Paleo Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (with Cassava Flour)

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These paleo vegan chocolate cupcakes are deliciously moist with a nutty chocolate flavor. They're made with cassava flour and cocoa powder, sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a homemade paleo chocolate frosting. This cassava cupcake recipe is paleo and vegan friendly; meaning no eggs, no dairy, no gluten and no grains!

Holding a paleo vegan chocolate cupcake.

Oh, I'm so excited to share this paleo and vegan cupcake recipe with you all!

Now, I know I say that about a lot of my recipes, but this one took WORK! I think I tested these cupcakes 5 times before I got the perfect measurements. And then I tested them once more to make sure they were just right. (Thankfully my family had no complaints!)

What I love about these chocolate cassava cupcakes is that they're moist and tender, as all cupcakes should be, and they're also egg free. Creating an egg free cupcake recipe that's also paleo friendly is no joke! They're perfect for friends with allergies, and you can even make them nut free by swapping the almond butter for sunflower seed butter.

Why You'll Love these Paleo Vegan Cassava Flour Cupcakes

Paleo: grain free, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, no vegetable oil
Vegan: no eggs or dairy
Gluten free: made with cassava flour
Dairy free: no cream, no butter
Egg free: no eggs but still moist and fluffy
Kid friendly: great for toddlers and kids since they are free from most allergens (and actually taste good)

Ingredients

The full recipe for these paleo chocolate cupcakes can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of what you'll need:

For the Chocolate Cupcakes

cassava flour - necessary for this recipe. All purpose flour (not paleo) may work when substituted by weight, but I have not tried this substitution myself.
cocoa powder (or cacao powder) - because chocolate...
baking soda - helps the cupcakes rise
salt - to enhance the flavors
plant based milk (I used almond milk) - I've tested these with almond milk, coconut milk and water. All worked, but I don't recommend water as it the nut milks provide more flavor.
almond butter - most nut/seed butters should work, but I've only tested almond butter and sunflower seed butter. The texture with sunflower seed butter is slightly different, but still good.
maple syrup - to sweeten the cupcakes
apple cider vinegar - helps with the rise
vanilla extract - for flavor

For the Chocolate Frosting

coconut cream - just the thick white cream from a can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream. If the cream has not separated from the milk, then you'll need to refrigerate it for at least 12 hours.
dark chocolate - I recommend dark chocolate with a cocoa content between 65-75%
vanilla extract - for a bit more flavor

How to Make Paleo Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

These cassava flour chocolate cupcakes are made in a mixing bowl and baked in the oven. The recipe only makes 9 cupcakes, so you'll have to double the batch if you want more. Here are the steps:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 9 cupcake liners.

Mixed dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in the other.

Combine all of the dry cupcake ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another.

Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until combined.

Muffin batter in muffin tin, ready for the oven.

Scoop the batter into your lined muffin tin, filling each slot about ¾ full.

Place the cupcakes in your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

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

How to Make Paleo Vegan Chocolate Frosting

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate chips and coconut cream in a small sauce pan on the stove top, over low heat. Stir frequently until the mixture is fully melted.
Add in the vanilla extract (optional) and whisk until smooth.
Then, refrigerate the frosting for 1.5 - 2 hours to firm. Chilling time will vary depending on how warm the frosting got when melted and the temperature of your fridge.

How to Frost the Cupcakes

I don't recommend frosting these cupcakes until they're nearly ready to be served. But if you must make them ahead of time, I recommend storing the frosted cupcakes in the fridge.

The easiest way to frost these cupcakes is to pipe the paleo chocolate frosting onto the cupcakes. Scoop the frosting into a small plastic bag, cut a hole in one end and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Storage

These cassava chocolate cupcakes are best kept in an airtight container in the fridge. The frosting has to be refrigerated because the coconut cream spoils at room temperature. You'll be fine making the cupcakes in the morning and leaving them out until the evening, but I don't recommend frosting them and keeping them at room temperature overnight.

These cupcakes can also be frozen (although I prefer them fresh/from the fridge). Place them in a sealed container in the freezer. When you're ready to eat them, either defrost them at room temperature for 30-ish minutes or warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Tips and Tricks

Use cassava flour - I know how tempting it is to swap out ingredients, but this particular recipe is best with cassava flour. I have not tested any other type of flour and cannot guarantee results.
Frosting - feel free to use any type/flavor of frosting you want. When making these for a party, I usually just top the cupcakes with a store bought frosting because it's easier and more shelf-stable. The frosting I made for these cupcakes is delicious, but it does melt at warm temps. (As you can see from the various photos, the texture is different depending on how chilled the frosting was.)
Decorations - get creative with the cupcake toppings and decorations. I love using dye-free sprinkles or cacao nibs and bee pollen, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips or edible flowers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to use cassava flour?

Cassava flour is an important part of this recipe. While all purpose flour may work as a substitution, it is not paleo and I have not tried it myself (I don't ever bake with "regular" flour).

If you want to try the substitution, then I suggest measuring by weight (given in grams). Cassava flour is more dense than all purpose flour so measuring by volume doesn't often give the best results.

What is cassava flour?

Cassava flour comes from from the cassava (or yuca) root. The cassava root is peeled, dried and ground to make cassava flour. You can probably guess that cassava flour is grain free and paleo friendly since I use it in so many of my recipes. It also works well as a 1:1 substitution (by weight) for wheat flour and many gluten free baking mixes.

If you want to learn more about cassava flour and try out more cassava flour recipes, then take a look at my cassava flour g u ide.

Can you refrigerate chocolate cupcakes?

Yes! These cupcakes are best kept in the fridge and eaten within a week.

Can you freeze chocolate cupcakes?

Yes! Place the cupcakes in a sealed container in the freezer for up to one month. When you're ready to eat them, thaw them at room temperature for 30-ish minutes or warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

What are the best ways to decorate chocolate cupcakes?

After adding the frosting, my go-to healthy cupcake toppings include: cacao nibs, dye-free sprinkles (not 100% paleo), freeze dried fruit, bee pollen (not vegan), pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and shredded coconut.

Are these vegan cassava flour cupcakes gummy?

No! This recipe is moist and tender with a nice crumb - not gummy at all.

More Paleo Vegan Desserts

Looking for more easy paleo vegan dessert recipes? Check out these favorites: