These paleo chocolate cupcakes are perfectly tender, moist and rich with a dairy-free buttercream frosting that tastes just like the real deal! They’re gluten free, dairy free and nut free and kid approved. Great for birthdays, holidays or simply because you’re craving chocolate!
Today I’m sharing a classic chocolate cupcake recipe that you’ll turn to again and again!
Complete with a dairy-free chocolate buttercream frosting for everyone out there who won’t settle for anything less than chocolate-on-chocolate.
Including my mom – because it just happens to be her birthday today!! And I have never once seen her reach for a cake that wasn’t double chocolate (or triple chocolate).
So yes – her birthday is the perfect excuse for all of us to channel our inner chocoholics and bake some paleo chocolate cupcakes 🙂
What You Need to Make Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes
This recipe contains coconut, but is otherwise nut free. I’m always getting requests for baking recipes that don’t use almond flour because many people are either allergic or intolerant.
I’m so excited to report that the texture of these chocolate cupcakes is perfect, and you really don’t miss the almond flour at all! Here’s what you’ll need to prepare the cupcakes:
Cupcake Batter:
- coconut flour
- tapioca flour, or arrowroot
- raw cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- eggs
- light coconut milk, or other dairy free milk
- refined coconut oil
- coconut sugar, or maple sugar
- pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting:
- palm oil shortening*** see below for substitutes
- paleo powdered sugar* see below for instructions
- raw cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
- light coconut milk or other dairy free milk
- pure vanilla extract
How to Make Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 350° F and line a 12-well muffin pan with parchment liners. In one mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour, tapioca flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside.
In a separate large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar, milk and coconut oil until very smooth. Immediately add in the dry mixture and beat well on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Fill the parchment liners with batter 2/3 of the way up to make 12 cupcakes. Bake in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pan (keeping them in the liners) to continue to cool completely on the wire rack before frosting.
How to Make Paleo Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
The buttercream frosting requires powdered sugar. You can either make your own, or purchase powdered monk fruit sugar or erythritol if you prefer.
To make your own paleo powdered sugar, blend coconut sugar or maple sugar in a high speed blender until it reaches a powdery consistency. Measure the sugar after blending.
While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and powdered sugar until smooth, then beat in the cacao powder, vanilla, and milk. Continue to beat until very smoothing creamy.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them as desired using a piping bag or spatula. Serve soon after frosting to store leftover cupcakes, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator to bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes.
What Can I Sub in for the Palm Shortening?
If you can’t find palm oil shortening or prefer not to use it, there are three options for subs.
If you can have dairy, grass fed butter will work, or ghee. If you use ghee, make sure it’s thick and creamy and not at all melted.
If you can’t have any dairy, a vegan butter substitute will also work well for the frosting.
Can I Use Almond Four Instead of Coconut Flour?
This recipe was tested only using coconut and tapioca flour. You can sub in arrowroot flour for the tapioca, but the coconut flour can’t be subbed. If you want to make chocolate cake using almond flour, I highly recommend my other chocolate cake recipe.
Are we ready to bake? After writing up this post I’m beyond ready for chocolate cupcakes! Grab your ingredients and get the oven preheated because it’s time to indulge – let’s go!
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting {Nut Free}
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes {Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free}
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter:
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk or other dairy free milk
- 1/3 cup coconut oil refined, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 cup palm oil shortening ***
- 1 cup paleo powdered sugar *
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 2 Tbsp light coconut milk or other dairy free milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake Batter:
-
Preheat your oven to 350° F and line a 12-well muffin pan with parchment liners.
-
In one mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour, tapioca flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside.
-
In a separate large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar, milk and coconut oil until very smooth. Immediately add in the dry mixture and beat well on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
-
Fill the parchment liners with batter 2/3 of the way up to make 12 cupcakes.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until cupcakes are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
-
Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pan (keeping them in the liners) to continue to cool completely on the wire rack.
For the Frosting:
-
While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. If making your own powdered sugar, refer to the instructions in the notes section.
-
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and powdered sugar until smooth, then beat in the cacao powder, vanilla, and milk. Continue to beat until very smoothing creamy.
