SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH FIREWORKS

What can I say?  I love chocolate but because I'm trying to change my lifestyle from eating too much sugar to eating minimal sugar, I decided to transform this supersweet version into my own sugar free creation.  Believe me, the flavor is not compromised.  It is STILL very good!  I know, I consider myself the chocolate connosieur.  Without much further ado, here is my recipe that I gladly share with you...  and if you feel jaded, I added poprocks to give it that extra excitement, nevertheless!!!

INGREDIENTS

½ c. unsweetened cocoa

½ c. boiling water

1 ½ c. sifted cake flour (sift then measure)

1 c. Splenda, for baking

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¾ c. butter, at room temp (30 mins after removing from ref)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  line cupcake tin with papers.

2.       Combine cocoa and boiling water, whisking until blended and smooth.  Set aside.

3.       3. Combine flour, splenda, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Add butter and mix with mixer until crumbly.

4.       in a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, cocoa mixture an dvanilla.  Add 1/3 of the wet mixture to the dry mixture.  Beat on low speed with electric mixer until blended. Beat at medium speed for an additional 30 secs until mixture is smooth (scrape down sides of bowl, as needed).  Repeat two more times, until all egg mixture has been added.

5.       Scoot batter into prepared tins.  Fill cupcake papers and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove and cool.

FOR BUTTERCREAM ICING

6 oz. semisweet chocolate broken into small pieces

1 c. unsalted butter

1 egg (room temp)

4 large egg yolks (room temp)

½ c. splenda

1/3 c. water

1 ½ tbsp brandy (dark rum) optional

1.    Melt chocolate with 2 tbsp butter

2.    reserve

3.    place whole egg and egg yolks in medium bowl, beat at high speed for 1 min

4.    reserve

5.    measure sugar and water into 1 qt nonaluminum saucepan, stir well.

6.    Cook over low heat until mixture simmers, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. 

7.    Uncover sugar syrup

8.    While beating at high speed, imeediately drizzle the sugar syrup into the reserved egg mixture

9.    Continue beating until bottom of bowl is cool to touch

10.                     Gradually beat reserved chocolate mixture at high speed, add beaten butter, about 1 tbsp at a time.

11.                     When all butter has been added, beat about 5 minutes

12.                     refrigerate icing, stirring every 10 min. until firm enough to spread usually 30-40 minutes

13.                     Sprinkle chocolate poprocks on top of each iced cupcake.

**Caveat - I said sugar free, not fat free!