by zenbelly 46 Comments
That’s right, these chocolate cupcakes are not only gluten-free, but grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. You’ll just need some unicorn tears.
No but seriously; I have always written off the possibility of egg-free + nut-free paleo baked goods, because good lawd, the things have got to have something in them.
And while these Chocolate Cupcakes don’t have most of the ingredients you’d normally find in a cupcake, they are chocolatey and cakey and kid-approved!
And since a cupcake without frosting is just a muffin, there’s a recipe for the simplest-ever dairy-free chocolate ganache frosting, too.
Tempted to ask about ingredient subs? I’ll save you the effort: The answer is No.
I know that sounds harsh and for that, I’m sorry. But I tested these at least 9 times until I got them right, and they are free from nuts, eggs, grains, dairy, and soy, and they are made with only one flour – Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour, which is easier to find then ever, and is available on Amazon, too.
After I test a recipe like this over and over again until getting it right, and compliant for as many people as possible, and then get a comment that has a 🙁 in it, I want to scream and cry. Please don’t make me scream and cry.
The two (potential) exceptions:
- I am pretty sure they will work with 1 cup of dairy-free milk in place of the coconut milk and water listed in the recipe.
- Almost always, honey and maple syrup can be used interchangeably in this type of recipe.
But I’m guessing, so proceed at your own risk and start with a 1/2 recipe so you don’t waste more ingredients than necessary. I composted a lot of cupcakes testing this one, even with only making 6 at a time. It was sad.
Once I finally got it though, I was very, very happy! I hope you are too.
Looking for more sweets? I’ve got a bunch!
paleo + vegan + nut-free chocolate cupcakes
★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews
- Author: Simone Miller
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
Description
cupcakes for just about everyone.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup full fat (canned) coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (93 grams) Otto’s Naturals cassava flour
- 1 cup (145 grams) coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
For the Ganache Frosting:
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) full fat (canned) coconut milk
- 3/4 pound (340 grams) dark chocolate chips (about 2 scant cups)
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment liners.
In a large bowl, whisk the coconut milk, water, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Sift the dry ingredients (cassava flour, coconut sugar, psyllium husk powder, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until combined and smooth.
- Fill the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Ganache Frosting:
- Place the chocolate chips in a large heat-proof bowl.Heat the coconut milk in a small sauce pan until steaming.
- Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate and set a timer for 5 minutes. Do not stir it until the time is up.
- Once the time is up, add the salt and stir the mixture until smooth. Place in the fridge to cool, stirring occasionally. (If you’re in a rush, you can place the bowl into another bowl filled with ice water and stir until it’s cool.)
- When the ganache is the consistency of softened ice cream, beat until it’s fluffy and smooth.
- Frost the cupcakes either with a piping bag* or just plop it on with a spoon.
Notes
* Cautionary tale: When I used a piping bag and a round tip, the frosting looked pretty much exactly like the poop emoji.
links to preferred ingredients:
Thank you, Otto’s Naturals, for sponsoring this post!
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