If you having been keeping tabs on The Kale Project, you know that I don’t really bake – although I will admit I’m becoming more and more excited about making healthy muffins for cold winter mornings. Maybe there is something to be said about all this baking business?
So why all the baking? This weekend was Cupcake Camp Paris III and I was very happy to be a part of the great event where all proceeds when to the Make A Wish foundation. Basically a bunch of people, both French and expats, baked dozens of cupcakes and then there were crowds (yes, long lines outside the door) who then paid per cupcake to take home their own boxes of beautifully decorated cupcakes!
Since I was asked to bake as The Kale Project, I knew I would have to go all out and make an effort to bake a healthy cupcake, which then basically means I baked muffins and put icing on top. And it was not just any icing, in fact it was coconut cream icing with vanilla extract and agave syrup. Truly healthy!
While my cupcakes were by far the least attractive and the least sweet, I was proud with how they held up amongst all of the professional cupcakes in the room. Were there a lot of raised eyebrows (especially French eyebrows)? Yes, but I do think that it was a great event to further awareness about our beloved leafy green. And even better, Cupcake Camp Paris raised over 5,500€ for charity – a real success if you ask me.
While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the icing. I found it difficult to obtain the perfect “icing” consistency with coconut cream, but the thought that it is vegan icing kept me going. If you are able to gather enough of the “fat” from top of the coconut cream, add a desired amount of vanilla extract and agave syrup to sweeten.
**For an additional topping, I baked a few pieces of kale in the oven (lightly drizzled in olive oil), crushed them and added brown sugar to sprinkle on top. Kale sprinkles!
A few notes about specific ingredients…
In place of processed sugar, I chose to experiment with Rapadura, which is created when sugar cane is juiced and then dehydrated – no other processing involved. In reading many vegan websites, people rave about using Rapadura for all baking needs. Here is a link to more information about sugar alternatives.
Kale Cupcakes
Cake (dry)
3 leaves kale, de-stemmed and very finely chopped
1 3/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup raw cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder (this is a difficult ingredient to find in France and when I made them the first time, I did not have it on hand and the cupcakes turned out fine)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup of Rapadura (you can find this at Naturalia)
Cake (liquid)
1 large beet, steamed, de-skinned and chopped into smaller pieces
1 tablespoon Chia seeds (Chia seeds are hard to find in France due to a shortage from the main supplier; you can use Flax seeds as a substitute)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cold-pressed coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons chocolate extract (hard to find in France, if you do not use, just increase the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Frosting
Coconut “fat” from 2 containers of coconut cream (I would buy 3-4 just incase one of the containers has not settled with the fat at the top)
2-3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 teaspoons of agave syrup (this depends on how sweet you would like the icing to be)
1. While the beet is steaming, add all the wet ingredients together in a blender. If you are using Chia seeds, it is helpful for them to sit in the wet mixture and “plumpen” to help them soften.
2. De-stem and finely chop the kale.
3. When beet is steamed (around 30 minutes), de-skin and chop into small pieces and add to blender. Blend the mix until it is one texture.
4. Add together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add the kale and then add the beet mixture and mix all ingredients together.
5. Once mixed, place into cupcake trays and bake for 25 minutes at 110 degrees C.
Mary Kay (Out and About in Paris) says
Mmm. Your kale cupcakes look yummy. Even though I don’t think that I’m going to make these at home because I don’t bake that much anymore, I sure do wish that I could have bought some last weekend!
Congratulations to the Cupcake Camp Paris for raising so much money for Make-a-Wish Foundation. It’s definitely a very worthy cause.
kristen says
Maybe next get together I’ll make some. Missed seeing you but sounds like you were having such great adventures in Venice!
Lauren Lou says
Hi Kristen, your cupcake was delish! I had mine with a picnic lunch the next day and it was so yummy! I can’t wait for kale to be at the batignolles market so I can try this recipe out for myself.
xx
kristen says
Hi Lauren-So nice to hear from you and thank you for the compliment. I had your cupcake for dessert this week and it was delish!! It was great to meet you. We’ll have to do a market meet-up sometime soon w/ Olivia! xx