An image for the Bean and Tomato Cupcake recipe

Baked Bean and Tomato Cupcakes

Adding beans to baked goods may not make them completely guilt-free, but it’s a fun way to boost fiber intake and even give desserts a little bit of extra protein. This recipe for Baked Bean and Tomato Cupcakes with Tomato Cream Cheese Frosting is one of the more unusual bean-laden sweets we’ve come across but it’s good enough to have won first prize in a Tomato Fest cooking contest according to the website cupcakeproject.com. This makes 12 cupcakes.

For the cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 15-oz can pinto beans drained and mashed
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cup cake pan with paper liners.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well. Mix in mashed beans and vanilla.
  3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
  4. Add dry mixture to wet mixture. Do not over mix.
  5. Stir in diced tomatoes.
  6. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full.
  7. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when pressed lightly.
For the frosting

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter room temperature
  • 8 oz package of cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add more or less to make it as stiff as you like.
  3. Mix in the tomato paste and vanilla extract.