Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Popcorn Tower

What's a party without cake? It's a sacrilege! 

What's a cupcake without frosting and a popcorn tower? Boring!

These cupcakes were featured in a recent magazine and were a request from a friend. 

The challenge was to healthify a chocolate, caramelly treat...  so of course I used chickpeas!

This is a simple cupcake recipe but feel free to use this one for a richer flavour, or use this recipe and make into cupcakes instead of a cake.

It's the tower that makes these cupcakes super impressive!

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL POPCORN TOWERS

(makes 12)

INGREDIENTS

1 serve Caramel Popcorn

2 tablespoons coconut oil

130grams chickpeas, canned and drained

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cocoa

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb soda)

Dash of salt

4 eggs, separated 

1/2 cup maple syrup 

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons water

1 serve chocolate frosting

Additional caramel and melted chocolate for decoration

INSTRUCTIONS

To make caramel popcorn towers;

Melt coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat.

Add the caramel popcorn and stir to combine. 

Scoop spoonfuls into mini cupcake cases and place in refrigerator until set.

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Place drained chickpeas in blender and purée.

When puréed remove from blender and place in container.

To the blender, add coconut flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend on high until ground into a fine mixture (30seconds to 1 minute) 

To a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment on high, add the eggs whites until frothy.

Slowly add the maple syrup then vanilla extract whilst whisking on high.

Add the blended mixture (chickpeas etc) and whisk in on low for 1 minute. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl during this step to ensure it is combined properly.

Turn the whisk on high and add water, until the mixture is fluffy.

Place 12 cupcake liners in muffin tray and spray liners with oil spray.

Divide mixture evenly between liners. They will be quite full but that's ok; the cupcakes don't rise a lot.

Bake for 16 -18 minutes, or until cooked through.

Remove from oven, and allow to cool.

Spread a small amount of frosting over each cupcake.

Remove the wrappers from the popcorn towers and place on top of each cupcake.

Drizzle caramel and chocolate over each cupcake tower.