For the last week, I have been on an Elimination Diet because I’ve been having a ton of stomach issues over the last month and I’m suspecting that I’m probably intolerant to something that I’m eating. I have one more week to go. Basically, I’m already a pescetarian, but for two weeks I also have to be both dairy and gluten free. Let me tell you- it is NOT easy. I have developed a pretty diverse set of meals for myself, but it really does take a ton of planning. My dinners on the diet are not as filling as they usually are, and I find myself still feeling hungry at the end of the night. I decided to make myself a treat to not only keep me feeling fuller in the evenings, but to keep my spirits up a little as well. These Double Chocolate Cupcakes are IT. They are UNBELIEVABLE. Honestly, I’m pretty certain they are better than pretty much any other cupcake. AND they are both gluten free and vegan so they are absolutely perfect for people with dietary restrictions. They are not the lightest/healthiest dessert on this blog, but they are definitely healthier than any regular cupcake you will find. I was a little nervous to try my hand at gluten free baking, but I’m glad I finally bit the bullet and gave it a shot. These cupcakes are light and fluffy with the perfect amount of sweetness. The icing is made with just two ingredients- full fat coconut milk and non-dairy chocolate chips- and is so rich, creamy, and indulgent. It really tastes like chocolate ganache that’s made with heavy cream. And for all you coconut haters out there- it honestly doesn’t taste like coconut one bit. I almost wish it did though, because I love the combination of coconut and chocolate. TRY THESE CUPCAKES. I can’t say it enough. They are fabulous. This recipe looks a lot more complicated than it is. It does have quite a few steps, so I numbered them in the directions.
NOTE 1: If you don’t have almond meal or oat flour, you can grind up regular almonds and oats into a fine powder using a food processor or high-powdered blender. NOTE 2: Sift your dry ingredients if they are clumpy. I had some small clumps of flour in my cupcakes that didn’t affect the taste at all, but did affect the appearance when you bit into them. NOTE 3: For the beet puree, I buy pre-cooked packaged beets in the produce section of the grocery store. You can also roast your own fresh beets or use canned.
NOTE 4: The icing recipe does not require a lot of active time, but it does require a lot of refrigeration time. I suggest prepping your icing before making the cupcakes.
Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight, for the icing)
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes: 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flax seed meal + 5 tablespoons water) scant 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk + ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1½ teaspoons baking soda ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan) 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or granulated sugar) ¼ cup melted coconut oil 1 cup beet puree (cooked beets pureed with ¼ cup water to total 1 cup puree) ¼ teaspoon sea salt ½ cup cacao powder ½ cup almond meal (finely ground) ¼ cup gluten free oat flour
¾ cup gluten free flour blend (I used Bob’s GF all-purpose)
For the Icing:
1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
1 bag dark, non-dairy chocolate chips
Directions:
For the Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line 12 muffins with paper liners, or lightly grease. Also measure out almond milk and add vinegar. Stir and let curdle while moving onto the next step.
2. Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Add baking soda to the almond milk vinegar mixture and stir. It should fizz.
4. Add the sugar, maple syrup and almond milk mixture to the flax egg and beat to combine. Then add beet puree, melted coconut oil, salt and mix.
5. Add cocoa powder, almond meal, oat flour and gluten free flour blend and beat to combine. It should resemble a thin batter that’s pourable.
6. Divide batter evenly between muffin tins, filling ¾ full.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until puffy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let rest in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then remove and let cool COMPLETELY on a cooling rack. Don’t try to sample early because they need to fully cool or they tend to stick to the wrappers.
For the Icing:
1. After refrigerating coconut milk overnight, take it out and flip over the can. Open the can and pour off the liquid.
2. Scoop the coconut cream into a small pot. Add the chocolate chips. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until melted.
3. Transfer the mixture into a mixing bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
4. Remove from fridge and whip with a hand mixer until fluffy. If the mixture is too hard, just set it on the counter until it’s soft enough to be whipped.
For this recipe, you will have extra icing. Mix it into ice cream, use it as a fruit dip, or eat it with a spoon. It’s that good.
Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 303 Fat: 18g Carbs: 34g Protein: 5g Sodium: 227mg Sugar: 20g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
Cupcake recipe slightly adapted from: Minimalist Baker
Icing recipe from: Oh She Glows
