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Chocolate Cupcakes {coconut flour}

June 4, 2011 by Erica 150 Comments

Buttercream frosted chocolate cupcakes

Fluffy chocolate cupcakes: grain-free, gluten-free, and delicious. Try eating just one.

Buttercream frosted cupcake

Every so often I  play around a bit (just a bit) with the ratio of eggs to coconut flour. Coconut flour is not difficult to bake with as long as you remember one thing: it loves moisture. Sucks up moisture like crazy. It must have enough moisture in the batter or all you’ll have in return is a dry, crumbly mess. And eggs are essential (or an egg substitute). They bind and provide moisture. Lucky for us muffin and cupcake lovers, with the right ratio of moist and dry ingredients, you can have darn good results baking with coconut flour.

I’ve used coconut flour before for donuts and cupcakes, all very similar in ratio to this recipe. Because this recipe also has cocoa powder, you can use less coconut flour and still keep the ratio of liquid sweetener and eggs pretty much the same.

chocolate cupcake collection

We were eating these for a few weeks without frosting, but now for a treat: buttercream frosting on top of these super chocolate cupcakes. I think these cupcakes go really well with mocha buttercream, but for those who prefer a balance of chocolate and vanilla, I included a vanilla buttercream frosting recipe as well.

Unfrosted cupcake

I had to dig out my very-low-budget piping kit I picked up several years ago at a local market, that I used once. I had so much fun playing around with it this time that I’m tempted to purchase a few more piping tips. If you’re curious about how to use a frosting piping kit, see this video.

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As featured in
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook

Chocolate Cupcakes {coconut flour}

Servings: 8 cupcakes
Calories: 117kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or gas mark 4).
  • Combine all the dry ingredients and blend well.
  • Add the dry and wet ingredients to a standing or hand mixer and blend until completely mixed. Let the batter sit for a few minutes, mix once more and go to the next step.
  • Fill each cupcake liners to the halfway mark. (If you've added chips, they tend to sink to the bottom of the cupcake, so try adding the chips after you've added the batter to each liner.)
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  • Cool the cupcakes before frosting.
  • For the frosting using butter and shortening, combine all the buttercream ingredients in a mixer or bowl, and whip at a medium-high speed for several minutes until completely blended and creamy.
  • Decorate and eat! I store these cupcakes at room temperature for a few days, but you can also store them, covered, in the refrigerator or freeze for a few months.

Nutrition

Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Print Recipe
As featured in
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook

Chocolate Buttercream

Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 147kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 5 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

  • Mix or whisk the ingredients together until creamy and well-blended. Store in the refrigerator and use at room temperature. I use a mixer.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Print Recipe
As featured in
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook

Buttercream

Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 148kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 5 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Mix or whisk the ingredients together until creamy and well-blended. Store in the refrigerator and use at room temperature. I use a mixer.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Print Recipe
As featured in
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook

Chocolate Whipped Cream (using heavy cream)

Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 316kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces sweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup heavy cream
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan and then turn off the heat.
  • Add the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is dissolved. Then cool it a for a bit – the more you cool it the thicker it will get. You can put it in the refrigerator for a while to cool it.
  • Finally, whip the cooled mixtured like you would whip heavy cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 437IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 7mg

 

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Filed Under: Desserts, Gluten-Free, Lactose Free, Paleo, Snacks, Vegetarian Tagged With: chocolate, coconut flour

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shannon

    November 7, 2017 at 5:15 pm

    These were delicious!! I used peanut butter in place of the shortening in the buttercream icing recipe and it was delicious!! Yumm!!

    Reply
    • Erica

      November 7, 2017 at 5:26 pm

      Thanks! Love that you used nut butter – I’ve been wanting to try that 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kama

    October 1, 2017 at 1:54 am

    Just tried your lovely recipe and it was a hit in my family. We served it with milk jam (creme de leche) and cream when straight out of the oven for a decadent treat and they were define.

    I added powdered vanilla pod to the batter and popped a few white choc dots on top (no dairy issues here obviously).

    Thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Erica

      October 1, 2017 at 9:41 am

      Delicious additions! Thank you for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  3. Cathy

    September 2, 2017 at 6:18 pm

    I will be trying your recipe soon. for the sweetener I will use some organic unsweetened applesauce as suggested in one of the posts, and some Now Better Stevia Liquid. I have been using this stevia for along time and usually can sub all sugars with this. The big thing for me is to get the right amount. According to other coconut muffin recipes I have made, I think 1/2 teaspoon of the Now Better Stevia Liquid would make it sweet enough. I thought also to add some dark chocolate pieces, I always get at least 80%.
    For icing, I thought of some cream cheese, almond butter and cocoa and a few drops of the stevia. Mix all together until smooth and ice the cupcakes. I will let you know how it turns out. I get my stevia from Iherb.com. If you never ordered from them you can use code: ACi997 and get $5.00 off your order. I get a large bottle and is about $18.00 but lasts along time. No shipping on orders $20.00 or more. Thanks for the recipe! I love chocolate. Oh, I get organic cocoa powder from Iherb.com too. I get Repunzel brand.

