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Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting

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Luscious, Great flavored Raw Gluten-Free Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting, great for parties

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

My take on a molten chocolate cake… without the… molten.  Lol, I really didn’t start out with a molten styled dessert in mind, it was after the fact when I looked at the picture with the cupcake sliced in half.

The center ganache wasn’t about to ooze out anywhere.  I think I heard it whisper, “I think I can, I think I can.”  But it didn’t. Not even after 8 hours of sitting on the kitchen counter… the ganache held its ground.

Why was this luscious little nugget of joy sitting out on the counter for 8 hours?  I was testing how it would hold up to room temperatures.  I try to do this with just about everything I make.

Do keep in mind with this recipe, as well as any, your results may vary, from how you made the recipe, the room humidity, and of course the temperature.   So with my test, with room air being around 70 degrees (F), it held up perfectly for 8 hours.  The frosting did start to darken a little but other than that, no complaints.

This makes it a great treat to make for parties because you can put them out on the table and not fear the meltdown.  BUT again, lots of warm bodies in a room will raise the air temp, which can affect your desserts.

Bob enjoyed these so much that he shared them with some guys we had working outside and if I witnessed it right… I think he was even following the cable man, who was fixing our system, with a sample.   I got orders to make more.  Good thing I know the chef and have the recipe. :)

I cut one in half so you could see the inside.  I am not sure why, but it cracks me up… the frosting looks like hair rollers to me, all piled high on the cupcake.  haha

For a layer of flavor, I used mesquite powder, which is also known as mesquite flour or mesquite meal.  It has a molasses-like taste with a hint of caramel.   Not only does it add great flavor to the cupcake, but mesquite flour is also high in protein and soluble fiber.  Now granted, I didn’t use an abundant amount, but every little bit in the right direction helps.

This is how looks inside of Raw Gluten-Free Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting

Ingredients:

Yields 1 1/4 cups batter

Cupcakes:

Chocolate Ganache:

Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Topping:

Preparation:

Cupcakes:

  1. If the dates are hard and tough, in a small bowl, rehydrate by adding enough hot water to cover them.
    • Remove the pits and inspect each date for any unwanted guests.
    • Soak for 10+ minutes, or until soft.
    • Once done soaking, discard the soak water and hand-squeeze the excess water from them.  Set aside.
  2. In a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, process the almonds until they are a small mealy size.
    • They won’t break down into a fine powder, due to their natural oils.
    • Be careful not to over-process; this will lead to the almonds releasing too much of their natural oils and this will make the cupcakes oily feeling.
  3. Add the cacao, mesquite powder, and salt.  Pulse together just enough to combine.
  4. Remove the lid to the food processor and place the dates around the inside of the bowl.  Don’t lump them all in one spot. Drizzle the coconut oil around as well.
  5. Return the lid and process until the batter starts to form a ball.

Chocolate ganache:

  1. Chill the ganache, so it is firm.  If need be, place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.

Espresso Buttercream Frosting:

  1. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized circular tip.  Work out any air bubbles before you start piping.
  2. If the frosting is too stiff to work with, allow it to warm a bit in room air.  If the frosting is too soft, place it back in the fridge to firm up.

Assembly:

  1. To form the cupcakes, I used the Norpro nonstick small cheesecake pan. Press the batter into the cavity, leveling it off at the top.
  2. Remove about 1 tsp of batter from the center.
  3. With a spoon, scoop out about 1 tsp of ganache, give or take depending on the cavity size that was created.  Place the cavity.  It is ok if some spills out on top.  See photo below.
  4. Start piping the frosting, working from the outside to the inside.
  5. Sprinkle with cacao powder and nibs!
  6. Keep the cupcakes chilled.  I tested these sitting on the counter.  After 8 hours, everything was holding up great except the frosting started to darken in color.
  7. Keep for 5-7 days.

Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with medium-sized circular tip

 I wanted to share these two photos with you so that you could see what they looked like
before they got all dolled up.

This is how looks before with Espresso Frosting Raw Gluten-Free Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes

 

29 thoughts on “Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting

  1. Lynne says:

    I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ for sharing you recipes and that I enjoy your style of writing ……..as if you were having a conversation…….so much
    Lynne

    • amie-sue says:

      Thank you Lynne… that means a lot to me that you shared that. It is so wonderful that I can live an extension of me… out to those who read my site. What a blessing to me. Happy Thanksgiving! amie sue

  2. janet says:

    Hi dear,
    looks wonderful, will give it a try. How do you get it out from the forms?
    thanks
    Janet

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Janet,

      Thank you…. Regarding the pan that I used. If you skim over the “assembly” section, I posted a link for you all as to what pan I used. Each little “cup” has a removable bottom so I can just push it up and out. Soooo slick. :) Have a wonderful day, amie sue

      • janet says:

        Dear Ami-Sue, thanks for your reply, I thought so. I used other forms small pie forms with removable buttoms, and it turned out DELICIOUS !!! thank you so much, you are such an inspriration!

  3. RenB says:

    Happy Thanksgiving Amie Sue! Thank you for all of the beautiful and delicious options for the holidays! This recipe is so decadent; I can’t wait to try this one and all of the others you posted this week and last. You are simply amazing. Pray that your holiday is just as awesome as you are!

    • amie-sue says:

      Oh RenB…. thank you so much. You are such a gem and I am so thankful to have you “here”. I appreciate your loving words. Many blessings to you and your loved ones as well. hugs,amiesue

  4. Tracy says:

    I clicked on the link for the mesquite powder and says unavailable. Is there something else that can be used? Is it mesquite pods that are gathered in the spring from mesquite trees, and the seeds inside ground up to a powder form? I have plenty of those in the spring as I have a HUGE mesquite tree in my front yard.
    Love your site and share it often with my diet support group.
    Tracy

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Tracy,

      You are so right! They are out of stock on the mesquite powder. I added a new one to the site that is available.

      Oh those pesky mesquite pods. When we lived in AZ I would walk on a blanket of those in our courtyard. We had a gorgeous mesquite tree there. :) There is a process for milling them in to flour. Here are a few links that talks about them. http://www.lifesagardenaz.com/garden_tips_cat.html?type= and http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/06/foraging-how-to-make-your-own-gluten-free-mesquite-pod-flour/. It really is such a neat product, I hope you give it a try.

      Mesquite flour adds a subtle sweetness (and nutty flavor) to a recipe and but it isn’t necessarily meant to be replaced with another sweetener. It has a molasses-like flavor with a hint of caramel. High in protein and soluble fiber. “Because its sugar is in the form of fructose, which does not require insulin for metabolism, mesquite helps maintain a constant blood sugar level for a sustained period of time. With a glycemic index of 25 and a high percentage (25%) of dietary fiber, it digests more slowly than many grains, preventing sharp rises and falls in blood sugar. Mesquite thus supports the diet of diabetics, and helps maintain a healthy insulin system in others.” (sours Superfoods.com)

      If often will depend on the recipe as to how to replace it. Many people use carob in its place. But since I already used cacao in the crust I would replace it with raw coconut crystals. That will give the crust a hint more sweetness to balance the bitterness of the cacao and a hint of the deep brown sugar flavor.

      I hope this helps. Enjoy and have a blessed day, amie sue

      • Tracy says:

        Thank you so much for the information on the mesquite pods. I will probably venture to make my own next spring/summer (before the bean beetles and monsoons get to them). On another note, have you ever done anything with prickly pear seeds? We picked some this fall, pureed them and then I dehydrated and ground the seeds into a flour like consistency. Sitting in my pantry now, with no idea how to use it.
        Thanks,
        Tracy

        • amie-sue says:

          Good evening Tracy,

          Prickly pear seeds?! OH dear, no I don’t know anything about them. For the relatively short time that I lived in Tucson, I only used the prickly pears a few times in recipes, but never did anything special with the seeds. Sorry. Have a great evening, amie sue

  5. Ernanda says:

    These look absolutely amazing! Wow :) It’s interesting – how did you remove them from the pan?

