Kate Hudson's Go-To German Chocolate Cupcakes Have Just 3 WW Points
After cooking her way through quarantine with chili, cheesecake, mac and cheese and more (yep, celebs are just like us sometimes!), Kate Hudson is back with another Instagram recipe how-to for a dessert that she says is "a must-try!"
The mom/actress/ambassador for WW (the rebranded Weight Watchers) asked her followers for advice for what dish to whip up next and they selected these 3-point Double German Chocolate Mini Cupcakes.
A peek at the recipe confirmed that the usual cupcake ingredient gang's all here, including flour, baking powder and baking soda, buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Coffee is also invited to the party for a more complex flavor, and pecans and coconut bring the German chocolate vibes. And one wild-sounding but actually brilliant addition is also hiding inside the batter: sauerkraut.
"No, we are not trying to sneak in a daily dose of veggies. Most are surprised to know that sauerkraut's moisture keeps baked goods tender while the acidity in the brine helps things rise in the oven. And, no, these do not taste like a barbecue side dish. Instead, the cupcakes get kraut benefits but none of that cabbage tang," the recipe developers explain.
To make them herself, Hudson starts by coating a mini muffin pan (like this Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Mini Muffin and Cupcake Pan; $15 from amazon.com) with nonstick cooking spray. She then combines the dry ingredients in one bowl, the cocoa powder, sugar and wet ingredients in another bowl, and alternates adding the dry mix to the cocoa powder mix until thoroughly combined. Last up for the cakes themselves: she folds in low-sodium sauerkraut that's been rinsed, drained and chopped.
She then grabs a spoon (although a mini cookie scoop à la Ina Garten would work brilliantly!) to portion out an even amount of cake batter into each muffin-tin well.
As those bake, it's time to toast the coconut and pecans for the topping and to whisk together the evaporated-milk-based frosting in a saucepan. After the frosting thickens up and the coconut and nuts are golden brown, she adds ¼ cup of the coconut-nut mixture and tops each (now-cooled) cupcake with a schmear of the German chocolate frosting. For a final flourish, the cupcakes are sprinkled with the remaining coconut-nut mixture.
"These are stupid," Hudson says, widening her eyes in delight after taking her first bite.
Want to taste how stupid-good they are yourself? You'll find the complete Double German Chocolate Mini Cupcakes recipe here.