If you are a fan of chocolate, then you will definitely love this recipe of the day – Chocolate Granola. Oats, along with cocoa powder, almonds, and tiny bits of chocolate chips, takes this dish to a whole new level of yumminess…where regular granola recipes come nowhere close by! It’s both chocolaty and crunchy with all the goodness from nuts and fruits.

This recipe works perfectly for your meal prep days, especially when you’re looking to whip up a quick and simple breakfast. If you prefer it with a glass of hot milk, then it would taste quite similar to chocolate milk, and that’s something kids would also love. Maple syrup and brown sugar provides enough sweetness to this recipe, which is not overpowered by the chocolate chips. Add some fresh fruits, and you have a perfect healthy breakfast ready in no-time!

You can also serve this Chocolate Granola as a post-lunch or post-workout snack, just what you need to stay away from that unhealthy bag of chips and at the same time packing you with fiber and nutrients.

Pro – Tip: After baking the granola and tossing it with chocolate chips, clusters start to form as the melted chips begin cooling down and binding the granola. Once cooled, try not to break the clusters as that’s what makes this recipe soo yum! The clusters are airy, pack the right amount of chocolate, and are so flavorful that you can literally snack on it.

Since this is a basic recipe for chocolate granola, you can customize it to your likeness by adding nuts and dry fruits of your choice, switching maple syrup with honey, replacing chocolate chips with chunks… the options are endless!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in more healthy oat’s recipes? Check these out:

• Easy Homemade Granola
• Berry Yogurt Parfait
• Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
• Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Chocolate Granola

This easy 30-minute Chocolate Granola is made with simple pantry ingredients and is a perfect healthy treat for all chocolate lovers …!!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, chocolate granola, granola

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup coconut oil (melted)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients; oats, almonds, cocoa powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar, whisk well to mix properly.
• Now transfer the whisked wet ingredients into the large bowl containing the mixed dry ingredients. Mix all of it together.
• Transfer the mix to the prepared baking pan and level it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring it halfway through the bake.
• Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the chocolate chips onto the tray. Stir to mix, the chocolate chips will start to slightly melt within the warm granola.
• Once it cools, the granola will harden and form clusters. Pro tip: Do not break the clusters as the granola tastes best when clustered!
• Allow the granola to sit for 1-2 hrs. to cool down completely. Transfer to a closed air tight container and store up to 3-4 weeks at room temperature.

The post Chocolate Granola appeared first on Pepper Delight.

One of the biggest surprises since I started my blog was a gift I received from my brother n sister in laws recently; a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer…!! Though I am a beginner and still exploring, it was such a beautiful piece of gift to my baking dreams…

The timing of the mixer was perfect as my friends anniversary was around the corner as I was still half minded on what to cook. And that answered my confusion; a Cake it is, with all Chocolate. Perfect to kindle the sweet memories for this lovely couple…

Chocolate cake is best known for its taste, and is unbeatable when combined with a chocolate frosting. It is super soft, moist, has the perfect balance of cake and frosting, and is light and creamy.

So here I am sharing my best chocolate cake recipe with a yummy delicious chocolate frosting. Try it out, and you will surely love it…

Prep time: 1 hr 30 mins
Serves: 6-7 servings

INGREDIENTS

For chocolate cake

• 2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1½ cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For chocolate frosting

• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (tempered)
• 1½ cup butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup water
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and grease with butter using a brush.
3. To prepare the cake, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, beat butter until it is softened. Ensure that the butter is brought to room temperature before softening.
5. Beat granulated sugar and brown sugar into the butter, until blended well.
6. Add eggs one at a time to the butter and beat well. Add the vanilla extract too.
7. Slowly add the prepared dry ingredients to the bowl in portions, alternating with buttermilk, until the cake batter is mixed well without any lumps.
8. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and place in the oven. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes and until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Once the cakes are done, take them out of the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
10. Unmold the cakes by running a knife or a rubber spatula over the sides of the pan. Carefully flip them over.

Preparation of chocolate frosting

1. In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder with water until smooth and keep it aside.
2. To temper the chocolates, place it in a double boiler, or in a metal bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Stir it continuously using a rubber spatula while it melts and keep measuring the temperature. The mix should not be too runny and should melt uniformly. Ensure that the temperature does not exceed 120 degrees. Set aside.
4. In another large bowl, whisk butter until soft, followed by whisking and adding cocoa mix and salt. Stop the mixer and scrape down its sides.
5. Add powdered sugar, whisk well.
6. Turn mixer into medium and add tempered chocolate and half of the heavy whipping cream slowly, and beat well. Add the remaining mix until you have reached the desired consistency. It should be light and creamy and spreadable.
7. It can be stored in an airtight container, make sure to bring to room temperature before apply for frosting.

