Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes (Splenda)

With the holiday season comes overindulgence in sweets and other goodies.  Some folks have to watch their sugar intake and Splenda has some great recipes for make from scratch cupcakes using their sugar substitute.  Don’t forget to include some low (or no) sugar treats for your friends and family who are watching their diet.

Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 cup SPLENDA^® Sugar Blend
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine cocoa and boiling water, whisking until blended. Set aside.
3. Combine flour, SPLENDA^® Sugar Blend, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a fork or a pastry blender until crumbly. (This procedure may be done with a mixer at the lowest speed. Cover mixing bowl with a clean tea towel to prevent spattering).
4. Combine eggs, milk, cocoa mixture and vanilla in a small mixing bowl; add 1/3 of the egg mixture to flour mixture. Beat at low speed of an electric mixer until blended. Beat at medium speed for 30 seconds or until batter is smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl. Repeat procedure 2 times.
5. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin tins.
6. Bake 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar or frost with Rich Chocolate Frosting.

Rich Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 cup milk
• 6 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup SPLENDA^® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold milk in a small saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves (about 2 minutes). Add chocolate and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.
2. Combine SPLENDA^® Granulated Sweetener, salt, and chocolate syrup; stir into gelatin mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 5 to 8 minutes or until mixture is spreading consistency. Do not over beat.