We love chocolate in my house….and these cupcakes are always a hit! Not only are they insanely chocolatey, they are gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free—but the best part is that nobody will ever know! A surprise ingredient, applesauce gives this cake a rich and fudgy texture. Top these off with some chocolate ganache for a decadent treat perfect for chocolate-lovers! If you're looking for a great gluten-free + dairy-free chocolate cake recipe, check out my recipe for Decadent Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ cups almond flour
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sea salt
For the Ganache:
- 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
- 4 oz heavy cream or dairy-free creamer
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin tins with muffin liners.
- Whisk almond flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Heat chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in oil, vinegar, almond extract, and applesauce until smooth.
- Beat eggs, coconut sugar + maple syrup mixture and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed (or use an electric mixer and large bowl) until more than doubled in volume and mixture holds a ribbon for several seconds when the beater is lifted above batter, about 6–8 minutes. This step is very important because it is key to creating an aerated texture.
- Pour the chocolate-applesauce mixture into egg mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and beat on lowest speed, scraping down bowl as needed, until combined.
- Transfer batter to prepared muffin tins. Bake until the top springs back when gently pressed, 15-18 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely while you make the glaze.
For the Ganache:
- Place the chocolate in a bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a boil– that’s too hot!)
- Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
- Then stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Cover and refrigerate until it’s thick and a spreadable consistency.
- Spread the ganache over the cupcakes to cover the top.
Baking for diabetic, how many carbs in a cupcake?
Hi Brenda ,
Thanks for stopping by! I don’t calculate nutritional values for my recipes but this website is very helpful especially if you have restrictions! https://whisk.com/recipe-nutrition-calculator/
All you do is input the url for the recipe and it gives you the nutritional values! I hope this helps 😊