I’ve been wanting to whip up a reliable chocolate cupcake recipe using almond flour.
I have a version using coconut flour, and thought it would be really nice to have the lightness of that recipe using almond flour. Almond flour baked goods tend to be a bit heavier, but there are techniques to lighten them.
Let me know what you think. I’ve tested this a few times and I think the ratio of sweetener and dry ingredients works well, and the olive oil lends a lightness to give it a great cake texture along with a rich chocolate flavor.
This is the first recipe I’ve posted using baking powder instead of baking soda. I usually use baking soda but wanted a slightly different flavor and airiness to the cake.
Here are some brands of gluten-free baking powder:
- Rumford Baking Powder
- Clabber Girl Baking Powder
- Davis Baking Powder
- Hain Pure Foods Featherweight Baking Powder
- Bakewell Cream Baking Powder
Chocolate Cupcakes {almond flour}
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup oil olive or other oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325ºF (160ºC, or gas mark 3). Prepare a cupcake baking pan with cupcake liners (about 8).
- Whisk the almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl or mixing bowl.
- Add the maple syrup, olive oil, water, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk or mix until well blended.
- Fill the cupcake liners until 3/4 full with batter.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool and serve. Store sealed at room temperature for several days, or sealed in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
if you were to use as a cake, what size pan and baking time
Hi Heidi, you can get one layer of an 8 inch cake pan from this recipe, so if you’re making a layer cake, I recommend doubling the recipe. I would bake about 15 minutes longer, but check with a toothpick to see if it’s still wet in the center (I haven’t tested this yet). Cheers!
My daughter is strict scd, so cocoa powder is not scd legal. Is there a substitution?
Yes, cocoa and cacao are not SCD legal. I don’t know of a substitute for this recipe but there are recipes that are like having a chocolate treat, such as almond toffee brownies using coffee for flavoring. If you search for Marilyn’s SCD “chocolate” cake you will find a recipe that mimics chocolate. It uses black pepper and dates to simulate the flavor and taste of chocolate.
These are absolutely delicious. I have also found a healthy frosting, honey, coconut oil, chocolate, that takes them over the top! Our go to special treat. Five stars!
Fantastic! thanks 🙂
Followed recipe to a T. These are unbelievably moist and light. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe.
You’re welcome! So good to hear 🙂
I made them for the first time. I used coconut oil and added a handful of dark chocolate melted for a richer chocolate taste. They were so moist and amazing. Thanks!,
Great to hear!
I just made these with chia eggs and ghee. I upped the fat a bit, decreased the water. They’re amazing. Thanks for the tips!
Great to hear! Thanks 🙂
I just made these with chia eggs and ghee. I upped the fat a bit, decreased the water. They’re amazing. Thanks for the tips!
Great to hear! Thanks 🙂
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup
Yes, absolutely. Just added it to the recipe. Thanks for asking!
Has anyone tried these with flax eggs?
I haven’t yet with this recipe, but it should work ok. Beyond 2 flax eggs, I haven’t had much success.
I made these last night and they are SO good! Added a small handful of chocolate chips to the batter at the end and they are decadent.
Good to hear! Adding chips is always a delicious addition 🙂
My mom and I don’t eat syrup or large amounts of sugar, so I used a little less than a tbls of honey instead. I hope this helps c.wagner !
This recipe is fantastic! Thank you!
Always good to hear! thanks 🙂
Thanks for the liquid measurement in ml. It’s a success this time round. Love the cupcakes! 🙂
Great!
Hi I tried but it was on the dry side though it ttaste very good. I think my liquid measurement is not correct.
may i know how much is 2 ounce of oil in ml?
Thanks!
I haven’t heard of dryness with this recipe but you can always add more oil or water or both. I added the measurements in ml. 🙂
2 oz of oil is appproximately 58 ml.
It’s 59 ml but I rounded up. Either will work.
These looks so moist. I need to try these for a GF DF person. She loves chocolate.
Hi. Thanks for your recipe! I had some old stale almonds that had been sitting in my cupboard and I needed to do something with them so I made almond milk (delicious!) and then dehydrated the leftover pulp in the oven to make almond flour. I just made your recipe as a cake. It certainly looks and smells delicious; I’ll be tasting it tonight. I used regular whole milk for the water, canola oil for olive oil (for a more neutral flavor), and I made a tiny addition of a dollop of mayonnaise in order to ensure that the cake was moist.
Could I use sugar instead of maple syrup?
Sorry, I don’t have the ratio for subbing sugar and it wouldn’t work with a 1:1 sub.
I have made these three times and find them to be an excellent snack and candy replacement. They are moist, tasty and I don’t even miss icing. I use ‘Dark Amber’ organic maple syrup per recipe that has replace ‘grade B’ maple syrup. Thank you so much
You’re welcome. thanks for the kind words! Dark syrup does have a great flavor.
Thanks, Claude. I guess this how you modified the recipe using coconut oil. Cool!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, honey, eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
I did not have Maple Syrup so I substitute that with Agave Blue nectar and almond milk instead of water. I got 9 muffin from the batter and tasted really good and smell really good chocolaty. Thanks Erica for coming up with this recipe.
Thanks, Rita!
Erica, have you ever used cacao powder instead of cocoa powder in your recipes? I want to make these for my mom, but she can’t use baking powder or cocoa powder. Also, I thought about making your chocolate cake from your coconut flour cookbook. Thank you so much! I’m making your tortillas again for my mom tonight but wanted to make a sweet dessert for her!
Yes, actually I’ve used both with this recipe and both work well. Same amount of each.Thanks for buying my cookbook! Cheers.
Can you sub stevia or pyure for the maple syrup in this recipe? Thank you!
I don’t know. Sorry.