Zucchini Chocolate Cupcakes -- Lactose Free

Every summer I make a Zucchini chocolate cake. You can see the recipe here. But this year I had to make some changes due to two new circumstances. 1. We discovered we had a child that was lactose intolerant. The original cake and the frosting are murder on her poor 6 year old tummy. It was not fair to make her miss out on one of her favorite treats. And so we went lactose free on the cake and frosting. No one noticed the difference.(Well almost lactose free - I added a few chocolate chips to each cupcake.)

2. I went on a diet and if you put a whole chocolate zucchini cake in front of me I will pick and steal pieces until it has gone from the plate to my hips. Incidentally, I do not enjoy normal chocolate cakes. This is the only chocolate cake that has this power over me. And so I decided I could control myself better if I made preportioned cupcakes. I could eat smaller portions and fewer portions and I could easily freeze the other dozen cupcakes (without the frosting) for a colder, frostier day.

The altered cake
(original recipe here)

1/2 Cup butter flavored crisco (room temperature)
1/2 Cup oil
1 3/4 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
2 C grated zucchini
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 Cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup coconut (not from a can, from the dairy section or soy milk)
4 Tbsp Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder.
1/2 to 1 Cup chocolate chips
Cream crisco, oil and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and milk. Add remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips. Mix well and stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips.
Oil or line a cupcake pan. I sprinkled the remaining choco chips on the top of the cupcakes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan. Pour or spread on frosting. Recipe follows.



Dairy Free Frosting

3 to 4 CUPS CONFECTIONERS SUGAR

3/4 CUP COCOA POWDER

1/8 TSP. SALT

2 TSP.VANILLA

1/3 CUP BUTTER/SOY/VEG. SPREAD

5 TBSP. MILK SUBSTITUTE {LACTAID/SOY/RICE MILK}

Directions:  COMBINE 3 Cups SUGAR,COCOA,SALT & BUTTER. BEATING WELL.. SLOWLY ADD MILK SUBSTITUE UNTIL THE FROSTING IS STIFFENED BUT SPREADABLE. ADD ADDITIONAL POWDERED SUGAR BY TABLESPOONS UNTIL DESIRED CONSISTENCY. SAVE IN TUPPERWARE DISH IN FRIDGE IF LEFT OVER AND REUSE.