Muffin Monday {March 18}

Happy Muffin Monday everybody!  Okay, I totally lied, today I'm not making muffins.  I'm giving you a cupcake recipe.  I'm testing a few cupcake recipes on my guinea pigs Ken's coworkers.  This one was so loved a few people asked for my recipe.  So, I decided to give it to you guys. 

I made the frosting green for St. Patrick's Day.  My frosting skills still need a bit of work.  This cupcake is special because honestly it is the best damn fat free cupcake I've made to date.  It will be taken for the Easter party for the community.  These are also better for you because they have vegetables baked right in.  So, give them to the picky eater in your house and they'll never know.

Puree Recipe
1 zucchini, peeled (it is VERY important that you peel the zucchini.  You want your puree white-ish, not green)
4 medium carrots

1) Steam vegetables until soft
2) Drain and puree in a food processor

Vanilla Cupcake
118 calories
0.2 grams of fat
25.6 grams of carbs
13.1 grams of sugar

Ingredients
1 cup vegetable puree (recipe above)
1 cup sugar (you can possibly reduce the sugar.  These cupcakes are very sweet)
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup + 3 T egg substitute (equal to 4 eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients together
3. Spoon mixture into a greased muffin pan (it makes between 16 and 18 cupcakes so you'll need to pans)
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes
5. Cool for 5 minutes then cool cupcakes on a rack.
6. Store in the refrigerator

Meringue Frosting (a.k.a 7 Minute Frosting)
39 calories
0 grams fat
9.4 grams of carbs
9.4 grams of sugar

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Put sugar and water in a medium saucepan.  Clip on your candy thermometer
2. Over medium heat bring mixture to a boil and let it get to 245 degrees (DO NOT STIR DURING THE HEATING!)
3. While the sugar is boiling whip egg whites until they form soft peaks
4. Turn your mixer to low and slowly pour in the sugar syrup
5. Turn your mixer back up and whip egg whites and sugar mixture on high for about 7 minutes, until the bowl of your mixer cools
6. Stir in vanilla (this is also the time where you'd mix in your food coloring)

I really need to play around with the meringue frosting and see how it holds up to flavorings.  I think that this frosting will be a good host for a variety of different flavors.  

Most people have a definite opinion about hiding vegetables in kids' food.  I think that it's perfectly fine.  How do you feel about it?