    Reply
  4. Sarah Bird

    August 28, 2017 at 7:26 am

    I’ve just bought your coconut flour book on Amazon. It arrives tomorrow. I can’t wait!! I am not intolerant of any ingredients but I do follow a healthy diet, mainly slimming world, also strict vegetarian. I’ve been cooking with coconut flour to cut down on normal flour calories in slimming world recipes. About to make these cupcakes as without a doubt your recipes are the most proficient coconut flour recipes there are available – having tried a lot! Is it possible to substitute the maple syrup/honey for sukrin gold sweetener and the equivalent volume of coconut milk (alpro)? Need to make the recipe slimming world friendly. Thanks so much Erica. You’re brilliant at these and I literally am bursting with excitement for the book to arrive! Sarah x

    Reply
    • Erica

      August 28, 2017 at 8:55 am

      Thank, Sarah! I think you can sub the sweetener, I haven’t tried it though. I know readers sub liquid sweetener in a variety of ways, including adding extra milk and a dry or reduced liquid sweetner. Enjoy the book! Best, Erica

      Reply
  5. Jade

    June 1, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    Okay in my defense I don’t bake as much as I cook but I was looking for a GF recipe to make cupcakes for a coworker. I just flat out could not believe that only a 1/4 cup coconut flour and 1/4 cup cocoa could make 8 cupcakes. I made 6 slightly larger cupcakes with this recipe, I was pretty impressed, and it seriously took me probably less than five minutes to mix up and put in the oven. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Erica

      June 4, 2017 at 2:31 am

      You’re very welcome 🙂

      Reply
      • Sally

        October 24, 2020 at 8:35 am

        I just made these! Old post but glad I came upon it. Super delicious ♡♡ I think my butter cream tasted too buttery but it was my first time so perhaps I added too much. Thanks! I’ll have to check out your book.

        Reply
        • Erica

          October 24, 2020 at 9:07 am

          Yes, this is great cupcake recipe! The frostings are a bit too buttery possibly and might need to be adjusted.

          Reply
  6. Kashmira Lal

    May 26, 2017 at 10:54 pm

    I found these very eggy. Almost like eating a chocolate quiche. I feel like it needs another flour in there to create the right texture. Next time I will try some quinoa flour also. Otherwise delicious taste and great sugar free desert… just missing that cupcake texture.

    Reply
    • Erica

      May 27, 2017 at 7:25 am

      I would check your measurements, and possibly the coconut flour you are using. This cupcake is anything but eggy when I make them.

      Reply
  7. Gina

    April 14, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    I made these tonight and they were perfect! I’ve been looking for a cupcake recipe that didn’t leave me feeling awful and sluggish after eating. I especially like that the recipe makes a more reasonable number of cupcakes. I don’t need two dozen cupcakes sitting around the house, lol. I’ll be saving the recipe to make again.

    Reply
    • Erica

      April 14, 2017 at 10:47 pm

      Yes, this is a great recipe. And you can always double it if you need more cupcakes 🙂

      Reply
  8. Gina

    January 26, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    I intend to make these sat with erythrotol n I may purée beets as the liquid to give it a special secret ingredient I will let you know how they turn out

    Reply
  9. Christelle

    December 16, 2016 at 8:54 pm

    Can I use splenda instead of maple syrup or honey? Need your immediate response. Planning to make these for our xmas party on monday. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica

      December 17, 2016 at 9:37 am

      Sorry, I don’t know. To use this recipe with a granulated sweetener you will have to replace the lost liquid that you get using honey or syrup.

      Reply
  10. Megan

    October 27, 2016 at 8:24 am

    I just made these, they’re great! Truly a cup-cake experience, not a muffin. These could be used as a birthday cupcake recipe!

    Reply
    • Erica

      October 27, 2016 at 4:43 pm

      They are! thanks 🙂

      Reply
  11. Melodie Stiles

    July 22, 2016 at 11:39 am

    I also used 5 eggs instead of a doubled 6

    Reply
  12. Melodie Stiles

    July 22, 2016 at 11:29 am

    I just tried this recipe, but I cannot follow directions to save my life.
    For a double batch, instead of (1/4)x2 cup coconut flour, I used 3/8 cup coconut flour, and 1/3 cup of tapioca flour.
    I also added 1/2 tsp vanilla, and instead of honey/maple syrup, I used 2/3 cup organic cane sugar and 1/3 cup of milk.
    To my delight, I did not ruin the cake.
    It has a great, rich flavor, and holds together very well. I had no issues with rising, and the cake is bouncy and supportive enough to use for my (allergy ridden) son’s 1st birthday cake. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  13. Allison

    April 28, 2016 at 10:30 am

    The second time I made these cupcakes I used my steam oven and they turned out even better

    Reply
    • Erica

      April 28, 2016 at 10:08 pm

      wow, I’m jealous of your steam oven!

