Mini Dark Chocolate Blackberry Quinoa Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing and Orange Zest

 

These mini cupcakes are little bundles of joy!  I promised my friend Dan some Quinoa cupcakes for some yard work he did for me at Christmas time.  I used blackberries and grated orange zest to garnish the cupcakes.  The orange gives them a fresh citrus burst which really made the cupcakes a crowd pleaser!

 

Mini Dark Chocolate Blackberry Quinoa Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing and Orange Zest
(Adapted recipe from "Quinoa 365: The Everyday Super food)

Batter:
2 cups cooked quinoa, cold
1/3 cup coconut milk (or regular milk, rice, soy etc.)*add as needed to batter
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground espresso
3/4 cups oil or melted butter
1 cup organic cane sugar or raw coconut sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
mini cupcake tin & liners

Filling:
Blackberry jam

Topping:
Fresh Blackberries
1 package cream cheese
1 tub of white frosting
Orange (for zest)

 

Step #1:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a Food Processor mix milk, eggs, vanilla, quinoa, melted butter (or oil) blend until smooth.  Add Cocoa powder, espresso, sugar, baking powder, baking soda to mixture and blend until smooth (taste batter and if you think it needs a little more chocolate, espresso or sugar.. go for it).  Note: I tend to add less sugar and add more if needed.

Step #2:  Line mini muffin tins with mini cupcake liners (there are lots of cool patterns at Michael's, Superstore and Winners).   Add a spoonful of batter (about 3/4 full) and make a dent with the end of a wooden spoon in the batter (for jam).  Add a small tsp of blackberry jam and cover with more batter.  *Note: I used a piping bag full of jam and put the end into the batter and watch the mounds grow as I added the jam.  If you have a piping set this was a very efficient way of getting the jam into them because they are so small!



Step #3 Bake for approximately 20 - 30 minutes, until when you press gently the cupcake springs back and tops look brown.  Let Cool.

 

Step #4:  Mix 1 container of plain icing and 1 softened block of cream cheese in Food Processor until smooth.  You can add to a piping bag or ice the cupcakes with a knife. *Make sure cupcakes are cool before icing or else it will melt. 

My piping gun.. works like a charm!

 

#5  Garnishing time!  Take a zester or grater and from above grate orange zest onto icing. 

 

Step#6:  Add a blackberry on top for perfection! Store in a cool place until served.