Delicate chocolate cupcakes perfect for an afternoon treat, soaked in a rich coffee syrup. Their texture is closer to a light chocolate cake — softer and fluffier than brownies. They rise without baking powder or bicarbonate of soda, relying entirely on well-whipped egg whites. There’s no added butter or oil either — the only fat comes from a small amount of ground almonds and chocolate, making them surprisingly light. Deeply chocolatey and elegant, they’re wonderful served with coffee syrup and optionally with seasonal fruit.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Ingredients for the chocolate cupcakes:
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 200 g fine brown sugar (e.g. muscovado)
- 125 ml boiling water
- 85 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 egg yolks (from large eggs)
- 30 g ground almonds
- 50 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 4 egg whites (from large eggs)
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, add the sugar and boiling water, and mix until combined. Add the chopped chocolate, leave for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. If needed, strain through a sieve. Add the egg yolks and whisk immediately. Stir in the ground almonds and flour, mixing just until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in three additions, gently incorporating to keep the mixture light and airy.
Grease a 12-hole muffin tin and dust lightly with flour, tapping out any excess. Divide the batter evenly between the cases.
Bake at 160°C for 18–20 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then carefully remove from the tin and cool completely.
Ingredients for the coffee syrup:
- 140 g fine brown sugar (e.g. muscovado)
- 160 ml water
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until slightly thickened (it will thicken further as it cools). Stir in the instant coffee at the end. Allow to cool.
Drizzle the cupcakes with coffee syrup before serving.
Enjoy!
Adapted from AWW “Fast Desserts”.
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