      Reply
  14. Isalyn

    November 3, 2015 at 6:14 am

    Just made these and added one mashed banana. Instead of half a cup of honey, I used a quarter cup of melted chocolate (naughty, I know) and a quarter of a cup of honey. Came out beautifully – so delicious and light. I iced them with ganache made with chocolate and vanilla yoghurt and garnished with a slice of caramelised banana (sauteed slices with honey in a frying pan). I turned out 12 modestly sized cupcakes. If you want larger ones, this recipe will only make about 8-10. They look amazing!

    Reply
  15. Vivian

    July 10, 2015 at 3:53 pm

    These are in the oven right now! Unfortunately, my oven is currently broken and will only go up to 255 degrees F… so checking every now and then until they’re ready 🙂 Thanks so much for yet another amazing recipe.

    Reply
  16. Holli

    July 4, 2015 at 11:24 am

    Hi, I am really getting into your recipes because I use sugar free honey and syrup out of necessity but my family is used to sugar and I have one that will want to use splenda granulated. How do you convert the honey and syrup measurements to use sugar or splenda instead. Also I say someone using canned coconut milk and stevia drops and I thought I might use that for myself with sucralose drops instead of the stevia. Do you know the ratio measurements for that too? Thanks so much for your time and advice, I am so happy to bake sugar free and give my family recipes also with almond and coconut flour.

    Reply
  17. Holli

    July 3, 2015 at 7:26 am

    Do you know what you can replace the shortening with. More used to recipes with coconut oil or butter. Also I am interested in more recipes with both almond meal and coconut flour together. I think people should specify If they use almond flour or almond meal. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 3, 2015 at 12:13 pm

      coconut oil or butter works

      Reply
  18. Madi

    June 6, 2015 at 7:48 pm

    Wow. Made these like 6 times, ALWAYS GOOD! Frosting comes out funky so I just top with enjoy life chocolate chips.

    Reply
  19. Lucero

    May 19, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    I just made and OMG!!! Too good to be real!! Thanks!!

    Reply
  20. Barbara

    March 25, 2015 at 11:13 am

    Hi my cakes turned out good but not light and fluffy. As do not like too much sweetness used half the amount of honey. Also used cacao powder. As in uk should I also convert cups to grams?

    Thanks so much for all your recipes.

    Reply
    • Erica

      March 25, 2015 at 11:13 pm

      you need the moisture lost from honey to be replaced somehow.

      Reply
  21. TK

    February 24, 2015 at 10:51 pm

    Hi I made this as a cake, and its the first paleo cake my hubby actually ate and i was wondering can i just double the ingredients to make a bigger cake?

    Reply
    • Erica

      February 25, 2015 at 10:58 pm

      the baking time will vary but should work well

      Reply
  22. Jules

    February 23, 2015 at 2:38 pm

    Hi there – i can’t wait to make these! Are the cups US or UK measurements? I work in grams so I need to convert the measurements 🙂 thanks!! Fab recipes xo

    Reply
  23. Jo

    February 12, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    How long would I bake these for in a mini muffin pan?

    Reply
  24. solmaz

    February 9, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    These cupcakes look amazing, but how can I make this recipe to work without the eggs? I am allergic to eggs:(

    Reply
  25. Bianca

    February 7, 2015 at 4:05 am

    I would love to try this recipe for a chocolate cake, will same directions work (though obviously longer cooking time) .. Any hints welcomed ..

    Reply
    • Erica

      February 7, 2015 at 8:24 am

      offhand I’d say yes but the baking time will change. It’s in my coconut flour cookbook 🙂

      Reply
  26. Lucia LV

    February 1, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    I just made these without the frosting. The texture was perfect, they rose well and they taste good! I put a few chocolate chips on top of them. Next time I’ll try substituting the honey for apple sauce or yogurt and Splenda. Thanks so much for the recipe. These are the first healthy cupcakes I’ve made that have actually turned out well.

    Reply
    • Erica

      February 1, 2015 at 9:18 pm

      good to hear!

      Reply
  27. Carlee R

    January 11, 2015 at 3:59 am

    Hi Erica! I made these cupcakes with the chocolate ganache for my birthday! I know I am late on the Paleo game, but I wanted to thank you for this great recipe. It is super easy and perfect. Thank you again!

    Reply
    • Erica

      January 11, 2015 at 10:01 am

      You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  28. Vian

    October 19, 2014 at 11:13 am

    I made these for my birthday with a mocha buttercream (not yours, I made it up) and peppermint coconut milk ice cream. If I hadn’t made them myself, I wouldn’t have known they weren’t made with wheat flour. So moist, fluffy, soft and delicious, with a perfect crumb and lovely rich chocolate flavor. For my buttercream, I just used 1 stick Kerrygold butter, maybe 2-3 tbs. maple syrup, 2-3 tbs. cocoa powder and a teaspoon instant coffee granules and whipped it up with a mixer. It wasn’t too sweet, but complimented the cupcakes perfectly.

    Reply
    • Erica

      October 19, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      Good to hear! Thanks for the kind words, and Happy Birthday!

