Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Chocoholics, rejoice! Feast your eyes on the most epic double chocolate masterpiece ever. These paleo chocolate cupcakes have a rich and moist cake with a silky smooth vegan ganache frosting pipped on top. I've never met a more luxurious cupcake.

The Best Chocolate Gluten-free Cupcakes

Each cupcake is like a mini piece of my popular Blackout Paleo Chocolate Cake. Think fluffy dark chocolate cake smothered in a creamy chocolate frosting. If you need yet another reason to run to the kitchen to bake a batch, they can be made in one bowl!

You're only a a couple ingredients and few simple steps away from chocolate heaven.

What you need to bake gluten-free chocolate cupcakes

• Eggs/Flax Eggs - Room temperature is best. This recipe will also work with flax eggs to make these cupcakes vegan.
• Coconut sugar - This is what we use top provide the perfect amount of sweetness which pairs well with the bitterness of the chocolate.
• Coconut oil - This is used to ensure a moist and fluffy cake.
• Vanilla - Believe it or not, vanilla extract actually elevates the chocolate flavor in this recipe.
• Coconut milk + Apple cider vinegar - The combination of full-fat coconut milk and apple cider vinegar is also known as 'vegan buttermilk'. We use it in this recipe to help our cupcakes rise when baked.
• Almond flour + Tapioca flour - Combining both almond flour and tapioca flour provides the ultimate texture for these cupcakes.
• Cacao powder - Make sure you use high-quality cacao powder. This is what gives or cupcakes a deep intense chocolate flavor.
• Baking soda + Baking powder - Both are used in this recipe to ensure a beautiful rise in your cupcakes every time!
• Warm coffee - This is the secret to a rich deep chocolate-y flavor. Make sure the coffee is warm which is what helps to "poof' the cacao. No, your cupcakes will not taste like coffee. However, you can also use warm water.

How to make these cupcakes

One of the best parts about this recipe is that all you need is one bowl and a hand or stand mixer.

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 F.
2. Then get a large mixing bowl out of use the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat the eggs, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla together until light and creamy. Add the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and beat again to incorporate.
3. Next, fold in the almond flour, tapioca flour, cacao powder, baking powder, and baking soda until no flour clumps remain. Pour in the warm coffee and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula.
4. Finally, pour the batter into a cupcake tin lined with liners and bake! Wait for the cupcakes to cool before icing.

• 

• 

Vegan Chocolate Ganache for Cupcakes

Yes, the chocolate cake bottom of these cupcakes is ahhmazing. But, the vegan chocolate ganache sends these cupcakes over the edge. This frosting is so simple to whip up, you'll want to smother it on anything and everything. You only need two (!!!) ingredients to make it! Just follow these steps for the most epic chocolate frosting ever:

1. In a skillet, heat 1 cup full-fat coconut milk over medium-low heat.
2. Add 1 ½ cup dark chocolate chips to the skillet and stir until melted. The mixture should be velvety smooth which may take a couple minutes of stirring.
3. Once melted, transfer the mixture to a bowl and place it in the fridge to thicken up (about 30 minutes to an hour).
4. Once the mixture is thick, beat it with a hand mixer until creamy. Then, fill a pipping bag with the frosting and swirl on top of your cooled cupcakes!

Tips for the Perfect Chocolate Gluten-free Cupcakes

• Don't over-mix your batter. Cupcake batter should be a tad thinner than cake and brownie batter. When adding the dry ingredients to the mixture, just give it all a couple big folds to incorporate the flour.
• Test the "doneness" of your cupcakes with a toothpick. Because every oven is different, I recommend testing if your cupcakes are done by inserting a toothpick into the center of one. If it comes out clean, your cupcakes are done!
• Let cupcakes cool before icing. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Because we use a vegan ganache frosting with a coconut milk base, it can easily melt if we aren't careful. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before pipping with icing.
• Store in the fridge. Again, due to the ganache frosting, these cupcakes are best stored in the fridge (or in a cooler area). Kitchens can get warm throughout the day and if the cupcakes are left out on the counter the icing may begin to soften.

If you love chocolate then you're going to LOVE these recipes:

• Paleo Chocolate Cake
• Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
• Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies

Print