Chocolate-Glazed Cupcakes

Because I have a dairy allergy, I’m always on the search for treats I can eat. I prepare these cupcakes with dairy-free chocolate chips and vanilla coconut milk instead of cream.

—Kirstin Turner, Richlands, NC

PREP: 25 MIN. • BAKE: 15 MIN. + COOLING • MAKES: 16 CUPCAKES

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup baking cocoa
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips, optional

GLAZE

• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup half-and-half cream
• White nonpareils, optional

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 16 muffin cups with foil liners.
2. 2. In a large bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk water, applesauce, oil, vinegar and vanilla until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. If desired, stir in chocolate chips.
3. 3. Fill prepared muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 14-16 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
4. 4. For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and cream; cook and stir over low heat until smooth,3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool at room temperature until glaze is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Dip tops of cupcakes into glaze. If desired, sprinkle with nonpareils.

1 CUPCAKE: 148 cal., 6g fat (1g sat. fat), 2mg chol., 192mg sod., 23g carb. (13g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g pro. DIABETIC EXCHANGES: 1 ½ starch, 1 fat.

SWEET SECRET

Mix things up by replacing the vanilla extract with butter rum flavoring or almond or rum extract.