Chocolate Cupcakes with Creamy Frosting

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup Splenda®
• 6 tablespoon butter
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 5 tablespoons cocoa
  

For Frosting:

• 1 pkg Jello® Sugar Free Vanilla pudding*
• 1 8 oz. container mascarpone or cream cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 pkts Splenda®
• Half 'n Half (to thin to make spread able if needed)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

For Cupcakes:

1. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. In separate bowl, using electric mixer, cream butter with egg yolks until light yellow and fluffy. Add vanilla and Splenda®, beat until mixed.
2. Add about 1/3 of whipped egg whites to the butter/egg yolk mixture and mix lightly. Fold the whole thing in to the whipped egg whites and fold lightly.
3. Add 1 cup of almond flour and fold lightly. Add remaining almond flour, baking powder and cocoa and fold thoroughly, being careful not to break down whites. Fill paper muffin cups in muffin tin about half full. Bake at 325°F about 15 - 20 minutes until cracked on top.
   

For the frosting:

1. Whip mascarpone or cream cheese in food processor or with electric mixer until smooth. Add cream and mix again briefly. Add pudding mix and Splenda® and mix well. Add Half 'n Half in 1/2 teaspoon amounts if needed.
2. Makes enough to frost 32 cupcakes (2 batches) and will store in fridge or can be frozen.
3. This recipe can also be spread in fudge pan, frozen and cut in squares as a treat.
4. * Chocolate Jell-O® pudding can be used for Chocolate Frosting or fudge.