-
Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them as desired using a piping bag or spatula. Serve soon after frosting** to store leftover cupcakes, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator to bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*to make your own paleo powdered sugar, blend coconut sugar or maple sugar in a high speed blender until it reaches a powdery consistency. You can also use store bought powdered erythritol or monk fruit sugar for the paleo powdered sugar.
**you can make the cupcakes and frosting up to a day in advance before frosting. Store both separately in the refrigerator,
and remove about an hour before serving.
Vigorously stir the frosting as it returns to room temperature. Once soft enough, frost the cupcakes as desired and serve.
***Substitutes for palm oil shortening include grass fed butter, vegan butter, or ghee.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo Dessert Recipes? Try One of These!
Chocolate Frosted Chocolate Donuts {Nut Free}
Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Chocolate Cheesecake with Chocolate Cookie Crust {Vegan}
Vanilla Cupcakes with “Buttercream” Frosting
Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting
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Just made these and they did not disappoint! My kids were also huge fans 🙂 Do you have a link for your sprinkles?
Hi… this definitely sounds delicious!!…However, I am lowering my sugar intake and wondering if I can substitute sugar for maple syrup or honey?..and how much should I use?
Thank you.
My mother and I are going to make these right now!
How many calories per cupcake with the frosting?
Happy Birthday to your Mom! Today was my 58th Birthday and I made these yummy cupcakes! They were super easy to make and a great treat after a long day. Love your cookbook and your blog recipes.
Happy Birthday to your Mom! Today was my 58th Birthday and I made these yummy cupcakes! They were super easy to make and a great treat after a long day. Love your cookbook and your blog recipes.
Oh me oh my … these were amazing! So incredibly light, fluffy and that icing. Wow, just wow!!
These were absolutely delightful tasting! My husband thought I used a boxed mix 🙂 Only issue I had was the middle of the cupcake sinking…any idea what happened?
I just made these and they are absolutely delicious. They baked up nice and fluffy and the chocolate with a hint of coconut is amazing. I added some peanut butter to my frosting for an extra special treat. Thanks for yet another winner!
Made these tonight (first paleo dessert) and they were amazing! The kids loved them and I will definitely trying more recipes! Thank you!
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These are SO GOOD!!! The texture is perfect and taste is rich! I will be making them again.
My mom had recently started to have some major food intolerances coupled with severe diverticulitis. She has only been eating meat for the last 6 months because that’s one of the few things she can handle. I found this recipe to be void of anything she’s ever had a reaction to, and I made it tonight. She loved it! Thank you!
These taste great! thanks for the recipe. just wondering – is that carb count (39g) supposed to be for each cupcake? Seems rather high…
Yum! Super easy and delicious!
I think the cook times are super off though… the entire process took me an hour and a half!
Still awesome
Can this recipe be used for a cake?
These look great. Can’t wait to try. I don’t do well with palm oil products. Which vegan butter(brand) do you recommend as a substitute for the frosting?
Has anyone tried reducing the sugar amount? Thinking to make them for a 5 year old birthday with kids who don’t eat much sugar other than fruit. Thanks!
Can you substitute cocoa powder for cacao powder?
Can I use cassava flour instead of tapioca flour?
These are not interchangeable
My goodness, what a painting this dessert has. And more if it has chocolate. Love it. I’m going to save it to make this recipe that looks so good. Thank you for sharing this and so many delicious and healthy recipes.
Wow- these are the BEST paleo baked goods substitute I have had in my almost 1.5 year paleo journey. Thank you so much! I used about half the coconut sugar and they were perfectly sweet for me and the non-paleo others to whom I served them!
Made this recipe with bob’s egg replacer and oat milk and they turned out great! Had lots of compliments! Thank you for the recipe!!
Easy to make and very tasty! Will definitely make again.
Hello Michele!
I tried making this recipe but it came out a little dry and gritty for me. Maybe baking less will help the dryness, but do you have any tips on how to reduce the grit? I tried to use finer coconut flours, but seem to still have the issue. Thanks!
Thank you for the interesting read. Great blog! Solar