Paleo chocolate cupcakes that are rich and fluffy, with the most luscious Paleo chocolate buttercream frosting!
I have been holding onto this recipe for a while because it is sheer perfection, and I wanted to release it at just the right time. But I couldn’t hold onto it anymore, for it’s the best-kept secret! The frosting is the fluffiest, richest, most delicious thing you’ll ever have. I’m not even a frosting person, but I eat this frosting by the spoonful. No joke.
The cupcake recipe is based on this cake. It is delicately sweet and oh-so chocolatey. I served these at my brother’s graduation party last year, and they were such a huge hit! Nobody knew they were dairy-free and Paleo.
Seriously, these are the best Paleo chocolate cupcakes you’ll ever have. Wait, scratch that. These are the BEST CUPCAKES you’ll ever have.
Fluffy Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 35
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 28 1x
Description
Paleo, dairy-free, sugar-free + Keto option
Ingredients
Cake
- 8 ounces chopped dark chocolate
- 8 Tbs unsalted butter or sustainable palm shortening
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup or Lakanto monk fruit syrup
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/3 cup arrowroot starch/powder
- 1 Tbs coconut flour
- ½ cup cacao powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder (if you’re strict paleo, make sure it’s grain-free)
Frosting
- 2 cups sustainable palm shortening, at room temp
- 1 cup cacao powder, sifted
- ½ cup pure maple syrup or Lakanto monk fruit syrup
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and adjust your rack to its middle position. Line a cupcake tin with parchment baking cups.
- Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler. Melt, stirring occasionally, then set aside to cool (the mixture needs to cool for at least 10 minutes before adding the egg mixture below).
- Place the maple syrup and eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 5-6 minutes until pale yellow and billowy, then whisk in the coconut milk.
- Slowly whisk in cooled chocolate and vanilla extract.
- Sift almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder over the egg mixture and gently fold to incorporate.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake tin, filling each up nearly to the top. (You may have a bit of leftover batter, which you can bake later).
- Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes for 20 minutes, then make the frosting.
Frosting
- Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the palm shortening until it’s fluffy. Slowly whip in the cacao powder, then add the maple syrup and blend.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
Want more Paleo cake recipes? Check these out:
8 Responses to “Fluffy Paleo Dark Chocolate Cupcakes”
Any chance you can use this recipe for a cake?
Yes! In fact, here is the recipe in cake form: https://wholegirl.com/the-perfect-mocha-birthday-cake/
Can you use coconut oil instead of palm shortening for the frosting?
No, but you could use grass-fed butter!
Hi, I was wondering if there was a substitute for the monk fruit syrup and instead use granulated erithritol/powdered monk fruit blend? Or something similar. I have both granulated erithritol and powdered monk fruit. Thanks!
Hi! As monk fruit syrup is a liquid sweetener, you’ll want to replace it with another liquid sweetener. Honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, or even maybe yacon, would be good options!
In the directions you mentioned the coffee powder. But I didn’t see that listed in the ingredients. Perhaps I missed it… If so, can you tell me how much coffee powder and what coffee powder is lol.. Thank you.. Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Sorry, that was a mistake! There is actually no coffee powder. Enjoy!