Squash Cupcakes + Quick Dark Chocolate Frosting

This cake sounded great. The squash cakes and spicy chocolate cakes we've made from this wonderful book have become staples. We had some leftover roasted squash, so this is what happened next in our kitchen. Ah, cooking...it's such a long, continuous chain of the things people have already made before you got there first. Being inspired along the way is a beautiful thing.

Squash Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups acorn and butternut squash (roasted, peeled, mashed)
2 eggs
1/2 cup almond oil (or canola)
1/4 cup applesauce

1 cup cane sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon iodized salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
dash of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the squash, eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well until there are no lumps. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, chili, and cayenne. Pour squash mixture into the flour mixture and fold to combine, but don't over mix. Stop right when you can't spot any more flour. Use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to portion batter into a lined muffin tin. Bake for 35 minutes.


Quick Chocolate Frosting

2 ounces (about 3 squares) Lindt sea salt chocolate bar
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Maldon sea salt flakes (for garnish)

Melt the chocolate and margarine. Whisk in the powdered sugar and cream. Let it cool 3-5 minutes in the fridge and then spread a thin layer on top of squash cupcakes. Sprinkle just a pinch of Maldon on top of frosted cupcakes.