Active Time

　　25 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hour

　　Dried fruit is the secret to moist low-fat baked goods. These cupcakes have such a rich, chocolaty flavor, you would never know there were dates in the batter if you hadn't baked them yourself.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 12 cupcakes (or 4 servings)

　　1/3 cup water

　　1/3 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped

　　1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

　　1 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped

　　3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

　　1 large egg

　　1/4 teaspoon vanilla

　　1/4 teaspoon baking soda

　　2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　Vegetable oil cooking spray

　　1 teaspoon confectioners sugar for dusting

　　

Special Equipment

a mini-muffin pan with 12 (1/8-cup) muffin cups, preferably nonstick

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

Bring water and dates just to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then transfer mixture to a food processor and add cocoa powder and chocolate, pulsing once to combine. Let cool 2 minutes, then add brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and a pinch of salt, then purée until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until incorporated.

　　

Step 3

Spray muffin cups with cooking spray. (If pan is not nonstick, line sprayed bottoms with rounds of wax paper, then spray paper.) Spoon batter into cups, dividing it evenly, and bake in middle of oven until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack (remove wax paper, if using) and cool completely, right side up. Just before serving, sprinkle tops lightly with confectioners sugar.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Each serving (3 cupcakes) contains about 177 calories and 4 grams fat.

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by Gourmet

　　Cooks' Note

　　Cupcakes can be made and cooled (but not dusted with sugar) 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.