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Paleo Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, No Refined Sugar}

By Audrey Roberts

Published Jun 21, 2017

4.54

Read 45 Reviews

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Servings 12

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Grain-free never tasted better! My easy and super moist Paleo chocolate fudge cupcakes will satisfy your chocolate cake cravings. Made with simple and healthy ingredients. Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and no refined sugar. Yes, even the glorious chocolate fudge frosting!

Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes

Yesterday was my husband’s birthday, and I wanted to bake him something special.

He is trying to stay away from grains and dairy because of migraines and autoimmune inflammation, so I needed to find a Paleo cupcake recipe.

After doing a search for Paleo cupcakes on Pinterest and not quite finding what I was looking for, I decided that I would try to make my favorite cupcake recipe grain-free.

I have something to admit friends, that grain-free baking is a whole new world for me. I was a little nervous about stretching outside of my normal gluten-free baking comfort zone, but these fudgy beauties turned out awesome!

Grain-Free Baking

Most gluten-free flours that I use are made with rice flour. Rice flour mimics the taste and light texture that a wheat flour would produce. Grain-free flours, like coconut and almond flour, do not have the same texture or flavor. They produce a denser, heavier cake.

Also, you can taste the light nutty flavor of the coconut and almond flour. So here is my disclaimer friend, if you have never had grain-free cake or cookies, it will be a lot different in texture and flavor than what you are used to. It is not a bad different, but your cakes and cookies will be heavier and denser.

Dairy-Free and Refined-Sugar Free

Now that I have given you the grain-free disclaimer, let’s talk about dairy-free and no refined sugar baking. Once again not having dairy or refined sugar in your baking recipe will change the texture and flavor. I promise friends, although it’s different, it’s a tasty different.

I substituted coconut oil for butter and honey and pure maple syrup for sugar. My Paleo chocolate fudge cupcakes are super moist and super rich. Packed full of the chocolate fudge flavor you crave.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Now let’s talk about the fudge frosting. Honestly, this was the hardest part of the recipe for me. A frosting made with no butter and no sugar was hard for me to imagine. Most Paleo recipes call for coconut cream or palm shortening, which I did not have.

One recipe that I found used avocados. Yes, you heard me right, avocados! I always have avocados in my kitchen, so I thought I would give it a try.

I adapted the recipe because our family likes things on the sweeter side. I was so surprised how glorious the fudge frosting turned out! My kids were super skeptical at first, but once they tried it, they said it tasted like real frosting and they could not taste the avocado at all.

Pro Tip: When I pipe frosting onto cupcakes I use a trick where I line a large cup with the piping bag. It makes the process much less messy! My favorite frosting tip is the Wilton 1M. 

So what did my hubby think? He ate one as soon as he walked in the door! Oh, and then he had another one right after dinner. So I would say that my new adventure into grain-free baking was a success.

If you are needing to make a change to the Paleo diet or a grain-free diet for health reasons or just want to try a new type of gluten-free baking, I promise my recipe for Paleo chocolate fudge cupcakes will not disappoint you.

More Cupcake Recipes To Try

• Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a batch of these fun, fluffy, and super moist Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes.
• These S’mores Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream take a simple chocolate cupcake over the top with a graham cracker crust and marshmallow topping.
• Tastier than from a box, these Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.

Looking for more Paleo recipes? 

• Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins
• Slow-Cooker Savory Pot Roast
• Crispy Chicken Thighs One Pan Meal,
• Honey Lemon Ginger Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Chimichurri Salad.

★Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!★

4.54 from 13 votes

Paleo Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free}

By: Audrey from Mama Knows Gluten Free

Servings: 12

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

My easy and super moist Paleo chocolate fudge cupcakes will satisfy your chocolate cake cravings. Made with simple and healthy ingredients. Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and no refined sugar. Yes, even the glorious chocolate fudge frosting!

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Ingredients 

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Cupcakes:

• ▢ 1/2 cups almond flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup coconut flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt, I like Pink Himalayan Salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• ▢ 1 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 3/4 cup honey
• ▢ 1 cup no sugar added applesauce

Frosting:

• ▢ 1 ripe avocado
• ▢ 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ▢ pinch salt , I like Pink Himalayan Salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

Cupcakes:

• Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
• Combine flours, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
• In a small pan melt the coconut oil. Add the cocoa powder and water and stir until all the ingredients are combined.
• Pour the hot oil mixture into the dry mixture and mix together on low speed, either with a stand-up mixer or hand mixer.
• Add the eggs, applesauce, pure vanilla extract and honey to the batter and mix until fully combined.
• Add the batter to lined cupcake pans. The batter will be thick and sticky. Fill the cupcake cups all the way to the top. If you are not using baking cups, spray cupcake pans with cooking spray.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. Watch the cupcakes, because all ovens are different. Place a toothpick in the center of a cupcake to see if it fully cooked.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Store in an airtight container. (These are even better the second day!) Frost the cupcakes as you eat them. Place remaining frosting in the refrigerator.

Frosting:

• Add the all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth.
• Chill the frosting in the fridge until ready to use.
• If you are going to pipe the frosting on the cupcakes (like I did) put the frosting in the piping bag and place in the freezer so it can firm up a bit.
• If you are not piping the frosting, frost the cupcakes as you eat them. Place remaining frosting in the refrigerator.
• Pro Tip: When I pipe frosting onto cupcakes I use a trick where I line a large cup with the piping bag. It makes the process much less messy! My favorite frosting tip is the Wilton 1M. 
• Enjoy!

Notes

Pro Tip: When I pipe frosting onto cupcakes I use a trick where I line a large cup with the piping bag. It makes the process much less messy! My favorite frosting tip is the Wilton 1M. 

Store in an air-tight container. Frost the cupcakes as you eat them. Place remaining frosting in the refrigerator.

Mama says, “Check all of your labels!”

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 96mgPotassium: 132mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @mamaknowsglutenfree or tag #mamaknowsglutenfree!