Carob cupcakes

Welcome in 2015 :) ! Happy New Year !

It's high time to catch up with some unpublished recipes. I baked those cupcakes in October last year but haven't got enough time to publish the recipe. 

This is recipe for those who have to avoid chocolate. Carob is healthier chocolate substitute you may read about it here. It has plenty of vitamins, minerals etc.. It has darker than chocolate color and slightly different flavour. 

This recipe comes form carob box. I think it's worth to try.

    Ingredients for 12 cupcakes:

• 100g margarine
• 100g brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp almond essence
• 50g carob
• 40g wholewheat flour (I used spelt flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 40g ground almonds

Line muffin tin with paper cases. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the margarine  and sugar into electric mixer bowl and beat them. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Mix the egg yolks with vanilla and almond essence and add to the mixture in an electric mixer bowl and beat them together. 

In separate bowl mix the carob, flour, baking powder and almonds. Whip the egg whites until stiff. Add alternately the flour mixture and egg whites foam to the mixture in mixer beating continuously. 

 Spoon the batter to the muffin cases. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen. 

Set aside to cool down. Prepare the frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:

• 80g icing sugar
• 25g carob
• 40g butter
• 4 tsp hot water

Place all the ingredients in a bowl  and mix them until turn into thick, smooth mass.

Spread over each cupcake top and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

   Enjoy !

Recipe in Polish