These decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting are paleo and GAPS-friendly, and perfect for a healthy treat!
Perfect first.
I’m not really a cupcake fan. I’d much prefer cake. Or a muffin. But when it comes to 1st birthdays, cupcakes are perfect, and it just so happens that last weekend my baby girl turned one year old!
Now, usually when a family member has a birthday, we make our traditional Chocolate Cream Angel Food Cake. But since my little one doesn’t eat grains yet (yay for GAPS babies), I needed something grain and sugar-free. I knew that it had to be something chocolate – as she seems to be a fellow chocoholic. Only homemade, dairy and sugar-free chocolate, though. (Of course.)
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes.
After searching my chocolate-filled archives, I finally settled on my delicious Spiced Dark Chocolate Cake, which I shared over at Delicious Obsessions a while back. But I needed it to be a little more kid-friendly, so I modified. Dropping out the spices (which are quite delish), adding a few things here and there, and pouring the batter into a muffin tin did the trick!Â
The Dark Chocolate Cupcakes were a huge hit, as was the chocolate frosting. And the hubby said they were the best grain-free baked dessert I’d made in a while… Double win.
More GAPS-friendly treats.
If you also have a GAPS baby and are looking for some more GAPS-friendly treats, here a few of my family’s favorites…
- 3-Ingredient GAPS Angel Food Cake
- Paleo No-Bake Chocolate Avocado Tart
- Chocolate Avocado Nice Cream
- Mint Chocolate Chip Blender Ice Cream
- Dark Chocolate Mexican Blender Brownies
- Sweet & Salty Chocolate Bar with Fruit & Nuts
- 4-Ingredient Paleo Poopsicles
- Probiotic Apple Pie Ice Cream
- Molasses-Free Gingerbread Cutout Cookies
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks!
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Free from grain, gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 farm-fresh eggs
- 3/4 cup coconut flour, packed down and leveled off
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup softened coconut oil
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I like to make my own!)
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 and grease an muffin tin.
Place all ingredients EXCEPT apple cider vinegar in blender (I use my Blendtec) and puree. Let stand for about 5 minutes so the coconut flour can soak up some of the liquid.
Add in apple cider vinegar and pulse to combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean and top springs back lightly when touched.
Cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
Free from grain, gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup each coconut oil, raw honey, and cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Soften the coconut oil over low heat.
Remove from heat and stir in honey, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.
Let stand for a few minutes to thicken.
Frost cupcakes.
Hi Raia! Belated happy birthday to your little one! Time goes by fast, doesn’t it? I love this cake you made! You’re absolutely right: it definitely looks decadent, and the fact that it’s grain free makes it that more enticing. Thanks so much for sharing this on #shinebloghop this week!
Thanks, Maria! It’s amazing how fast it goes by! Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out the cupcakes! 🙂
These are the “cleanest” chocolate cupcakes I have ever seen! I can’t wait to make them 🙂 I think these will be perfect at our next family BBQ 🙂
I hope your family enjoys them, Sammi! 🙂 Mine sure gobbled them up. 😉 But that’s ok when they’re practically healthy, right. 😉
Happy Happy Birthday to your little princess!! Definitely saving this recipe for when my little one turns one! xoxo
Thank you, Krystal! I hope your little one enjoys them. 🙂
Dark chocolate is my fav, and so are cupcakes!!! These look amazing!
Thank you, Bethany! 🙂 I think I’m slowing convincing my family that dark chocolate is the way to go. 😉
Oh how I love dark chocolate! Your cupcakes look amazing! Pinned. Lovely pictures of your little girl too. Thank you for sharing this post with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop, Raia.
Thank you so much, April! 🙂
Happy birthday to your sweet little angel GAPS-baby!! She is sooo adorable!!
And this chocolate cake is right up my alley! I love all of the ingredients you used! I also love the addition of the flax and applesauce, I be trying this one for sure! xx
Thanks, Andrea! I should’ve made a double batch, that’s for sure. They are delicious and so easy. 🙂 I hope you enjoy them!
Hi Raia,
Wow this looks tasty. Sounds delicious and healthy. Your baby girl is adorable and looks so precious! It looks like she had a wonderful and happy birthday. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted. Have a healthy, happy & blessed Memorial Day weekend!
Thank you, Marla! She did have a wonderful day. 🙂 Happy Memorial Day to you, too!
Your little one is just adorable! The cupcakes look delicious and so pretty! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Helen! 🙂 Glad to share.
thanks for sharing. We are grain free wo these will be perfect little treats
I hope you enjoy them, Shelly! 🙂
Dark chocolate ganache is my favorite! pretty much my staple when it comes to frosting!
I agree, Anjali! It’s pretty much the best. 😉
What a beautiful (and lucky) baby girl! I rarely make or eat desserts, but when I do, it has to be chocolate. 🙂 I really am intrigued by your grain-free recipe, and your commitment to cooking for your family with such restrictions… Bravo!
Thank you, Tamara!
These look yummy! Cute pictures too! 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Welcome Home Wednesdays!
Thank you, Crystal! I’m glad to share! 🙂
OMG, that smile on your little girl!! I guess I don’t have to ask if the cupcakes taste good. 😉 I love this recipe and the fact that it uses natural sugar. That they look so decadently chocolatey is just bonus.
Haha! Thanks, Tracy. 😉 She definitely enjoyed them.
Hubba hubba! All the chocolate has me drooling!
😉 Chocolate is good for that!
Um your little girl is absolutely adorable and she looks so happy on her birthday! I bet she enjoyed these cupcakes, and I mean who wouldn’t with chocolate on chocolate?! I’ve never baked with coconut flour before, I can’t wait to give these a try!
I hope you get a chance to enjoy these, Jillian! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
If anyone knows how to make an awesome grain free chocolate treat, it’s you, Raia! Terrific!
Birthday blessings.
Aw, thanks, Barbara! 🙂 Awesome grain-free chocolate is a necessity for me. Haha!
Ah what cute pictures! Looks like she loved it and cupcakes are just the perfect size for little ones. #freefromfridays
Thank you, Emma! She did love it! 🙂
These look so delicious! Cannot wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing at Simply Natural Saturdays!
Thanks so much, Britney! 🙂 Glad to share.
Hi Raia,
Just a note to let you know that I have chosen your post as one of my features for this weeks Real Food Fridays blog hop that goes live every Thursday @ 7pm EST. Thank you for being part of Real Food Fridays and sharing your information.
Thank you so much, Marla! 🙂 I’m always glad to share! 🙂
Happy belated to your little! Time just goes by so fast with them, doesn’t it? 🙂 I’m loving how this cupcake and frosting looks – can’t ever have too much chocolate. 🙂
Thank you, CJ! Yes, it does fly by!
These look fabulous! Thank for sharing!!
Thank you, Angela! Glad to share. 🙂
That frosting looks so amazing! I am definitely going to make a batch of these delicious cupcakes this weekend!
Thank you, Jessica! I hope you enjoy them!
These cupcakes look so good. And awesome that they’re refined sugar free.
Thanks, Kate!
Oh I love a good dark chocolate cupcake! That icing is perfection – such a delicious recipe!
Thanks, Lauren! I can eat the frosting with a spoon… haha.
These dark chocolate cupcakes look amazing! There is nothing better than this! (Love your photos too!)
Thank you so much! 🙂
Chocolate on Chocolate sounds good to me! These cupcakes look so decadent!
Thanks! They are delicious and healthy, too!