      Reply
  29. Toni

    September 7, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    I just made these! Super yummy! I did substitute monk fruit for 1/2 the honey and added a little coconut extract to the chocolate butter cream frosting just to give it a pop. Sprinkled a little unsweetened coconut on top and they are beautiful as well as delicious! Second recipe of your I tried this weekend! You have a new fan!

    Reply
  30. Casey

    September 1, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe! It has been my standard birthday/treat recipe for the past 9 months as we’ve worked to heal my 2 year old’s eczema/leaky gut. It’s been hard to limit fruit and sweets for my two boys, but this is the best cupcake recipe we’ve found (and I’ve tried a dozen or so…). Perfect crumb, and it actually passes for a “regular” cupcake. I’ve read so many comments on other recipes that say this, and I didn’t know how that would be possible until I found this recipe. Love the simple, clean ingredients too.
    One note that might help readers: coconut flour is tricky, as others have noted. In previous recipes I tried, I may not have been as particular about fluffing the flour before measuring, and ensuring I got exactly the amount required. One TBSP either way can completely change the texture of the baked item.
    I’m off to try your very vanilla cupcakes for my 5 year old’s birthday (with the chocolate ones served at his birthday party this weekend!).

    Reply
  31. Faithy

    July 27, 2014 at 5:30 am

    Greetings, just made a batch of these, slightly adjusted it to use 4 eggs, used cacao flour instead of cocoa and frozen raspberries instead of chocolate chips. They smelt great! Tasted a warm one and they seemed to be very cakey. Haven’t had a cold one yet. But thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  32. Ami

    July 14, 2014 at 8:58 am

    I have to say that these are SO incredible. I sprinkled coarsely ground coffee beans on top which just puts it over the moon!
    Thanks for the recipe!
    Ami

    Reply
  33. Rebecca

    April 15, 2014 at 9:11 am

    I had some coconut flour and didn’t know what to do with it, found this recipe and followed it to a T. Absolutely beautiful. The texture is so good! And I got Big thumbs up from my partner and son too 🙂 it’s a keeper.

    Reply
    • Erica

      April 15, 2014 at 10:47 am

      Thanks! always good to hear they’re being enjoyed 🙂

      Reply
  34. Christiana

    March 8, 2014 at 11:02 pm

    they’re awesome! light fluffy & dark 😀

    Reply
  35. Renee

    February 20, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    Soooo Yummy!!!!! Light, and fluffy.

    Reply
  36. Victoria

    February 5, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    Love love love LOVE LOVE seriously these are AMAZING!!!

    Reply
    • Erica

      February 5, 2014 at 5:23 pm

      thanks! good to hear! I love them as well!

      Reply
  37. Ann H.

    December 29, 2013 at 11:00 pm

    Hi what i was asking you is how much coconut flour… and the rest of it would i use for one mug cake. in other words…. what would this recipe be for one mug cake. i’m sorry but i dont know anything about baking and i cant figure out how to make this recipe work for one mug cake and not a tray full of cupcakes.
    thanks

    Reply
  38. Ann H.

    December 29, 2013 at 12:26 am

    Hi i was wondering how to convert this recipe to a mug cake i can make in the microwave. i like a fluffy cake and i dont eat grain
    or sugar so… coconut flour and sweetners are my best bets.

    i do also like to use the sugar free syrups. as flavorings as well.
    i would love to make it as a mug cake. how can i do that ?
    thanks

    Reply
    • Erica

      December 29, 2013 at 7:55 am

      I haven’t done it (yet) but I think you can sub the sugar-free syrup for regular and then bake the batter in an oven-proof mug. Not sure of the baking time. Good luck!

      Reply
  39. laurelry

    November 18, 2013 at 6:23 am

    Made these over the weekend in to a cake. Best cake ever. Loved it so much. Thanks. 🙂

    Reply
  40. Theresa

    July 26, 2013 at 9:29 am

    Thank you!! These are by far the easiest & tastiest cupcakes made w/coconut flour ever! I just make then plain as muffins, no chocolate chips, no frosting. I would imagine they’d be amazing with the frosting as well!

    Reply
  41. Simone

    July 19, 2013 at 1:40 am

    Hi there…saw your recipe sounds wonderful…I cannot eat eggs…do you have a suggestion to substitute..

    Reply
  42. Michaela

    July 17, 2013 at 4:45 am

    I’m planning on making these cupcakes for a GF baby shower! Thank you so much!!

    But my question is: have you tries doubling this recipe? I was reading what you said about coconut flour and moisture/eggs and it got me a little freaked out as I had planned to double this recipe. Do you think it would be safe?! :-/

    Thank you!

    Michaela

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 17, 2013 at 8:21 am

      yes, you can double it. just watch your ingredient measurements as that’s usually where I make a mistake. And blend well.

      Reply
  43. Danielle R.

    July 11, 2013 at 7:56 pm

    These sound really tasty and super easy to make. I’m curious though – do you think adding a bit of red food dye would affect the consistency of the cupcakes? I’ve been looking for a simple GF red velvet cupcake recipe for what seems like ages, and this may be what I’ve been looking for!

