Recipe: Healthier Lamington Cupcakes

 

Psst: It's Australia Week on Southern In-Law! 

Check out the other recipes: Healthy Cheesymite Scrolls//Healthy Chocolate Crackle Slice (AKA: Lamington Rice Crispy Treats)//Low Fat ANZAC Biscuits

When I told Jesse that I wanted to make a Lightened Up Butter Cake recipe, he looked at me like I'd gone mad. "A butter cake? You're going to put that on Southern In-Law? How is that going to fit with your healthy recipes.... or how are you going to make that healthier?"

Oh, ye of little faith! Of course I could create a low fat butter cake recipe (also known as a yellow cake in the US) - it was just going to take a bit of testing and tweaking and Southern In-Law magic - and by jove, she's done it!

When the idea came into my head to make Healthier Lamington Cupcakes, I knew I wanted to make them super simple and easy to make - so the usual sponge cake base of traditional lamingtons had to change. Sponge cakes tend to use too many eggs and they don't always work out as planned - so I wanted a foolproof recipe. Thus, the Healthier Low Fat Butter Cake recipe was born. 

The soft and fluffy butter cake base is then topped with a deeeeeelicious and super simple chocolate glaze/icing which is made using just three ingredients - and then all you have left to do is sprinkle on some shredded coconut for that lamington look.  Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!

Jesse ate his first one and said "Oh wow... these are amazing... I'm glad I married you" and somehow the entire batch of cupcakes disappeared in just a few days. They're good... actually, they're better than good - and you'll want to make them ASAP. 

So let's get onto the recipe! >>  

 Lightened Up Lamington Cupcakes 
 A low fat butter cake base, topped with a simple three ingredient glaze and a sprinkle of coconut for a healthy (and way simpler) twist on the traditional lamington.
Makes 10 cupcakes which are low fat, lower sugar, gluten free

For the low fat butter cake:
1 cup (120g) gluten free plain flour/plain flour 
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp (55g) butter, softened slightly
1/4 cup (50g) unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar (use 1/3-1/2 cup if you like sweeter baked goods)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk of choice
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 180°C/355°F 
Grease or line a muffin/cupcake tin ready to fill.
Mix together your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a mixer, cream your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in your egg, scraping the bowl to incorporate the ingredients and mixing for a few seconds.
Add in your milk and vanilla and mix to combine ingredients.
Add your dry ingredients and beat until light and fluffy, being sure to scrape down the bowl a few times to incorporate all of the ingredients.
Scoop out your cupcake mixture into your prepared tins, filling the tins about 2/3 of the way (they rise alot!).
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and cooked through (a skewer inserted will remove clean).
Leave to cool completely before frosting.

For the low fat chocolate glaze/icing: 
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (75g) icing sugar
2 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk of choice
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients until smooth and dollop on top of cooled cupcakes, using a spoon to spread out the glaze.
It will be quite thick, but this is how you want it!

For the topping:
Shredded coconut - we used a pinch of coconut for each of the cupcakes and placed the coconut straight onto the wet icing.

But tell me, cupcakes or cakes - which do you prefer?

And what's your favourite cupcake flavour?

I'm definitely a cupcake girl - small, easy to eat, not so messy - much better in my opinion. This is actually one of my new favourite recipes so I know they'll be making repeat appearances in the SIL house!