Ok, cupcakes are done and tested! They actually turned out pretty darn good, I'd say. According to the cookbook they are 226 calories per cupcake. I figured it on my own at about 236 so it's close. This would indicate that you use all of the batter to make 12 cupcakes and all of the frosting to frost 12 cupcakes. The thing is, there is a TON of frosting for just 12 cupcakes so I think the calorie count will be lower (like just under 200) because I haven't used even close to 1/12th of the batter for one cupcake.
So, what I like the best about them is the lemon zest in the frosting that gives a slight lemony flavor. I think the cupcakes would fall slightly flat without that so if you make the recipe, don't skip the lemon zest! The cupcakes turned out fairly moist, decent flavor, slightly dense, but not too dense. The best part about them is that they satisfied my craving for something "naughty" but did not leave me feeling like I couldn't stop after I had just one. That's a huge issue for me. One bite becomes one cupcake becomes one dozen cupcakes...you get the drift. It was satisfying but easy to stop after one so that makes it worth it to me!
The downsides are that I used way more kitchen gadgets and appliances than I normally would so I made a bigger mess. Also, they are relatively small, which most homemade cupcakes are on the smaller side (I'm so used to the ginormous ones you see out at bakeries and such) so if you prefer more "stuff" for your 200 calories then you may not choose to make these. Also, it is just me and my DD this week while hubby is out of town so now I have 12...check that, 11...cupcakes and I have no idea how long they will last. I could freeze the actual cakes but I don't think the frosting will freeze so well (I don't know as a fact, but I'm guessing) which would leave me making another batch when I want to eat the frozen cakes. If you have more people in your family then this won't be such a big deal and 12 cupcakes will be gone in no time.
Overall, thumbs up on this healthier version of cupcakes! I'd make them again without a doubt! I don't have enough posts to post a link to the recipe but if you google Cook Yourself Thin you'll find it there.
Beets in cupcake batter?