The post Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

As mentioned in my previous posts, I started baking very recently and am still a beginner. I love cupcakes and knew I would be trying one very soon, but my biggest confusion was to pick a flavor, as both vanilla & chocolate were my favorites. That’s when my hubby proposed a half-n-half cake, and we loved the end result. The cupcakes when topped with butterscotch frosting, made my day…!!

The preparation was fun, as pouring the batter of the two flavors together into the pans was a bit tricky. The vanilla is much denser and displaces the chocolate batter as it rests. To make a proper half-n-half, there was this fine line of filling and baking which we had to trial and error. My hubby and I took a batter each and filled them simultaneously, and I must say that with his help it turned out pretty well.  You can do it on your own too, either by using separate piping bags and filling, or buy pouring them together if you can multitask well.

As the preparation of the batter for both flavors are different, I have provided their recipes separately. You can either use only one flavour, or try out a half-n-half like I did, and if you would like to go a step further make a marble cake style by giving it a swirl.

To make your cake super soft, light and moist, do not overbake them.    Once the cake cools down, you can top them for decoration in many ways, I did a butterscotch frosting with chocolate sprinkles and it tasted good. I used a readymade butterscotch frosting this time, will surely attempt my own recipe and post it soon.

Prep time        : 50 minutes
Serves              : 24 cupcakes

 INGREDIENTS

For Vanilla Cupcake :

Flour                              : 1 ½ cup
Baking powder            : 1 ½ teaspoon
Salt                                  : ¼ teaspoon
Eggs                                : 2 (cooled at room temp.)
Sugar                              : 2/3 cup
Butter                             : 6 oz (melted at room temp.)
Milk                                : ½ cup
Vanilla extract              : 2 teaspoon

For Chocolate Cupcake :

Flour                                               : ¾ cup
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) : ½ cup
Baking powder                            : ½ teaspoon
Baking soda                                  : ¾ teaspoon
Salt                                                  : ¼ teaspoon
Eggs                                                 : 2
Granulated sugar                         : ½ cup
Brown sugar                                  : ½ cup
Oil                                                     : 1/3 cup
Vanilla extract                               : 2 teaspoon
Buttermilk                                      : ½ cup

Cupcake liners
Chocolate sprinkles
Butterscotch icing

INSTRUCTIONS

For Vanilla Cupcake :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange the baking pan with the cupcake liners.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, add sugar and eggs (cooled at room temperature) and beat till it becomes light and foamy.
5. Mix the butter and vanilla extract and whisk.
6. Add the dry ingredients into this mixture in portions, alternating with milk and stir. Do not overmix the batter.
7. To ensure equal sized cupcakes, fill each liner in the pan to the same level, at about half way to avoid spilling when baking. Bake for 16 – 20 minutes, or till a toothpick when inserted in the center of a cake, comes out clean.
8. Cool the cupcake in a rack for 10 minutes.

For Chocolate Cupcake :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange the baking pan with the cupcake liners.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients; cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside.
4. In another bowl, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs (one at a time). Add oil and mix well.
5. Add the dry ingredients into this mixture in portions, alternating with buttermilk and stir. Do not overmix the batter.
6. To ensure equal sized cupcakes, fill each liner in the pan to the same level, at about half way to avoid spilling when baking. Bake for 16 – 20 minutes, or till a toothpick when inserted in the center of a cake, comes out clean.
7. Cool the cupcake in a rack for 10 minutes.

 Chocolate cup cake recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Preparation of  a Half-n-Half Vanilla Chocolate cupcake :

1. Follow the instructions of both vanilla and chocolate cupcake batter preparation till the 5^th step.
6. The only difference here is how you pour both batters together. You can either take someone’s assistance in adding one of the batters while you add the other simultaneously. Or if you can manage on your own, fill the two batters in different piping bags and pipe them together into the liner. Also, if you prefer a marble cake style, add the batters one after the other and give it one swirl.
7. Follow the remaining steps as instructed earlier.

Decorate with butterscotch frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

The post Half-n-Half Vanilla Chocolate Cupcake appeared first on Pepper Delight.