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 11, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      I’m actually testing this know (great minds think alike) for my next cookbook. I don’t think it will change it drastically but the ratio of ingredients may vary a bit. You’ll want to lower the amount of cocoa a bit and add some natural red dye or beet juice (at least that’s what I’m doing).

      Reply
  44. Erika

    June 18, 2013 at 7:47 pm

    I tried these tonight. Was craving chocolate cupcakes and had all the ingredients. They are yummy and I love how simple the recipe is! I just made the cupcake part. Will keep this one in the recipe binder. Thank you!

    Reply
  45. Willow

    May 1, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    These were awsome! Huge hit with my family!

    Reply
    • Erica

      May 5, 2013 at 5:47 pm

      great!

      Reply
  46. Sadie

    April 13, 2013 at 8:16 am

    Have you tried these with flax/chia egg substitute?

    I tried a similar recipe and replaced the required 4 eggs with chia substitute, but they didn’t rise or cook in the middle.

    Wondering if you’ve had success with egg substitute in any of your recipes?

    Reply
    • Erica

      April 13, 2013 at 8:18 am

      I haven’t yet. I’m curious though. Have you tried bananas or apple sauce?

      Reply
  47. Carrie

    March 22, 2013 at 12:43 pm

    I tried these and wow they are amazing !! Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  48. Anne Cleve

    February 26, 2013 at 8:27 pm

    YUM! My daughter and I were craving a treat, and this hit the spot! We used coconut sugar dissolved in water for the liquid sweetener, and coconut butter for the shortening with good results. Thanks for the great recipes!!

    Reply
    • Erica

      February 26, 2013 at 8:53 pm

      wow, adding the water is genious! And coconut butter? or oil? very impressed!

      Reply
  49. lynl

    February 25, 2013 at 3:39 pm

    Erica, this is a fabulous recipe! I was afraid to make a cake for my son’s 4th birthday party (I’ve never actually made one) and I became paleo in January so was even more nervous after hearing horror stories of cakes that taste good but just aren’t ‘cake’ to non-paleo eaters. I was delighted with your cake when I did my recipe testing! I followed a few suggestions from your readers, too: doubled the recipe and baked in 7″ pan for 30 minutes (perfect!), instead of heavy cream I added 1/2 cup whipped coconut milk (from a can that I whipped and keep in the fridge for ‘lattes’), I did not double the maple syrup but doubled everything else. Wow! I was so impressed and so was everyone else! This is a real cake!! And, none of the finickyness of traditional cake baking, either-thank you, thank you, thank you! I made a double layer cake (so I made the recipe twice rather than quadrupling the recipe), added sliced fresh strawberries to between the layers and used whipped coconut cream (just the hard solid at the top of 2 cans of coconut milk) sweetened with a bit of maple syrup to frost the middle layer ‘glue’ for the berries, the sides and the top. It was spectacular!

    Reply
  50. Caiti Jayne

    February 9, 2013 at 2:21 pm

    I made these chocolate cupcakes excactly as posted, i added a tsp of mini chipits to the tops of them after added to the liners, like you said. They didnt sink much but they were really delicious at the top. I think next time I will either add them to the batter before adding to the liners or maybe add a bunch and swirl them in once added to the liners.

    The frosting I used was a chocolate frosting from another cookbook, but i decided to add peanut butter to it and extra cocoa. i also mixed in some mini chipits into the frosting to make up for the chipits i thought were missing from the cupcakes!

    overall they turned out awesome, very delicious. i think the batter was just a TAD “eggy” for me when eaten without frosting (with the frosting you dont notice), so maybe next time i will use an egg subsitute such as 3 tbsp of grass fed whole milk per egg instead of the actual eggs. I dont know how that will turn out but worth trying! Maybe it wont rise enough…but we’ll see. This made 8 cupcakes for me. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Erica

      February 9, 2013 at 2:55 pm

      Yum. Love your additions. Funny, I don’t find it eggy, but I love it as light as it is. I’d love to know how the egg subbing goes. I’m hoping to try that as well using flax.

      Reply
  51. Amy

    January 21, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    These are amazing and gave me back cake for the first time since going paleo. My husband even thought they were good and he can always tell the difference with wheat free … Thanks and keep the recipes coming!

    Reply
  52. rtfemail

    January 13, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    Used this recipe to make a mini chocolate cake tonight. It actually turned out pretty tasty! I didn’t have maple syrup, so I had to use granulated sugar. The mix was too thick at first, so I had to add 1/4 cup of water to it. So excited to have a simple, strictly coconut flour, cake recipe!

    Reply
  53. Jill

    November 4, 2012 at 7:02 am

    I absolutely love this recipe! If anyone is looking to make them sugar-free and isn’t too turned off by Splenda, substituting equal amounts of liquid and Splenda work really well. I used 1/2 a cup of coffee and 1/2 a cup of Splenda and they turned out beautiful. I have had less than ideal outcomes baking with powdered stevia (dries everything out- yuck!) and can’t afford the liquid concentrate, otherwise I’d go the more natural route. College student budget!! Sigh.

