April Fool’s! Can’t believe you fell for that…although, I probably would too. And wouldn’t that be amazing? Of course, I would end up eating 10 cupcakes and then it would be the same as one regular cupcake.

Don’t leave just yet! We might not have a recipe for 30 calorie cupcakes, but we do have an April Fool’s prank that involves cupcakes! Picture this- You walk into the office on April 1st with a tray full of beautifully decorated treats. Your co-workers swarm you! They thank you, they compliment you, and they all want to be your friend. Free food is the best! After you’ve negotiated your buddy from billing to do all your reports for you, you invite people to try your delicious homemade dessert. Except…

IT’S NOT DESSERT!

These mini meatloaves topped with mashed potato “frosting” are NOT what everyone was expecting. While these “cupcakes” are an awesome dinner, they are hardly the chocolate indulgence everyone was hoping for. Enjoy watching people’s faces twist in confusion as their mouths try to figure out what they’re eating. Aren’t you the little prankster?!

Meatloaf “Cupcakes”

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Salt
• 1/2 cup canned sliced beets (not pickled)
• 1/4 cup (or more) warm milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350º F. Add the milk, molasses, cocoa, chili and bbq sauce to a pan. Cook on medium heat and stir until the cocoa has dissolved. Allow to cool.
2. Fry the onions in the tablespoon of vegetable oil until they start to turn a bit golden (5 mins).
3. In a separate bowl, mix the salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Then add the beef, egg, bbq sauce mixture, and onion. Use a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly
4. Add cupcake cases to a muffin tray and spoon the meat mixture to fill each. Bake this for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool
5. Now for the icing! Boil the potatoes in a saucepan until a knife goes through them easily. Puree the beet with your milk using a blender and sieve to get rid of small bits of beet. Mash the potatoes with the beet mixture and some butter until smooth.
6. Add the potato icing on top of the meat cupcakes.

Happy Fooling and Happy Cooking!