Green Smoothie Cupcakes
Now you can have your Green Smoothie and your cupcake at the same time – with these Green Smoothie Cupcakes! And, check out that Vanilla-Coconut Frosting – it sure does balance off these cupcakes well!
If I were to ask you what’s one word that makes you happy – what would that word be?
For me, that word is balance!
The balance between work and family; between strength training and running; between green smoothies and cupcakes…
Yes – achieving that perfect balance can be priceless indeed – at least for me!
During my college years, I used to balance a job at an all-you-can-eat salad and soup restaurant, and, a job at a bakery that made the most exquisite “Ratatouille” (chocolate mousse mice) in Atlanta!
My reasoning was that my salad and soup on Friday night balanced off Saturday morning’s tastings of chocolate “Matignon’s” and “Napoleon Tiramisu.” After all, when customers asked me for my opinion as to what was in each and how they tasted, I had to be able to give them an honest answer – right?! 😀
When I graduated and got a job in my field, I could not manage the other two as well and when I gave them up – my (food) balance was seriously compromised! I think I must have existed on coffee and oats for awhile! But, then, my daughter came along and the home-cooking and baking started and balance was restored!
Now, I’ve always tried to make treats and eats from scratch – but sometimes, when we have a million places to be and a million things to do, I try to maintain (my mental) balance by doctoring up a cake or cookie mix – with beets, or spinach, or berries, or some kind of fruit or vegetable. And these cupcakes are the result of my doctoring up!
A couple of weekends ago, when my daughter and I were walking through Target looking for baking supplies for birthday cupcakes for a friend’s son; my daughter asked me if I could whip up some cupcakes for her too – for a meeting one of her school’s clubs were having.
Of course, I had to change my game plan and that’s when I came across Pillsbury’s Brand New Purely Simple cake and frosting mixes in the Baking Mixes aisle. As these had “no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives,” I figured they would be perfect to “doctor up” with a green smoothie – and there’d be plenty for both occasions – with some leftover – for me!
The Process was really simple:
• I first made my green smoothie by throwing 1 cup dairy-free milk, 1/2 an avocado, and 2 cups of spinach in a blender, and blending it all up well!
• I then Added the Smoothie, 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt, and 3 eggs to the Purely Simple Yellow Cake & Cupcake Mix and, using an electric mixer, blended everything up for 2-3 minutes.
• I then Spooned the mix into a cupcake tray and placed the tray into my oven (that had been preheated to 350 degrees per package instructions) and let the cupcakes bake for 19-20 minutes. I then let the cupcakes cool completely.
• When the cupcakes were cooled, I made the frosting by mixing Purely Simple Simple Buttercream mix with 1/2 cup of softened butter, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes, with an electric mixer on low speed for 1-2 minutes till well blended.
• I also made some chocolate avocado cream to “garnish” the cupcakes with. The Chocolate Avocado Cream consisted of mixing 1/2 an avocado and 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate chips
• I then frosted the cupcakes with the Vanilla Coconut frosting and garnished them with some avocado cream and they were almost ready to be distributed – with only the “self-sampling” left to be done!
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- 1/2 an avocado
- 2 cups Spinach
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 eggs
- 1 pkg Purely Simple Yellow Cake & Cupcake Mix
FOR THE FROSTING
- 1 pkg Purely Simple Buttercream
- 1/2 cup of softened butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes
FOR THE CHOCOLATE-AVOCADO CREAM
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate chips
Instructions
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat oven to 350
- In a blender, blend milk, avocado, and spinach into a "smoothie"
- In a large bowl, add the smoothie, Greek yogurt, 3 eggs & the Purely Simple Yellow Cake & Cupcake Mix
- Using an electric mixer, blended everything up for 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon mix into the lined cupcake tray and place the tray and bake for 19-20 minutes
- Then let cupcakes cool completely.
FOR THE FROSTING:
- With an electric mixer, mix Purely Simple Simple Buttercream, softened butter, water, vanilla extract, and unsweetened coconut flakes on low speed for 1-2 minutes till well blended.
