Description
These Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes offer a delicious, guilt-free treat made with wholesome ingredients like coconut sugar and applesauce. Perfectly moist with rich cocoa flavor, they’re easy to prepare and suitable for a variety of dietary preferences. Ideal for a quick snack or dessert, these cupcakes bake in just 20 minutes and can be enjoyed plain or frosted.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (120g) (spelt flour recommended, but oat flour, white flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour also work)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder (or additional unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 1 cup coconut sugar (or xylitol)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup applesauce (or mashed banana)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (or additional water)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a cupcake tin with liners to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the water, applesauce, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar into the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined into a smooth batter without overmixing.
- Fill Cupcake Tin: Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tin, filling each cup about two thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Optional: frost as desired or enjoy unfrosted.
- Storage Tip: For low-fat cupcakes, cover them loosely and let sit overnight at room temperature. This improves texture and flavor, and makes cupcake liners easier to peel off.
Notes
- Spelt flour is preferred for a healthier option, but you can substitute with oat flour, white flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Use coconut sugar for natural sweetness; xylitol is a good sugar-free alternative.
- Applesauce or mashed banana can be used to add moisture and reduce fat content.
- Covering cupcakes loosely and letting them sit overnight enhances texture and flavor.
- Check doneness with a toothpick to avoid overbaking and maintain moistness.
