Serves: Makes 12 large cupcakes
Cost: ~€3.60
Preparation time: ~20 minutes preparation, 25 minutes cooking time
Calories: ~360 calories per cupcake
I’d planned to post something else today, but to my dismay I realised that I’d completely forgotten to take a photo of the “final product”. I was looking around my computer and then it suddenly dawned on me that I’d delayed the final photo because there was no light at the time of finishing the dish. Oopsie. Luckily it’s the sort of thing I can take photos of later, and I still have plenty left so I’ll have them ready for the next post instead! For today I’ll share something which I made during the weekend instead. I don’t know if you remember my last post, but I mentioned all the wonderful flours I’d bought and I have to say, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. So many flours, so many things I could try and I just didn’t know what to try first.
I thought I should probably try and ease into my experimentation a bit and I figured that I’m no stranger to cake. I’d read that the chestnut flour made most excellent cakes and so my mind was made up. A cake it would be, and what ingredient goes better with chestnut than chocolate?
I wanted to try something a little different with the cake batter, and I was hoping for a layer of first chocolate cake, then plain cake, which I would then top with chocolate frosting. I found however that the bottom layer of chocolate batter rose up around the sides of the plain batter to create a kind of “cup”. No worries though – it still looked, and more importantly, tasted delicious!
If you’ve never had sweet chestnut flour before I cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s nutty and mild and has a slightly coarse texture to it which makes for not only a crumbly, moist cake, but a delicious crumb on top. It also has no gluten so you get a fantastic cake with a rich flavour which is suitable for people who can’t consume regular flours!
I seem to have been making quite a lot of unhealthy things recently though, and I have to admit that it’s having a bit of an impact on my waistline. I’m going to try and lay off the cakes and cookies for a bit and try and eat, and post, some things that are a bit more healthy! It’s been a while since I posted any “main-course” style dishes so I hope to do some things like this.
I hope you all have a a great week and I’ll be back on Thursday with the recipe which was supposed to be posted today!
Chocolate and Chestnut Cupcakes
[learn_more caption=”Video Recipe”]
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 180g Caster Sugar
- 180g Butter
- 180g Chestnut Flour
- 60g Good quality plain chocolate
- 3 Eggs
- 2 tsps Baking Powder
For the frosting
- 180g Icing Sugar
- 70g Butter
- 60g Good quality plain chocolate
Instructions
- Start off by preheating your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and then cream the butter and sugar for the cake together in a mixing bowl. Once fluffy, beat in the eggs bit by bit and then finally fold in the chestnut flour and baking powder to create a batter.
- Melt the chocolate over a gentle heat in a small pan.
- Separate the cake batter into two separate bowls and then pour the chocolate into one of the bowls and mix well into the mixture.
- Lay out 12 paper muffin cases and divide each bowl of mixture equally between the cases, starting with the chocolate batter, smoothing it out at the bottom, and then spooning the plain batter on top.
- Place the cakes into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until well risen, and you can insert a skewer and have it come out clean. While the cakes are baking, mix the butter and icing sugar for the frosting to a paste and then melt the chocolate over a gentle heat in a pan and mix in well too. If you find the frosting overly stiff, add in a little milk. Allow the baked cakes to cool and then cover with the frosting and enjoy!
Hi Charles-those look really good! Look forward to more recipes with the chestnut flour now…
Thanks GD – I’m not quite sure what I might try next with the flour. Maybe some sort of crepe?
A crepe would be nice or perhaps try some pastry for a spring inspired quiche??
If I dare to start baking ever in my life I would start with something like this for sure, thanks for the recipe! I don’t know if I can find that awesome flour, but it’s quiet the reason to look for it )
You can always order some online…. moulinsdeversailles.com 🙂
French website ((
Do they deliver to Ireland? )
Just checked… and no 🙁
These sound and look yummy. I will keep my eye for this flour. thank you
Thanks Debra – I really hope you’re able to find the flour… maybe have a look online? It’s *so* worth it!
I have never used chestnut flour before. Actually I do not think I have seen it here, but now will keep my eyes open. This look scrumptious. Sometimes I what you mean about getting those end photo shots. Yummy dishes just disappear before our very eyes…. Take Care, BAM
Hi Bam – I really recommend going the extra mile to find chestnut flour. It’s absolutely delicious… I can’t believe how tasty it makes things. I can’t wait to experiment more!
I too have never seen chestnut flour here but it sounds intriguing. I love the idea of mixing it up with chocolate and I think they turned out looking great. Love your plates too!