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE-AVOCADO CREAM
- Mix 1/2 an avocado and 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate chips
- Frost Green Smoothie Cupcakes with Vanilla Coconut Frosting and "garnish" with chocolate-avocado cream!
- Enjoy!
Shashi this looks amazing! I really like the look of the texture of these cupcakes too. You’re so creative! 😀
This is genius, Shashi (as usual!) This is definitely one way to ease the guilt of eating too many cakes. I adore the green one, but I’m guessing that you could do this with any kind of smoothie!
I love everything about these cupcakes! What a fun way to get kids to eat their veggies too!
Sadly I think making a poke cake or a jello cake is the most exciting way I’ve used cake mix… I really need to experiment more!
Oh how awesome are these?! I have never used a green smoothie in a cake mix before, or any smoothie for that matter. These are genius. And I love that Pilsbury has made this product! Thanks for a great, simple recipe!
These cupcakes are seriously SO genius! I mean, everyone loves a good green smoothie right?? Green cupcakes are just winning at life. 😉 Love these, Sashi!
Balance is a MAGICAL word, Shashi. This is what we need to master, and everything else will take care of itself. And these gorgeous green cupcakes — no words for these beauties. What a wonderful and innovative idea pf baking green cupcakes. Only you could do that! Shashi. These are SO GOOD!
WOW..[S] I remember those days, but it warms my heart to read this and understand where you were then vs. now…you’re amazing my friend. Those chocolate mice were everything! Whaaat?
GUYIA!!!!! HEY!!!!!! So nice to “see” ya here! Those mice were amazing indeed! You know what – that head chef opened up his own little bakery in Alpharetta – and now sells those mice there, along with ALL his amazing creations! I’ve been meaning to go by, but weekends have been crazy busy – but, maybe if you came and visited we could go??? Speaking of which – when are you coming down to Atl?
Can you teleport some over!? These look so good, and this is such an awesome idea! 😀
You know I would – but, somethings don’t last long in our house! Next time I make some I will have too – my daughter says these cupcakes are brain food 🙂
These cupcakes are so fun! I love the idea of using a green smoothie to make them. That makes them healthier and I bet they taste awesome!
They sure did taste wonderful, Julie – they were light and fluffy and balanced off the frosting well! Thanks so much!
Those cupcakes look amazing! I love the color combo and the way you find a fun of balance with these. yum! #client
Thanks so much Michelle
Here we go! Hello, gorgeous Cupcakes which I’ve been waiting for so long! And sorry for calling you ‘pancakes’ the last time:) That’s amazing idea, Shashi! I’ve made few times spinach pancakes, and I loved them. So,I’m going to love these bad guys as well. Love the idea of incorporating avocado. And I totally agree with the idea of balancing out. I’m trying the same – eating chocolate ice cream only on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays and having ice cream without chocolate on the remaining days, haha:)
Hahahaha!!! Ben, LURRRVE your idea of balancing out your ice cream consumption!!!
No worries – I’ve actually made and posted Green Smoothie pancakes on the blog too – sometime around March, I think. And Ben – thanks so much!
So I can count this as a health food right? At least that’s what I’ll tell myself. 😉
Hahaha – well…there’s spinach …and avocado… and yogurt… 🙂
I totally agree with you. Doctoring up mixes is necessary at times! I just made my caramel stuffed brownies using a brownie mix cause I was desperate! 🙂 Cramming in a green smoothie into a cupcake is gold. GOLD! 🙂 Pinning! (Breakfast, yes?) 😉
Thanks so much Nagi! It’s pouring down cats and dogs outside and you have me wanting to go to the store to get a brownie mix to make some of those insanely mouthwatering caramel stuffed brownies with that gynormous layer of caramel!
Oh balance! Achieving it really does make me so happy …. but it’s something I have to constantly work on at the same time!!
And green smoothie cupcakes??? I mean c’mon! How cool!
Thanks bunches Ashley! 🙂
Always about balance, eh 😉
Fabulous cupcake recipe! So fun!
You got it girl! Thanks Rebecca!