Pumpkin Seed Brownies with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Several months ago I found a book that I have a hard time putting down.  It is about grind your own nuts and seeds to make flour or "meal" out of them.  My interest has been piqued with oats, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.   Soon, I will share the secret of oat pancakes.   Yummy!    However, today is all about the pumpkin seed.

I know a lot of people like to roast pumpkin seeds and eat them as a snack.  Well, I'm not one of those people… Grinding them and making a chocolate cupcake out of them is different though.  They can easily be ground in the food processor and become a completely different product.

Baking requires precise measurements so if you have a kitchen scale, I have included the weight in grams for each ingredient.

Necessary Tools...

Food processor

Kitchen Scales

Cupcake pan and liners

Silicone spatula for mixing

Large bowl

Medium sized metal bowl

Medium saucepan

For the Cupcakes…makes 12  
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
     2 cups pumpkin seed meal (200 grams)  
     1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (40 grams)
     1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2.75 grams)
     1/4 teaspoon sea salt (1.4 grams)
     4 large eggs (200 grams)
     1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey (125 grams)
     1/4 cup walnut oil (55 grams)

• Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan
• In a large bowl, sift the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt
• Grind the pumpkin seeds and add the meal to the chocolate mixture
• Add the eggs one at a time to incorporate into the mixture
• Stir in the honey and walnut oil and stir until the batter is smooth
• Carefully pour batter into lined cupcake pan and fill each about halfway
• Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
• Let cool on a wire rack

Raw pumpkin seed

Pumpkin Seed Meal

Ready for the oven

Cooling on a wire rack

For the Ganache...
     1/4 cup heavy cream (70 grams)
     1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (166 grams)

• Make a double boiler by placing a medium sized metal bowl over a medium sized sauce pan with boiling water.  Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bowl
• Pour the heavy cream and chocolate chips into the bowl and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth
• Remove from heat and let cool

Chocolate melting in double boiler

When the cupcakes are cool, spread the ganache on top