bar cut into chunks
Recipes From This Episode
Mushroom and Spinach Quiche With Potato Crust
Eggplant Stacks
All "Cook Yourself Thin" Recipes
Main "Cook Yourself Thin" Site

For the icing
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon green food coloring
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 tablespoons cold water

For the top
Shavings of dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners.

2. Using a handheld or standing mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until pale and quadrupled in size. Add the grated sweet potato and whisk again. Whisk in the ground almonds, flour, peppermint extract, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder until they are well combined. Add the chocolate chunks or chips, and using a spatula, mix so that they are evenly distributed.

3. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners so that each liner is half-filled. This will give them enough space to puff up and rise to the top while baking.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. They will be somewhat flat on top rather than dome-shaped.

5. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator until the cupcakes are cold. The cupcakes will need to be cold to keep the icing from sliding off.

6. While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing: With a wooden spoon or mixer, beat the butter with one heaping tablespoon of the sugar, the peppermint extract and coloring for a minute until they are all incorporated and the butter has softened slightly. Add the confectioners' sugar one heaping tablespoon at a time, with half a teaspoon of water each time you add the sugar, and beat between each addition. Once all the sugar is added, you should have a soft green paste.

7. Ice each cold cupcake, using just over a tablespoon of frosting per cupcake. Finish by sprinkling dark chocolate shavings over the top of each one.

Iced Cappuccino Delight

Serves 4
Calories per serving: 110

For the cappuccino
1 cup coffee, cooled, or 2 shots espresso
1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons fat-free plain Greek yogurt
5 tablespoons fat-free chocolate syrup
1 cup ice

For the whipped cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

1. For the cappuccino: Place the coffee, milk, yogurt, syrup and ice in a blender and blend until desired.

2. For the whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners' sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. At this point, you may add extracts or any additional flavorings you may like.

3. For the assembly: Pour the cappuccino in a glass and top with whipped cream. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.