Thanks Chica – the plates are part of a china tea service which my mother let me have. My wife wanted it because she liked the idea of having a nice tea service. I wanted it because I was thinking “a-ha… cute food photography, here we go!” 😀
Yes, doesn’t the photography get in the way of good blogging! I’ve had so many wonderful posts that just ‘could have been’ if it weren’t for some stuff-up with the camera equipment (and the camera operator!) I love the look of these cupcakes. I would be so interested to try them because I saw chestnut flour in a deli a week or so ago and hovered over it wondering if I should buy it but then I resisted because I couldn’t think what to make. And NOW you do your post! Timing is everything! I will get back out to that deli, buy the flour and try these because I do try not to have too much gluten (naturopath is very against wheat) and I’d like to try the texture. Thanks for posting xx
Thanks Charlie – I think you’d love the texture. It’s one of those things where you just can’t believe it’s got no gluten in it because it seems such a perfect texture. I find gluten free things can often have quite a short texture.
Do let me know if you try these! 🙂
I’m jealous of your new flour collection, Charles. At this time in my life I need to be frugal. I keep hoping that spelt flour and kamut flour will turn up somewhere on the cheap, but no luck so far.
Hi Sharyn – I actually don’t find spelt flour *too* expensive. Of course, it’s comparatively way more than “plain flour”, but compared to things like kamut, which is a *lot* more it’s not too bad. I paid ~€3 for 500g of Kamut flour. You can buy 1kg of Plain Flour in the store for about €0.45. Ouch… 😀
Well, we are complaining about the price of what I think you call plain flour and looking for a place to purchase it more cheaply. My mother, the resident economist, (she studied that in college) mentioned that we might start buying 25 pounds at once to get a price break so I suppose that expenses are relative.
These look fantastic! I know exactly what you mean about the light. I hate it when that happens… 🙂
Thanks Jen. I was considering buying one of these natural light light-bulbs… Never tried photography under one. I wonder if it would work well…
Sometimes the best recipes come from happy accidents. The looks of these cupcakes certainly seem to bear that out. They look so cute. 🙂 And I’m glad they taste just as good. Good start to your ‘flour’ posts.
Thanks A_Boleyn… the next one (well, one for Sunday’s post) had me in a terrible rage… I’ll write more about that then 😀
Hi Charles, when I saw chestnut flour in your previous post I was hooked. I wondered what you would make of it. I have a friend who is gluten intolerant and another who is trying to eliminate gluten from his life, so this is perfect timing. I will need to bookmark this so I can make them for our birthday in July. Chocolate and chestnut are just dreamy!
Thanks Eva – the thing that I was most pleased with was the texture. If you eat it when it’s hot it’s very, very crumbly, but if you allow it to cool properly it’s as if you’re using a delicious, full-gluten flour or something. Really tasty and good!
This looks great! I have used almond flour but did see hazelnut flour the other day at my specialty store. I will have to try baking with nut flours. Again, wish you lived close enough to help me w/ my bake sale this Saturday!
Hi Lisa – I hope you’ll take photos of your bake sale and share them on your blog… I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes 🙂
Love the chocolate and chestnut combination Charles — it looks like you planned them for them to turn out that way!!! I started a diet today because l too have indulging in the sweets a lot lately. Looking forward to your upcoming savory postings!
Hi Barb – since you’re on a bit of a diet, hopefully you’ll like my post on Sunday 🙂 Hope you’re having a great day!
amazing! Simply delicious
Thanks KB 🙂
Hi Charles,
I have never worked with chestnut flour before. These cupcakes look wonderful! I wish I could taste one, right away.
Thanks so much Asmita – I hope you get the chance to try Chestnut flour… it’s really worth a try! 🙂
I dont remember seeing any cupcakes here before. Looks awesome by the way charles and I bet it tastes great too. my dad is a chestnut lover so I ll send the recipe (translation) over to my mum. =D
Thats happend to me a few times that the lights were bad and that I forgot later on to take a photo… well lets see what little surprise u have kept for us ready. 😉
Thanks Helene – I made a couple of cupcake posts here before. One which looked terrible, one which looked good… besides… there are entire blogs dedicated to only cupcakes, so I guess you can’t really have too many, right? 😀
This recipe is definitely a new way to make chocolate cupcakes. And they look so darn delicious. You know I’m a choco-aholic and need to go to Chocolate Anonymous meetings lol. Great post
lol, thanks Kay – should hide the chocolate from you if you ever come visit then 😀
haven’t tried chestnut flour before but I hear it gives a lovely texture and a sweetness to the finished baked good too! you also made a gluten-free cupcake that doesnt look like it was trying too hard to be gluten-free and delicious at the same time charles!
