Olive Oil Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Balsamic Whipped Cream

For the Olive Oil Cupcakes:

  • 2 C. flour
  • 1 1/2 t. baking powder
  • pinch of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
  • 1 C. sugar
  • 2/3 C. Kings Olive Natural Buttery Olive Oil
  • 1 T. lemon zest
  • 3 lg. eggs
  • 1/2 C. lemon juice
  • 2 T. finely chopped fresh thyme

For the Dark Chocolate Balsamic Whipped Cream:

 

For the Olive Oil Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prep a cupcake tin with liners.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  In a mixing bowl combine sugar, lemon zest (rub together to extract the oils from the zest), and olive oil.  Mix on high speed until combined.  Beat in eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture on slow speed then add 1/2 of the lemon juice and continue mixing.  Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by the remaining lemon juice and the remaining flour mixture.  Beat until combined.  Stir in thyme.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes, or until they spring back with light pressure.  Remove the cupcakes from the tin to a cooling rack.

For the Dark Chocolate Balsamic Whipped Cream:

Combine cream, sugar, and Dark Chocolate Balsamic vinegar in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes, until soft peaks form.

Be sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting.