You’d never know it, but while testing recipes for Food Network Magazine’s September issue, we used prunes to make these Chocolate Cupcakes With Meringue Frosting from page 68 extra moist (pictured above).

Prunes have earned an unfair reputation, but this dried fruit amazed us: It allowed us to lower the sugar and fat in the recipe, and added tons of health benefits. (Plus, you could hardly taste them!) Prunes are a great source of potassium and magnesium and they’re an easy way to increase your daily fiber intake. One serving (about 5 prunes) has 3 grams of fiber, 293 mg of potassium and 16 mg of magnesium — all for less than 100 calories.