These healthy chocolate cupcakes are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free, nut-free, and so decadent. The perfect guilt-free chocolate treat, and easy to make too!
Updated version of this recipe HERE!
I’m starting off 2015 with a chocolate bang!
These cupcakes started as a far-fetched idea that I never imagined would work…but that didn’t stop me from trying it. While they were baking, I couldn’t help but check on them at least 12 times. And right before my peeking eyes they were becoming cupcakes!
These cupcakes are what I like to call everything-free. In other words, they are…
-Gluten-free with GF oat flour or certified GF oats ground to flour
-Oil-free with just a small amount of fat found naturally in oats and cacao
-Nut-free as long as you use a non-dairy milk made from rice or oats or flax or hemp
-Soy-free
-Refined sugar-free instead sweetened naturally with dates
Well maybe not free of everything, because then they would be invisible. And then you couldn’t find them. And then you couldn’t eat them. And that would be sad.
They are definitely not free of dreamy chocolate flavor thanks to a few tablespoons of cacao. I love using cacao powder in place of cocoa powder even in non-raw recipes.
Why I love cacao
-It’s rich in minerals like magnesium and iron.
-Rich in antioxidants.
-Rich in fiber with about 4 grams per 2.5 tablespoons.
-And rich in sweet chocolate flavor. Since it’s not roasted, I find the flavor of cacao powder more pleasant than cocoa powder, which tends to have a bitter edge.
Nothing beats a healthy chocolate cupcake popped straight out of the pan into your waiting hands for an oven-warm nibble. But if you’re after a thicker frosting then I suggest you frost them and the refrigerate them. Once they are chilly, the frosting texture is so fudgy. In fact, it reminds me an awful lot of a certain chocolate frosting I used to enjoy by the spoonful straight from a plastic can with a red top.
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These healthy chocolate cupcakes are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free, nut-free, and so decadent. The perfect guilt-free chocolate treat, and easy to make too!
See the updated version HERE!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcake
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates ((about 12))
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup cacao powder ((or cocoa powder))
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates ((about 12))
- 2/3 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tbsps cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting
- 1 can full fat coconut milk chilled overnight
Instructions
- Chocolate Frosting: Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Coconut Whipped Frosting: Scoop out the solid part of the separated coconut cream. Whip till smooth. Sweeten if you want, I personally like it as is with just the natural sweetness of coconut.
- Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Blend the dates and water until smooth. (A high speed blender works best, if using a food processor either wrap a towel around it before turning it on or add the water slowly to avoid date water spraying all over your kitchen.)
- Add the oat flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and non-dairy milk. Blend until well combined.
- Spoon the batter into 6 lined or oiled muffin tins. Fill them 3/4 of the way, and smooth the tops.
- Bake at 350F for approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and let them cool on a cooling rack.
- Once they are completely cool, frost them with the chilled frosting.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge.
