Yumm...double, dark chocolate...for the last 5 years I have had a love affair (don't worry honey...you're still my man:) with dark chocolate. It began after I read in a health journal that all of the anti-oxidants are oh so good for you! That's all I needed to hear...well, read. Tosca Reno endorses dark chocolate for goodness sakes!..in moderation, of course.

When looking for which cocoa to use in your cupcakes dark, dutch press cocoa not only give the best flavor but also the richest color. I suggest at least 65% cocoa with no added sweeteners, or flavors. A good cocoa should be able to stand on it's own!

Happy baking and good luck not eating 1/2 the frosting "testing" the consistency :).

Three cheers for lemon zest!

When I think about lemon I can't help but smile...so fragrant, so colorful, so...zesty! A little goes a long way and in fact if you have a recipe that calls for salt you can add a little lemon zest and cut the salt by half. I made these little gems as an expirement...my basic vegan, vanilla cupcake recipe...with a little organic lemon to the batter and frosting. What started as an experiment quickly became my favorite treat!

The next time your in the kitchen...think about our little yellow friends and smile!