Recipes

Lychee Chocolate Tofu Cupcake, as featured on Cupcake Wars

Added by: batter cupcakes

1 block silken tofu
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tea spoon chile paste
1/3 cups almonds
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cups water (omitted at altitude)
Orange Lychee Filling, recipe follows
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Walnut-Stuffed Chocolate-Dipped Lychee, recipe follows


Orange Lychee Filling:
1 10 ounce can lychees
1 teaspoon pure orange extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure ginger extract


Walnut-Stuffed Chocolate-Dipped Lychee:
1 can lychees
8 ounces melting chocolate
1 bag walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in an electric mixer until well combined. Add the tofu, chile paste, vanilla, sesame oil and water. Mix for 2 minutes. Fold in almonds.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan, and cool them on a wire cooling rack.


Orange Lychee Filling:

Remove the lychees from the can and pat dry with a paper towel to absorb the syrup. Place lychees in a food processor and pour orange extract on top of lychees, puree completely. Transfer lychee puree to saucepan and add cornstarch to the puree. Turn stovetop to medium heat and stir puree mixture for five minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.

Ginger Cream Frosting:
Whip the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fully incorporated. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the pure ginger extract. Mix for another 30 seconds until ginger extract is well blended.


Walnut-Stuffed Chocolate-Dipped Lychee:
Line cookie sheet with wax paper. Remove 12 lychees from can and pat dry with a paper towel to absorb syrup. Meanwhile, melt 8 ounces of chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes. Add 1 or 2 walnuts to the center of each lychee. Roll in melted chocolate with a spoon and then place on wax paper to cool. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.

To assemble:

Remove the center of the cupcake to make space for the lychee filling. Fill a small piping bag or use a spoon to add lychee nectar to center of cupcake. Fill a large piping bag with frosting, and add desired amount to top of cupcake. Place one chocolate lychee on top of each cupcake.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ease of preparation: intermediate