    I would also suggest separating the eggs and whipping the whites, then folding them into the mixture at the very end. This gives them more structure/rise (the last batch I did this with actually rose up above the tops of my cupcake liners!). It also stretches the batter further; I got ten cupcakes out of that batch 🙂

    Reply
    • Erica

      November 12, 2012 at 8:28 am

      Great tips. Thanks. I’ve never thought to use coffee as a liquid replacement. 🙂

      Reply
  54. Patricia

    October 30, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    I made this to battle the hurricane blues this afternoon, and it was great! I can´t have sugar, so in place of the liquid sweetner, I added a 1/2 C mixture of stevia, pumpkin, and applesauce. For the frosting, I mixed melted chocolate (enjoy life brand), coconut oil, coconut milk, and mint extract. Hello, “thin mint” cake! YUM 🙂 Thanks for this!!

    Reply
    • Erica

      October 30, 2012 at 5:56 pm

      that sounds grand. love mint and chocolate.

      Reply
  55. Meg Higgins

    September 13, 2012 at 11:33 am

    I found these to be a nice healthy alternative to traditional cupcakes. Moist and light.

    In my version, to cut the sweetener and ensure moisture, I added 2 bananas to the wet ingredients and used only 1/4 cup maple syrup. And to increase antioxidants and nutrients I used raw cacao instead of cocoa.

    They were great. I plan to make them for snack for my son’s kindergarten class. That will be the true taste test!

    Reply
    • Meg Higgins

      September 13, 2012 at 11:35 am

      Forgot to mention that my 5-year-old thought that they were great plain, without the icing. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Erica

        September 13, 2012 at 2:43 pm

        I eat them without icing as well 🙂 (as chocolate muffins)

        Reply
    • Erica

      September 13, 2012 at 3:06 pm

      Great work subbing out some maple syrup. I’d love to know if it has a banana flavor at all, or if it’s not noticeable. Thanks!

      Reply
  56. Lauren

    July 9, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    Made this recipe this past weekend, although I used it as the pies for whoopie pies. (Trying to stay away from nuts, and your whoopie pie recipe calls for almond flour). Must say they were absolutely delicious! However, they did absorb all of the marshmellow frosting I put between them – ended up just eating one cake at a time with the frosting – which still worked well! Once all of the frosting was gone, I think we enjoyed them even more just eating the little cakes by themselves!! Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 9, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      great idea. I find readers are more creative than I, many times. thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  57. Melissa

    June 18, 2012 at 10:19 am

    These cupcakes are absolutely fantastic. Paleo friendly, but taste like real cupcakes! Thanks so much for posting.

    Reply
  58. Elizabeth

    March 14, 2012 at 5:58 pm

    This is by far the best coconut flour baked good I have made. Thank you!!!

    Reply
  59. Theresa Powers

    March 8, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    Just wondering…I noticed that you include oil in the vanilla cake recipes, but not this chocolate one. Is there a reason for that? I’m trying to make a marble cake and was trying to get a chocolate and vanilla recipe that were similar.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica

      March 8, 2012 at 4:50 pm

      The chocolate has a strong flavor that doesn’t really need vanilla, while the vanilla cake is best suited to vanilla flavoring (or citrus, or other flavoring). You can add vanilla to the chocolate though. It will only enhance it.

      Reply
      • Theresa Powers

        March 8, 2012 at 5:35 pm

        I was actually talking about oil, not vanilla. 🙂

        Reply
        • Erica

          March 8, 2012 at 6:54 pm

          woops – sorry – read too fast. Do you mean the vanilla cupcakes? Or the yellow cake? For the chocolate cupcake, you could add a bit of oil, but it’s not necessary because the eggs provide enough moisture and keep it fluffy (light).

          Reply
          • Christy

            April 8, 2018 at 10:21 pm

            Hi Erica,
            Just had a quick question, due to a similar issue as Theresa mentioned with a marble-like recipe I wanted to try out using your vanilla and chocolate ones. For your vanilla recipe, though, you have the added liquid of coconut milk, and vanilla extract, as well as added oil (this recipe is the one: https://comfybelly.wpengine.com/2011/06/very-vanilla-cupcakes-using-coconut-flour/), but in this you said the eggs were enough to keep it moist, while in the vanilla one, you said you added coconut milk to add moisture.

            Am curious why the vanilla one would have had issues with being dry, but this one didn’t, despite having fewer liquid/wet ingredients? Thank you in advance 🙂

            Reply
            • Erica

              April 10, 2018 at 10:15 pm

              Over time I’ve found that the extra 2 tablespoons of milk (or you can use water) doesn’t make a significant difference but I do prefer a moister cake. Totally up to you. Typically, the cocoa or cacao does make the cake drier so I would still use the additional tablespoons of liquid.