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Ernanda,

      Thank you! In the “assembly” section of the recipe, I provided a link for the pan that I used. The bottoms of each little cup push out. LOVE this pan. So all I do is put pressure under each little cake and push it up and out. So easy! Norpro Nonstick Small Cheesecake Pan

      Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings, amie sue

  6. Annie says:

    Haven’t tried these yet… but they look soooo yummy!… I just wanted to send you and Bob blessings and joy for Thanksgiving.

  7. Marie Rose says:

    Happy Thanksgiving, Dear Amie Sue: hope you’re having a great day Delightful and Delectable as your recipes make us feel! I sure will try to make this cupcake…! Marie

  8. Mia says:

    Dear Amie-sue, I absolutely adore your site the layout the photography and it goes without saying the recopies, absolutely outstanding, professional and polished, I have tried a few recipes but unfortunately I’m having problems with the weights and measures, I live in the UK and we don’t use cups here and although I have tried looking on-line for a conversion table i.e. cups to ounces “metric” they all seem to differ, which leaves me scratching my head and having to guess, hence my not so perfect results so far, I wanted to try this recipe out but “guess the quantity” is quite nerve wracking, please please can you help and give me an accurate conversion table, so that I can at least try to do your amazing recopies some justice, many thanks and kind regards, Mia .

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Mia,

      I am sorry for the delay in responding to you. My parents came in yesterday for the holidays. :) I will do some looking around on the net to see about a conversion. There is one on my site at the bottom of the recipes but other than that, I don’t tinker with them. If I find something better, I will let you know. Have a blessed and merry day! amie sue

  9. Sharon says:

    Amie Sue…just made these…delish…again.of course overprocessed nuts…more brownie like. Good thing I have extra ganache and frosting…more to make tomorrow! :-) ..and yes there is a thin mint challenge extended to you…not sure I know a better candidate! I will let you know about the carmel delights when cookies come in :-)

    • amie-sue says:

      Well Sharon, there is the beauty of raw… you can pretty much save every recipe and transform it into something else. hehe Thin mints… I will see if I can find some time to work on that for you :) Sweet dreams, amie sue

  10. Linda says:

    Hello Amie Sue – just made these for Easter – another great success among my sweet tooth folks! Thank you :)

    • amie-sue says:

      Ah wonderful Linda. So happy to hear that they were part of your Easter celebration. :) Have a blessed evening, amie sue

  11. Sharon clark says:

    Hi Amie Sue…

    This is from your “friends” in Maine again. Two weeks ago we had annual girls weekend in Northport Maine…we also had you there in “spirit” because we still ask…”what would Amie Sue do?”…when we are talking about raw creations…these cupcakes and the key lime pie were hits….no surprise. One of the ladies and I are going to a raw dinner for charity tonight that is put on by Matthew Kenney’s graduating class in Belfast…so again, thinking of you,thanking you for all you give….have a blessed day!

    Sharon

    Ps…remember…always an invitation if you get to Maine.

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning my Maine friends! My goodness, has it already been a year since you all last gathered? Sounds like you once again had a blessed time. :) Thanks for keeping me with you in spirit, that is really special and I feel honored.

      Is the cottage a rental Sharon? I am looking for a peaceful, distraction free place to stay for a few weeks to work on some internal healing.

      I hope you have a blessed day and so wonderful to hear from you again. Blessings and joy, amie sue :)

      • Sharon clark says:

        Not technically, but will ask the owner. She may be interested. If not, I would be happy to help you find such a place if you are interested in this area . Send me an e-mail if you want with details about what you are looking for.

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