Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes (with Almond Flour)

Name: Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes (with Almond Flour)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 26 min
Ingredients: 1 + 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (150g)*; 1/3 cup cocoa powder (38g)*; 1/4 cup tapioca flour (30g); 1/2 cup coconut sugar (80g); 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional); 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup avocado oil; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup water (room temp); 1 + 1/2 cups coconut cream**; 2 Tbsp maple syrup; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 Tbsp tapioca flour

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This is the most amazing chocolate cupcake recipe - moist, soft and fluffy with a rich chocolate flavor. These easy Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes are gluten free, grain free and dairy free. They're made with almond flour, sweetened with coconut sugar and perfect for any birthday or celebration.

I've always been more of a vanilla cake kind of person...but wow! These paleo chocolate cupcakes may have just converted me.

They are so moist and tender, with a rich chocolate flavor. It's easy to eat two or three! These gluten free dairy free chocolate cupcakes are everything you could want in a cake (or cupcake).

And what goes perfectly with these healthy chocolate cupcakes? Coconut cream frosting! It's lightly sweetened, only a few ingredients and extremely easy to make.

Why You'll Love these Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes

paleo friendly - made with simple, minimally processed ingredients
moist and tender with a nice crumb- the perfect cake texture
gluten free and grain free - made with almond flour
dairy free - made without butter and milk
easy to make - no fancy equipment needed
a great chocolate cupcake recipe for kids

These are seriously the best paleo chocolate cupcakes!

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make these homemade paleo chocolate cupcakes:

blanched almond flour
cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour/starch)
coconut sugar
cinnamon (optional)
baking soda
salt
eggs
avocado oil (or olive oil)
vanilla extract
water (or almond milk)

How to Make Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes From Scratch

Making cupcakes from scratch is so easy! This recipe is basically as simple as making a box cake 😉

Here's the step by step instructions:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Next, combine the almond flour, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. I recommend sifting the almond flour and cocoa powder, as they have a tendency to clump. Combine with a whisk until well mixed.

Add in the remaining ingredients. This includes the eggs, avocado oil, vanilla and water. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter into a lined muffin pan. Each cupcake is about ¼ cup batter, making 12 cupcakes.

Next, place the cupcake in the oven (middle rack) and bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. 16 minutes will give you more of that extra moist, under-baked texture (which I prefer).

After baking, let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Paleo Coconut Cream Frosting

What type of frosting goes well with paleo chocolate cupcakes? My answer to that is: any frosting will work. Pick your favorite!

Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. (Yes, I love you chocolate, but not so much in frosting form.) So, I went for a coconut cream frosting.

This coconut cream frosting recipe is so easy! Only four ingredients required, all paleo baking staples. Here's what you need:

Frosting Ingredients

coconut cream
maple syrup
vanilla extract
tapioca flour (or arrowroot)

You'll need the cream from two cans of full fat coconut milk. Remember to only use the cream, not the runny coconut milk portion. If you open a can and the cream has not been separated from the milk, then pop it in the fridge overnight.

The maple syrup and vanilla extract are for flavor and sweetness. This frosting isn't super sweet, but you may add another tablespoon or two of maple syrup for a sweeter taste.

Tapioca flour makes the frosting thicker. You could probably get away without using it, but I think it adds to the texture. As another option, you could add powdered monk fruit instead of tapioca. This will further sweeten the frosting, but still help to thicken it.

How to Make Coconut Cream Frosting

To make the frosting, whisk together coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla. Then, add the tapioca flour and continue to whisk until smooth.

Refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes to thicken.

Then, add the frosting to the cupcakes. You can spread the frosting with a knife, or pipe it. I used a plastic baggie to pipe the frosting.

This frosting does not do well in the heat, so I don't recommend making it for an outdoor party or celebration during the warmer months.

More Easy Paleo Cupcake Recipes

Although I may consider this the BEST Paleo cupcakes recipe...I do have a few other on my blog that I absolutely adore as well. Including:

FAQ

Can I make these paleo chocolate cupcakes into a cake?

Yes! To make these cupcakes into a cake, double the recipe. Place the batter into two 9" round cake pans (line with parchment paper on the bottom), and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Can you make these cupcakes ahead of time?

Yes! You can make the cupcakes up to a day in advance, but I don't recommend frosting them until the day you serve them. After baking the cupcakes, let them cool, then store them in an airtight container on the counter up to one day in advance.