              Reply
          • Christy

            April 8, 2018 at 10:24 pm

            Oops. I’m sorry, I meant to say you said you added the milk for a more tender muffin*

            Reply
  60. Ann

    December 26, 2011 at 8:41 am

    These were really good! Instead of making icying I like to melt chocolate chips on top and spread it around the top of the cupcake, good for anyone on a time crunch. Also added chocolate chips in them for something extra, Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  61. Erin

    November 14, 2011 at 11:09 am

    Thank you for this recipe! I subbed in ener-g egg replacer due to egg allergy, and I was so excited that my son was able to have cake for his birthday!!!! Had I not made them myself, I would not have believed they were wheat and egg free! They were light and fluffy, like a real cupcake!

    Reply
    • Erica

      November 14, 2011 at 12:59 pm

      Great news. Thanks for letting us know. I always wonder about egg replacements.

      Reply
  62. Breezy

    September 6, 2011 at 2:12 am

    I used this recipe tonight to make a cake- doubled the ingredients and poured into an 8×8 pan. Frosted with cream cheese frosting made with butter and vanilla and sweetened with honey. IT WAS DIVINE! Not dry at all- tasted just like a cake made from wheat. 🙂 WOW!

    Reply
    • Kristy

      July 24, 2013 at 7:53 am

      Can u share your cream cheese frosting recipe?

      Reply
  63. Divalicous in Dubai

    August 31, 2011 at 11:10 am

    I LOVE your site and this recipe! Best coconut flour recipe for cupcakes and I have tried them all!! Hope you don’t mind but am linking you to my site for credit of my addition of cherries and chocolate to this recipe. Cannot express how much I love your cupcakes! And your site..amazing recipes and photos…bring out a book!

    Reply
  64. lillian

    August 9, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    I just made these; but i used agave nectar instead of maple syrup (didn’t have any, i added a little vanilla and a qtr cup of heavy cream. i’m new to coconut flour, and every recipe i’ve found so far has yielded dry results. not sure if adding the cream helped, but i enjoyed this cupcake more than any other using coconut flour. I’ll definitely make a again, and next time maybe i’ll inject some whip cream into the center for added moisture…I didn’t ice them since we’ve cut back our sugar intake dramatically, but i think i’ll try your choco-avocado icing with it 🙂 thanks for sharing, i love your site!

    Reply
    • Erica

      August 9, 2011 at 7:33 pm

      sounds great! thanks!

      Reply
  65. Adrienne @ Whole New Mom

    July 17, 2011 at 3:22 am

    Hi there!
    My son was just asking for me to make him a cake again yesterday that “flopped” kind of like yours. Getting non-starch-filled gluten free cakes to rise is quite tough, but they still taste great!

    Anyway, since you mentioned about sugar-free chocolate chips, you may wish to drop by my site. I have an easy recipe for making your own both plain and w/ mint flavor. They may not hold up great in your cake, but the extra chocolate “punch” will still be there – w/ no worries about them including sugar!

    In good health,
    Adrienne

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 27, 2011 at 12:57 pm

      I just saw your chocolate chips recipe! Thanks! Looks great for ice cream for sure.

      Reply
  66. Sonia

    July 15, 2011 at 2:21 pm

    I made these the other day and they were awesome!! Thank you for this gorgeous recipe! 🙂 I had a minor hiccup… my cupcakes didn’t rise :oP But in spite of that the taste was just fabulous. The batch was gone in a day and a half! 🙂

    Reply
  67. Tami

    July 14, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    This may be a silly question, but when I think of “mocha” I think of coffee and chocolate. There’s no coffee or espresso in your mocha buttercream recipe. Am I missing something?

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 14, 2011 at 6:13 pm

      I know. I realized that a day after I posted it. It doesn’t really taste like chocolate to me though – more like mocha without the caffiene :). No, it’s not you – it’s me.

      Reply
  68. Eszter

    July 6, 2011 at 6:20 am

    Hi,
    I am wondering if I could make it without maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener as I am insulin resistant?
    I would use xilitol, but it isn’t liquid and I guess I have to add something to keep the texture.
    Any idea?
    Thanks,
    Eszter

    Reply
    • Erica

      July 6, 2011 at 8:20 am

      Yes, I would add liquid along with the xilitol. PS I haven’t tried it.

      Reply
      • sandy

        May 22, 2013 at 4:01 pm

        I make these with a granular sugar substitute(stevia in the raw) and use the same amount of liquid the recipe calls for usually unsweetened almond milk (makes them softer than using water but you can use water too) I love them! I am diabetic and have been cooking with almond flour and coconut flour to control carbs for the last 2 yrs… good thing to since I was recently diagnosed as having non celiacs wheat allergy (I had begun to increase my wheat consumption had a very serious skin rash that lead to this discovery)So gluten free for me and sugar free too.Love your recipes… thanks for sharing them I can tweak then to suit my needs very easily.

        Reply
        • sandy

          May 22, 2013 at 4:03 pm

          I also add a tbs of cider vinegar to make then rise just a tad more…

          Reply
        • Erica

          May 22, 2013 at 7:37 pm

          Thanks! Wow, yes good that you had gotten away from wheat/gluten. Good to hear the recipes are easily converted. I’m working on more conversions if you’re interesting in testing recipes, let me know.

