These Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes are light and tender—exactly what a cupcake should be—while remaining dairy free, grain free, gluten free-friendly and free of refined sugar. The chocolate frosting is included and made with just three wholesome ingredients.
I hadn’t made cupcakes for a while. I love baking them, but the filling, icing and decorating can take time. When I do make them, I enjoy putting on music and taking my time in the kitchen, but I needed something quicker—so I adapted this simple, one-bowl recipe. The result is quick to prepare, easy to clean up, and deliciously healthy.
At first glance the recipe looks egg-forward and light on dry ingredients, which made me hesitate. I decided to try it anyway, and I was pleasantly surprised. The batter is runnier than a conventional cupcake batter but that’s normal here—the eggs provide lift and a delicate, soufflé-like crumb.
When adding the coconut flour to the wet ingredients, use a whisk to break up any lumps. The coconut flour can clump quickly, and you don’t want dry pockets in the batter. Don’t be tempted to add extra flour; the mixture will be thin but still bake up light and airy.
I prefer a richer bite, so I always top these cupcakes with the simple date-based frosting shown below. It’s naturally sweet, chocolatey and creamy—most guests never guess it’s made from whole-food ingredients.
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes
10 mins
20 mins
30 mins
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 Cupcakes
Calories: 216 kcal
Author: Emma Burton
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Icing
- 150 g pitted dates, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a muffin tin with 8 cupcake cases.
- In a bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond milk.
- Add the coconut flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Whisk thoroughly until there are no lumps of flour.
- Divide the batter among the cupcake cases, filling each about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before adding the icing.
Icing
- Combine the chopped dates and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until the dates soften and the liquid begins to thicken.
- Transfer the softened dates and cooking liquid to a food processor along with the cocoa powder and almond butter. Process until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon or spread a generous amount of the frosting onto each cooled cupcake and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
216 kcal
Mother’s Day is coming up soon. These frosted cupcakes make a thoughtful, homemade gift—quick to prepare but impressive to present. If you’re short on time, they’re a lovely option that shows care and effort without hours of decorating.
If you need these to be strictly gluten free, double-check all product labels to ensure each ingredient is certified gluten free, especially cocoa powder and any processed items.