Notes about the oil:
You can leave out the oil completely if you want to make these cupcakes even lower in fat and calories. Add extra applesauce in the amount of the oil. However, do know that the cupcakes will taste much less light and fluffy.
I opted to use some oil for a few reasons: First, I believe healthy fats are extremely important to our bodies. Also, my recipes are healthier versions of traditional recipes, not necessarily low-calorie versions. And finally… taste! Fat-free baked goods can sometimes be gummy. So to those of you who are watching your fat intakes: Leaving the oil in only adds about 3 grams of fat (healthy fat) to each cupcake.
If you want a good cupcake recipe, without added fat, here’s my favorite.
Lower-Sugar Notes:
I put in 3/4 cup sugar, because these cupcakes were being served to people who are used to standard cupcakes. However, if you prefer a less-sweet baked good, or if you want more of a chocolate muffin, feel free to cut back on the amount of sugar. If you like the taste of stevia-sweetened baked goods, you can use 5 Nunatural stevia packs, or a combination of sugar and stevia. These cupcakes might work with liquid sweetener: just cut back on the other liquid a little bit.
