Fruity Coconut Cream Freezer Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

June 12, 2013 • 0 comments

Say the word “cupcake” to my 4-year-old daughter and a joyful squeal will immediately follow. Include some fruit and her oh-so-favorite dark chocolate and you have sealed the deal. While I love the textured almonds on the bottom, she asked me to remove the “seeds”, so you can choose to leave them out.

You can easily whip up a batch of these freezer cupcakes with ingredients you have on hand including fruits such as cherries, strawberries, bananas, mangos, and a few pantry items. Even canned fruit will do fine. Coconut milk replaces the heavy cream found in ice cream, slightly lowering the saturated fat content, eliminating cholesterol and lending a salty-sweet taste. If coconut flavor isn’t for you, use yogurt instead.

Fruity Coconut Cream Freezer Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate

1/4 cup (23 g) finely chopped roasted unsalted almonds (optional)

1 cup (170 g) chopped strawberries (plus 1-2 teaspoons [7-14 g] agave nectar, if needed)

1 (14-ounce or 414 ml) can coconut milk, shaken

3 tablespoons (63 g) agave syrup

1 cup (150 g) chopped bananas

1 cup (200 g) pitted chopped cherries

1/4 cup (43 g) good dark chocolate chips

Place paper liners a 12-cup muffin tin and clear a level space in freezer for the pan. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon almonds (optional) into each muffin cup to cover the bottom.

Taste strawberries and sweeten with a little agave syrup if needed. Whisk the coconut milk and agave syrup in a bowl until smooth.

Using a 1/4-cup measure, portion a level scoop of fruit into each muffin cup, keeping them separate or mixing them together if you prefer. Do not pack fruit tightly in cups. Pour the coconut milk over the fruit, spreading the fruit lightly to distribute evenly. Place in the freezer.

Put the chocolate pieces in a bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring well after each to redistribute the heat. Once 75% of the chocolate is melted, stir until the remaining chocolate is melted and smooth. The more you stir, the better. Stick a clean finger (or a thermometer) into the chocolate to test if it is 90°F (32°C) or just slightly lower (that’s about 8° lower than body temperature). If it’s still too warm, let it rest a few minutes and stir some more. Once you think your chocolate is the right temperature, test it by dipping a knife into it and putting the knife in the refrigerator. If after 1-2 minutes, if it is slightly shiny and not sticky, speckled, or streaked, then you have properly tempered chocolate. Drizzle the chocolate over the muffin cups and freeze until solid all the way through.

Enjoy the “cupcakes” frozen. Or soften slightly by allowing them to sit out for a couple of minutes before serving.

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus freezing time

Cook time: 0 minutes

Makes 12 servings, 1 cupcake each

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 140 calories, 10 g total fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 5 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g total carbohydrate (2 g fiber), 2 g protein, 8% DV iron, 2% DV calcium, 0% DV Vitamin A, 17% DV Vitamin C.