          Reply
          • lois

            July 11, 2018 at 3:52 pm

            i made this into 6 muffins in a microwave muffin pan, cooked on high 4 min.very good. wondering if they can be made using an all- purpose gf flour in place of coconut flour

            Reply
            • Erica

              July 11, 2018 at 9:52 pm

              Good to know it works in a microwave. Not sure if AP flour would work.

              Reply
  69. Shelmellow

    June 16, 2011 at 12:14 pm

    I started making these for my birthday cupcakes and thought, aww man, she must have forgotten the oil in the ingredient list!!! I was expecting them to be a flop, but they were amazing! I substituted the maple syrup with unsweetened applesauce and used 1/2 stevia, 1/2 xylitol (equal to 1/2 cup) to sweeten instead (unable to have other sweeteners right now). I filled the muffin cups 1/3 full, added 1 tsp of raspberry all fruit spread in the center, then finished filling. I also added a little of the fruit spread to the frosting (which I again sweetened with stevia and xylitol). They were so good I made them again without the frosting for my kids for a treat. They loved them!

    Reply
    • Erica

      June 16, 2011 at 12:36 pm

      oh my, thanks soooo much for sharing this. I’m not experienced with stevia and xylitol, so I especially appreciate when I hear about it’s use. Love the addition of fruit filling! Yumm-y!

      Reply
      • Shelmellow

        June 17, 2011 at 4:33 pm

        Do you have any vanilla cupcake recipes like this one that use coconut flour, but no oil?

        Reply
        • Erica

          June 17, 2011 at 5:18 pm

          Working on it; stay tuned 🙂 In the mean time, you can use this recipe for vanilla cupcakes with coconut flour: https://comfybelly.wpengine.com/2010/05/coconut-flour-donuts/

          Reply
          • Erica

            June 17, 2011 at 5:22 pm

            In the mean time, you can use this recipe for vanilla cupcakes with coconut flour: https://comfybelly.wpengine.com/2010/05/coconut-flour-donuts/

            Reply
  70. Sleepinghorse

    June 13, 2011 at 2:56 am

    These look god and will save into my “recipes to try “folder. I have coconut flour and have been looking for a recipe to try. Thanks for this. I will let you know what they turn out like.

    Reply
  71. Comfy Belly on Facebook

    June 6, 2011 at 12:18 pm

    Thanks Cori! Yes, buttercream is basically fat :). It does taste a bit lighter and less fatty when made with heavy cream, but if you like it that way, you can go that route.

    Reply
  72. Cori

    June 5, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    Yum. Thanks for the recipe. The cupcakes were great. The frosting tasted like, well, fat. It was pretty awful to us so we doctored it up quite a bit and even added mascarpone cheese in the end. Nothing like a chocolate afternoon!

    Reply
    • Erica

      June 6, 2011 at 9:57 am

      Thanks Cori! Yes, buttercream is basically fat :). It does taste a bit lighter and less fatty when made with heavy cream, but if you like it that way, you can go that route.

      Reply
  73. Lauren B

    June 5, 2011 at 10:52 am

    Those look SO good! I love the way you piped the frosting. You hav a great eye for creating delicious looking treats!

    Reply
    • Erica

      June 5, 2011 at 11:04 am

      Thanks Lauren! I think piping frosting could become an addiction for me. Must be careful.

      Reply
      • Lauren B

        June 5, 2011 at 10:07 pm

        Hahaha, Erica, I enjoy it too! 😛

        Reply
  74. Kim Carter on Facebook

    June 5, 2011 at 9:45 am

    YUM!!! Can’t wait to try these!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Erica

      June 5, 2011 at 2:30 pm

      They must be good – they’re all gone now, and I made a batch just yesterday afternoon to photograph. And there’s only 4 of us here. Hmmmm.

      Reply
  75. nj

    June 5, 2011 at 5:04 am

    Looks great. Do I do anything different in the recipe if I leave out the cocoa in the cupcakes?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Erica

      June 5, 2011 at 8:15 am

      Yes, omitting the cocoa will change the cupcake recipe. The ratio would then be similar to the Lemon Poppy Seed muffins I added a few weeks ago.

      Reply
      • Vita

        October 31, 2015 at 6:35 pm

        Just wondering if the cacao/cocoa powder could be replaced with arrowroot? There is a GREAT yellow cake recipe that uses arrowroot powder. Might be worth a try?

        Great cupcake recipe, btw! Thanks!

        Reply
        • Erica

          November 1, 2015 at 12:14 am

          sorry, I don’t know. Thanks!

          Reply

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Measurement equivalents

1 tablespoon 3 teaspoons
1/4 cup 4 tablespoons
1 cup 8 ounces
1 teaspoon 5 ml
1 tablespoon 15 ml

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    1  275  140
    2  300  150
    3  325  170
    4  350  180
    5  375  190
    6  400  200
    7  425  220
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I create recipes using simple, nutrient-dense ingredients, staying as close to the earth as possible.

One of my boys was diagnosed with Crohn’s, which inspired me to start Comfy Belly, and create recipes to share my love of good, healthy food. Read More →

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