Chocolate and Honey Cupcakes

Honey features prominently during the Jewish Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (break of the fast), when we dip our apples in honey and serve honey cake to symbolize our hope for a sweet New Year.

While I love the cinnamon and spice flavors of traditional Jewish honey cake, this New Year I wanted to celebrate with something different.  I experimented with four versions of honey cupcakes until I found the right blend of honey, chocolate and flavorings. They are deeply chocolatey,  exceptionally moist and just right with an ice cold cup of milk or milk alternative! 

You probably already have most of these ingredients in your pantry:

baking cocoa
instant coffee
canola oil
honey
vanilla extract
chocolate chips

You won’t need:

 milk
 butter
 eggs
 a mixer 
or frosting! 

Of course, nobody needs frosting, but these cupcakes are so rich and dense with flavor,  you are better off saving your calories for JK Gourmet’s microchip cookies or another family favorite!
Most of all, adapt this cupcake to fit your needs: kosher, vegetarian, vegan or gluten free. 

If you don’t own a cupcake pan, buy a disposable one and paper liners at the grocery store.

This cupcake is adapted from one of my favorite bakers, 
Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Check out her fearless blog at theppk.com.

Whether you are celebrating the Jewish Holidays or any day,
dig into Chocolate and Honey Cupcakes.   

Replace the honey with light agave nectar and discover the best VEGAN chocolate cupcakes on the planet. 
(It’ll be our little secret. Thanks Isa.)

 

Print

Chocolate and Honey Cupcakes

• Author: Dana Gerard
• Yield: 12 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour (174 gm.)
• ½ cup sugar
 (115 gm.)
• ¼ cup baking cocoa, regular or dark (40 gm.)
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee (3 gm.)
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder (15gm.)
• ½ teaspoon salt (2 gm.)
• 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice
 (225 gm.)
• 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar (4 ml.)
• ½ cup canola or light tasting vegetable oil 
(60 ml.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (2 ml.)
• ¼ cup honey or light agave nectar (85 ml.)
• ½ cup chocolate chips (100 gm.)

Instructions

1. Line cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, coffee, baking powder and salt. Stir gently until blended.
3. Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine non-dairy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle for a few minutes. Then add canola oil, honey and vanilla. Whisk well to blend.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk just until flour disappears. Use a rubber spatula to fold in chocolate chips.
5. DO NOT OVERMIX.
6. Fill muffin tins ¾ full using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop.
7. Bake 18 – 20 minutes. Rotate cupcakes after the first 10 minutes. Cupcakes are ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out (almost) clean.
8. Serving ideas:
9. Slice cupcakes in halves or thirds (wedges) and serve on a platter with chocolate chips, berries and whipped topping on the side.
10. Dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon.
11. If you can’t live without frosting…
12. Double decker frosted cupcakes: Cut cupcakes in half horizontally. Using your favorite frosting, frost bottom half, top and frost again. Dust with cocoa and top with chocolate chips.
13. Divide recipe in half to bake 6 regular cupcakes or 12 minis.
14. (Bake minis 8 -10 minutes.)
15. Make ahead, wrap well and freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz