Quinoa Chocolate Cupcakes

We love so many things about Halloween but the challenging part is all the sugary foods between the Halloween parties and the Trick or Treating.  Add a gluten or wheat allergy in there and you are in for difficult time.  That's why we were so Happy when we discovered Cake on the Brain's post on Quinoa Cupcakes.  She had adapted her recipe from Quinoa 365:  The Everyday Superfood and we have changed it a bit more to reduce the fat and lower the sugar.  These cupcakes are SO GOOD that you won't even notice they are gluten free!
We dressed them up a bit for Halloween but these cupcakes are amazing to eat just plain!
Makes 12-14 large  cupcakes

Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa, cold (cook according to package directions)
1/3 cup milk
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp STAR Extra Light Olive Oil
3/4 cups cane sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12-14 cupcake liners

Have Fun with Toppers!

 
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line the muffin tin with the 12 large-sized cupcake liners.

In a Vitamix, Blender or Food Processor, combine:  milk, eggs, vanilla.  Blend until combined.  Add 2 cups of cold cooked quinoa and STAR Extra Light Olive Oil and continue to blend until smooth.

Dump in the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the Vitamix, Blender or Food Processor.  Blend well to combine.

Pour from the blender directly into the cupcake liners, evenly distributing the cupcake batter between the 12 liners.  Gently tap the tin on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles.  Smooth the tops with a small spatula.

Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Test the cupcakes for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a rack.

Frost if desired. Cupcakes can be stored sealed in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.  We added eyeballs and spider rings to give them Halloween flair.