It’s so funny how our blogging schedules and for me, the timing of my meals too, depend on when there’s light. haha. the things we do for a good photo.
Hi Shuhan – it really gives an amazing texture. I never had anything quite like it. I recommend it, really!
Hehe, your last sentence made me chuckle – yeah… try spending time taking photos with a hungry wife next to you, tapping her feet while the lovely hot dish sits there slowly cooling (no no, she’s very understanding really, love you, darling – in case you’re reading this! <3)
I am reading this, yes! 😉
HAHAHAHAHA. the two of you are so cute.
Dear Charles,
These cupcakes look delicious. Chestnuts are in season now but my abject fear of baking will see me buy them instead. It’s also wouldn’t help when I didn’t even know there is such a thing as chestnut flour!
Thanks Chopinand – I had no idea either… I guess it’s just chestnuts, roasted and ground up……. right?
Chocolate and chestnut are a great combination. I really want to try some chestnut flour now. I’ve made chocolate and chestnut cakes before using chestnut puree but can imagine it would be better with chestnut flour.
Hi BA – I never used chestnut puree actually… whole ones, but not puree. Will need to give it a try 🙂
Chestnut flour? How utterly delightful. I’ve never encountered it… I must track it down… we have a great shop around the corner that generally houses all manner of flour; I’ll have a sniff later this week. Meanwhile, love the marbled look of these decadent puppies. I want one for my next birthday! ;-).
Thanks Kelly – It’s so fun, I’d never heard of it either… but then I had no idea you could get quinoa flour either… do they make flour out of everything these days? Could you dry and grind lemon rind and call it lemon flour?
I love your layered cupcakes! I’ve never used chestnut flour but I’ve read about it in numerous Italian cookbooks. Now I’m convinced that I need to track some down!
Thanks Laura – I had no idea it was common in Italian cookbooks – I have a big one here, I’ll have to peruse it and take a look for some inspiration!
They look gorgeous and so original! I must say chestnut flour is the only chestnut product I have never tasted, so I should try baking with it one day. Thanks for the excellent idea.
Thanks Sissi – I would recommend it… I think you would love it. If you were interested in ordering some, you can take a look at moulinsdeversailles.com – they have all manner of things there!
C’est une tuerie….It looks decadent..Oh and I like the plate…beautiful..
Thanks Nada 🙂 It was pretty darn tasty. I have one left too… not for much longer though 😀
You do certainly know cakes Charles! How clever and creative is this? Great way to use the chestnut flour. As you know I’m an oddball and don’t eat chocolate, but I do appreciate a beautiful looking dessert and this sure beautiful! 🙂
Thanks Kristy – I find the very idea of not liking chocolate completely bizarre, but I guess that at least it means it’s one less person depleting the world’s cacao resources 😀
Hi Charles! This is one of the most beautiful cupcakes I’ve seen. From the title I thought chestnut is in the cupcakes, but it’s the chestnut flour. I didn’t know there is such thing exist before. As a chestnut lover, these cupcakes will be instantly my favorite!
Thanks Nami – if you like chestnuts then I think you’d love this flour – you should really try and get a hold of some. Maybe I can send you some if you can’t find it? Let me know!
Hello Charles, if only you could see how many recipes I have in my photography folders that are lacking the final picture, it is really irritating when the light goes out just when you are ready to take a picture or when your camer’s battery runs out
I have never tried chestnut flour simply because I never knew it existed, now I am really curious
Hi Sawsan – hehe, I’ve had this post which has been sitting in my drafts for months because it was lacking a couple of pics. I finally trashed it in the end and figure I’ll just make it again sometime.
I’ve never had chestnut flour, sounds intriguing and delicious. I love the look of these cupcakes. Now to talk Katherine into making them….
Hi Greg – I hope you’re able to find it, it’s a really tasty flour to use 🙂
I really like the way the cupcakes look. They sound great.
Thanks Karen, they had a beautiful texture 🙂
Haha, there is no specific cake day for anyone, especially foodie, right?:p
What a lovely idea to use chestnut flour and they turned out scrumptious!:)
Thanks Christy – they did turn out well, although I’m not sure what to make using the flour next!
OMG these look amazing!!! I’m so hungry now…
Thanks so much Lisa – and thanks for stopping by today 🙂