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Hi Bold Bakers!
Just like classic cupcakes, these chocolate cupcakes are made with a flour, sugar, cocoa powder, fat, eggs, and flavorings. The difference is that these ingredients have been given a bit of a makeover to fit my style.
How to make Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
As I prefer to bake without sugar or grain, these cupcakes are made with coconut flour and the Lakanto Sugar alternative. Instead of using processed vegetable oil or animal-derived fat, I use coconut oil for all the richness without any of the inflammatory effects of unhealthy fats. The batter also has 6 eggs, which can be replaced with flax egg for those who are vegan or allergic to eggs.
[ Get My Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Too! ]
Last, but certainly not least, these Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes are packed with cocoa powder — meaning they are super decadent, perfect of all you chocolate fiends. Chocolate is not only one of my favorite flavors, but it also happens to be pretty good for you as it’s full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals!
How to Make Refined Sugar Free Cupcakes
Instead of using refined sugar, these cupcakes are made with a sugar alternative called Lakanto Sugar. Lakanto is a brand of monkfruit-based sweetener that I really love. This sugar alternative is naturally derived, has no after taste, is zero glycemic, and can be used 1:1 for sugar in baking. Monkfruit comes mostly from remote mountains in Southern China, which sounds about has hidden-treasure-y as you can get. In reality, they’re small melons!
As far as I’m concerned, using this in place of sugar is a no-brainer, as we all know sugar in excess is not really conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Sugar can take you for a ride, causing a blood sugar spike that ultimately leads to a crash. Because of this, I really like to experiment with alternative sugars so I can have my cake and eat it too without any of the stress it puts on my body throughout the day.
That said, there are other sources of unrefined sugar I love too, like coconut sugar, date sugar, or even Swerve — which will all also work in this recipe.
How to make Vegan Refined Sugar-Free Chocolate Frosting
We all know it: the frosting is always the best part of any cupcake.
Yes, Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes need to be moist, rich, and delicious, which they are… but it’s only once frosted that a cupcake is complete. There’s something about the contrast of soft chocolaty cupcake and rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate frosting that really makes my heart sing.
If you’re like me, though, you require super rich chocolate frosting — but you don’t want any of the refined sugars or unhealthy fats. This chocolate frosting happens to be vegan, just 2 ingredients, and sans sugar or butter. So what the heck is it? It just coconut cream and melted chocolate and that’s it!
To make it, I simply melt Lily’s vegan sugar-free chocolate (or whatever your favorite brand of vegan, sugar-free chocolate is) then mix it with a tin of coconut cream. After this mixture comes together it can be poured as a glaze or turned into a light fluffy frosting. By chilling then whipping this mixture, I create a buttercream-like texture without any butter or sugar. The result is truly a magical chocolate frosting!
If you’re looking for a lower fat options
These cupcakes are made with full-fat coconut milk and full-fat coconut cream, which are a great source of healthy fat! If you are looking for a way to lower the fat content then you can use reduced fat coconut milk instead. I personally prefer the richness provided by full-fat coconut milk.
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Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) Lakanto sugar, Swerve, or coconut sugar
- 6 eggs*
- 1/4 cup (2floz/57ml) coconut milk
- 1/3 cup (2 ½ floz/71ml) coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 1/2 cup (2 ½oz/71g) coconut flour
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/57g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegan Sugar Free Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 can (13oz/368g) coconut cream
- 1 1/2 cups (9oz/255g) sugar free vegan chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl combine the Lakanto sugar, eggs*, coconut milk, coconut oil, vanilla and instant espresso powder, set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until a smooth rich batter is formed.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling them about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes until cooked or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully before frosting.
Vegan Refined Sugar-Free Chocolate Frosting:
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a bain marie.
- Whisk the coconut cream into the melted chocolate, then place in the fridge to set until firm.
- Once the chocolate and coconut mixture is firm whip using a hand or stand mixer until light fluffy and spreadable.
- Slather generously over cooled cupcakes or pipe on top using a piping bag.
- Cover and store in the fridge for to 3-4 days.
Hi! In the video the host describes how the cocoa/coconut flour ratio is approx 70/30 but the recipe says it’s 50/50 (both 1/2 a cup)
Which would give the best result?
Heyy Gemma ! Made these cupcakes . Turned out amazing . A long time follower of yours and hands down none of your recipe failed !
It would mean a lot to me if you could check my results @thedessertgal. Just an amateur looking out for some suggestions
Much love❤️
The recipe states that I should use coconut cream in the frosting. But in the blog you say you used coconut milk. These are two very different products. Which should I use?
I haven’t baked them yet, just now mixing up the batter. And the coconut oil has hardened up when I added it to the liquids. I hate baking with coconut oil! Now my batter is all chunky.
hello, my cupcakes turned out a bit sunken in the middle. what should I do to make them fluffier?
thank you!
I really loved these birthday cupcakes! Next time I won’t bake them for 25 minutes, they became a bit crunchy on top and weren’t moist. Does Olivia has a recipe for gluten free vanilla cupcakes?
Hi Gemma, am I melting the coconut oil? Also with the coconut milk do I just shake the can well and pour the milk out, I ask because I made the icing tonight to sit overnight and the can of coconut cream has white solid cream and water when you open the can, I just used both cream and water. Thank you.
I’m making these for my birthday this coming week. Could I use two 6-inch cake pans instead of making cupcakes? What would the baking time be? Thank you.
Hi Gemma,
I am your huge fan. Just love all your recipes. I have a query. Can I use all purpose flour in place of coconut flour? TIA
Debjani Chanda
Hi Gemma, what can I use instead of eggs? Thank you liz