Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes (gluten-free, dairy-free)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups almond flour; 1/2 cup tapioca flour; 2 tablespoons coconut flour; 1 cup coconut sugar; 3/4 cup raw cacao powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs; 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk; 1/2 cup water; 1/4 cup coconut oil; 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 cups organic powdered sugar (or powdered coconut sugar, powdered succanat, etc); 1/2 cup raw cacao powder; 1/2 cup organic palm shortening; 1/3-2/3 cup dairy-free milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

by Lisa Bryan

126 Comments

Updated Oct 18, 2022

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Paleo chocolate cupcakes are extremely moist, decadent and rich, with a perfectly fluffy texture. You’ll never know they’re gluten-free and dairy-free! Top them off with a swirl of my vegan chocolate buttercream frosting for one irresistible treat.

Let me start off by introducing my most loved paleo chocolate cake recipe. If you’ve made the cake before, you know what I’m talking about. It has all the delicious textures and flavors of a real chocolate cake, while being gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo. It’s a reader favorite with over 1000 comments.

And many of you have asked if that cake can be turned into cupcakes. The answer? Oh yes, it sure can.

These cupcakes are simply half of that cake recipe. But for those who don’t want to do the math on the ingredients, no worries, I’ve done it for you. These cupcakes are just as light, fluffy, and perfectly moist as the original cake…in smaller cupcake form. Let’s dive in.

Paleo Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients

I go into detail on why each of these ingredients is critical to the success of this recipe on the original cake post. So if you’d like more information check that out. But here’s what you’ll need for the cupcakes:

Dry ingredients

Almond Flour – 1 1/2 cups
Tapioca Flour – 1/2 cup
Coconut Flour – 2 tablespoons
Coconut Sugar – 1 cup
Raw Cacao Powder – 3/4 cup
Baking Soda – 1 teaspoon
Espresso Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon

Wet Ingredients

Eggs – 2 large eggs
Full-Fat Coconut Milk – 3/4 cup
Water – 1/2 cup
Coconut Oil – 1/4 cup
Apple Cider Vinegar – 1/2 tablespoon
Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon

Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients

Powdered Sugar – 4 cups (or powdered coconut sugar for added richness)
Cacao Powder – 1/2 cup
Organic Palm Shortening – 1/2 cup (or vegan butter)
Dairy-Free Milk – 1/3-2/3 cup
Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon

How To Make Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes

To get started, you’ll need to create the cupcake batter. Watch the video on my cake recipe to see how I do it, or follow these steps:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix the dry ingredients. Add everything into a large mixing bowl and give it a good whisk.
Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk together for 1-2 minutes to create the batter.
Prepare the cupcakes. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups and evenly divide the batter between 14 muffin cups.
Bake for 25-28 minutes. Test to see if the cupcake is done using the toothpick test.
Let the cupcakes cool. This is key if you’re layering frosting on top. If not, you can also eat them as little chocolate muffins!

How To Make Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

As your cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream frosting. Then you can get to the piping fun!

Blend all the ingredients in a mixer. Add the ingredients to a stand mixer and blend on low for 30 seconds. Then slowly increase the speed to high and blend for one minute.
Test the frosting consistency. If your frosting is too thick, add more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Pipe the cupcakes. Place the frosting into a piping bag and pipe swirls on top of each cupcake.

Can You Make the Cupcakes Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! You can make the cupcakes up to two days before a party or event. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature on your counter.

You can also make the frosting ahead of time and store in a separate container in the fridge. Just re-whip the frosting before placing in a piping bag. I prefer to store the cupcakes unfrosted and frost right before serving for the most fresh texture. But you could store them frosted as well.

Can you freeze cupcakes? You sure can. If you plan to eat them within a couple of weeks, I just frost and store in an airtight glass storage container. If you plan to store them longer (up to 2 months), you can prevent freezer burn by wrapping the unfrosted cupcakes in plastic wrap before storing in an airtight glass container. And let me tell you, defrosting chocolate cupcakes is mighty tasty meal prep!

More Decadent Chocolate Recipes

If you’ve got some cacao powder leftover, here’s a few of my favorite chocolate recipes to whip up!

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.