MIAMI (Ivanhoe Newswire) --Got a sweet tooth? Probably. The average American eats 61 pounds of sugar a year, that's 22 teaspoons of sugar per day. You know it’s not good for your teeth, and it has been linked to everything from wrinkles to obesity. But who wants to part with all those cookies, cakes and other sweet treats? You may not have to. In today’s chef’s corner we may have just the recipe you’re looking for. 
It’s the sweet thing songs are made of, as well as most of the desserts we love! But today Laura Martin is sharing one of her favorites.
"We’re making Mexican chocolate cupcakes," Laura Martin, author of The Green Market Baking Book told Ivanhoe.
But there’s no sugar needed!
"I had some health issues and it ended up being sugar that was triggering these headaches I was having, so I love sweets, I love to bake and I wasn’t about to give it up," Martin said.
So she experimented with natural sweeteners like maple and brown rice syrups, agave nectar and honey, to make sweet treats without sugar.
"This isn’t a new idea of course, people have been baking with natural sweeteners for centuries, way long before they started baking with sugar but it really is a new way for us to bake today," Martin said.
Cocoa powder, cinnamon, even cayenne pepper give these cupcakes a kick. Next, add some extra light olive oil.
"You can’t taste it but it’s the healthiest for you, it’s the best of the fats that you can bake with," Martin said.
Add a cup of brown rice syrup. Then add unsweetened applesauce, vanilla, a cup of strong coffee, and cider vinegar. Combine with the dry ingredients, blend well, pour into a muffin pan, and bake.
The frosting for these cupcakes is a sweet, gooey blend of soft tofu and naturally sweetened chocolate chips.
"It just looks so thick and yummy," Martin said. 
Add a fresh edible flower for color and you’ve got a sweet treat you can feel good about.
"Who needs sugar? It’s so good," Martin concluded.
The chocolate cupcakes may not have sugar, but they’re definitely not diet cupcakes. They may be healthier than regular sweets, but they still have plenty of calories. For more sweet recipes without sugar, check out Laura Martin’s new cookbook, The Green Market Baking Book, now available in stores.
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