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Grain-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

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  • Author: Emily Koch
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Dessert, Cupcakes
  • Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free

Description

These chocolate cupcakes are made with almond flour and shredded zucchini to keep them moist. They are rich, chocolaty, and perfect for any celebration.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • FOR THE CUPCAKES:
  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour (I use homemade, but you can also use store-bought
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
  • FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar (I used scant 1 cup, but I prefer desserts to be on the less-sweet side)*
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. FOR THE CUPCAKES:
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prep a standard muffin tin by lining each cup with a paper muffin liner. Set aside.
  3. To the bowl of a food processor add the almond flour, cocoa powder, fine sea salt, and baking soda. Pulse until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
  4. Next, add the eggs, melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Pulse until mostly combined. Scrape down the sides and add the zucchini. Pulse until everything is well incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. The zucchini should be mostly pureed, but slightly chunky.
  5. Transfer the batter to the muffin tin lined with paper cups. You want to fill each cup almost all the way, leaving about ¼ inch of space at the top.
  6. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top of the cupcake is dry to the touch and the top springs back when gently pushed on.
  7. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  8. FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
  9. While the cupcakes are baking or cooling make the frosting.
  10. Add the room temperature butter and the sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, or a stand mixer on low speed, cream the butter and sugar together, until well incorporated.
  11. Add the cocoa powder and fine sea salt, and mix until incorporated. If you are unsure about the amount of sugar you want now is the time to taste-test to add more sugar if desired.
  12. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Gradually add a tablespoon or 2 more of milk until you reach your desired spreading consistency; I used 3 tablespoons.
  13. Frost your cooled cupcakes and serve them immediately. Or store them in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. You may have extra frosting, unless you frost them heavily like I did.

Notes

Cook time does not include the amount of time the cupcakes need to cool completely.

*I used raw turbinado sugar that I ground up into a fine powder using my spice grinder (a coffee grinder that I dedicate for spices so it doesn’t taste like coffee).

Cupcake recipe adapted/inspired from Elena’s Pantry

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting adapted from Good Cheap Eats

Find it online: https://robustrecipes.com/grain-free-chocolate-cupcakes-1-year-blogiversary/

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