Milk Chocolate Cupcakes
I am sharing a favorite allergy-free cupcake recipe today! This chocolate cupcake is light, moist, easy to make, and has a mild chocolate flavor. The great thing about this recipe is the fact that all children love it, gluten-free or not. This recipe is perfect to serve for a children's birthday party.
My 5-year old nephew was just in town visiting. I made these cupcakes for a bake sale at my children's school this past weekend. Of course I had to save a few of them! My nephew, who isn't gluten-free, loved them and asked me to send the recipe to his mom (along with a number of other recipes I made)!
Like my Soft Molasses Cookie recipe, I use either Sucanat or Coconut Sugar for the sweetener in these cupcakes. I have tested it with organic cane sugar and the overall flavor lacked the depth that only a dark, rich sugar can give. Sucanat or Coconut Sugar work beautifully.
Milk Chocolate Cupcakes
These cupcakes are perfect for a child’s birthday party or a special occasion. They have a simple, mild chocolate flavor and great texture that all children will love, gluten-free or not. I prefer the neutral flavor of avocado oil or grapeseed oil in these cupcakes. Coconut oil works too but will give the cupcakes a slight coconut flavor. Frost with the Vegan Whipped Chocolate Frosting. You can easily cut the recipe in half to make 9 cupcakes if you don't need all 18.
Dry Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with 18 paper muffin cups (I use stone muffin pans).
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and sea salt.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond flavoring.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together until the batter thickens and is very smooth. Batter will be thin at first, don’t worry.
- Fill prepared muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Use this recipe in our Meal Planner
Vegan Whipped Chocolate Frosting
This frosting has the perfect amount of sweetness with a mild chocolate flavor. It is luscious and fluffy, just perfect for frosting your favorite layered cake or cupcakes! For frosting one dozen cupcakes, make a half batch of this recipe.
- Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric until light and fluffy.
- Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes or a layered cake.
Use this recipe in our Meal Planner
About the Author
Ali Segersten
Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University and a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. She is a Functional Nutritionist, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Alissa is the founder and owner of Nourishing Meals®.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
Email updates.
Add Comment
Comments
I have tried to find a birthday cake recipe that doesn't taste "vegan" since learning I had sensitivities to gluten, dairy and eggs, but hadn't found one I also felt good serving my "normal" diet family members. I tried this as an 8 in. two-layer cake. It passed with flying colors! (I don't think my husband realized it was vegan!) And the frosting...wow. I love that it doesn't contain powdered sugar, and because of that, doesn't dry out quickly. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
Do you think these would work as a sheet cake? Thinking of making these for Valentine's Day! Thanks!
wow, never tried this brand before and would love to. thank you for your great blog. I really enjoy trying your new recipes.
Hi Ali
I made your double chocolate cake for Easter and could NOT get my icing recipes to work (I wanted fruit based) so I made this icing recipe, substituting the palm shortening with virgin coconut oil and the arrowroot with tapioca flour. I did a choc version and a 'white' version (omitting the vanilla and cocoa) for decorating. It piped well and tasted delish!! Although there were definitely melting issues, (the iced cake stayed in the fridge till we cut it) was very happy with the result. Thanks again!!
Love the cupcakes, have them on the counter, boys will be thrilled to come home from school, nice treat. Can you freeze the frosting, or keep it in the fridge for later?
Thanks again.
why the arrowroot in the frosting? just curious! I am always on the lookout for ways to make frosting w/out the dreaded powdered sugar!!!
thanks.
My cupcakes did not rise in the middle. Is there anything I could do to get them to rise consistently. The sides rose very nicely. Very good taste!!!
Help?
Thanks,
Lara
those cupcakes look delic..cant wait to try them..:)
hey your blog design is very nice, clean and fresh and with updated content, make people feel peace and I always like browsing your site.
- Mark
Just tried these for my son's 2nd bday - they are amazing. Moist, chocolatey, and the chocolate frosting is great. I used regular cane sugar, and canola oil instead of grapeseed, and still was really happy with the result. Thanks!
I can't wait to try these!
Also, I just realized that I never added the xanthan gum... oops! But they turned out great!
Oh, sweet goodness! I just baked these tonight... my excuse was my baby's 7 month birthday, which is tomorrow. ;-) (he will not be getting any...at least not directly). I added an extra teaspoon of almond extract and put a little dollop of raspberry preserves in the center of 1/2 the cupcakes. AMAZING!!! My husband and I couldn't stop eating them!! Hopefully there will be some left to frost tomorrow.
Thank you again for these delicious recipes.
Ali, I made these for a birthday party and they were GREAT! I made a frosting out of cashews, a little coconut oil, cocoa powder, water to blend, vanilla bean, sea salt and agave and it worked out really well...so yummy!
I think I'm going to try making these with cherries for the holidays! : ) These looks absolutely AMAZING. Thanks for sharing yet ANOTHER incredible looking recipe. When do you expect us to eat all this stuff? ;) -Kim
And the winners are......
comment #5 - Karen R.
comment #10 - Jen D.
comment #16 - Valerie
comment #27 - Adrienne
comment #31 - Allison
comment #41 - Jennifer M.
Congrats to the winners, now could you each please email me your mailing address? Thanks, enjoy your gluten-free cake mixes!
-Ali :)
I think I might have to go make some cupcakes right now... yum!
Ooh, so yummy! Putting on my "must make" list :) My 3 kids (all GF and dairy free) would love them! And I have never tried the Authentic Foods products -- thanks for another wonderful giveaway!!!
Dear Chef Ali,
Thank you so much for offering these recipes on your blog. I am saving up for your cookbook...
Do you have experience using guar gum as well? (begging pardon if you answered that elsewhere) I may be sensitive to xanthan gum.
I look forward to trying more of your recipes...
Hi Ali and Tom,
Thank you for your continued effort in providing us with wonderful gluten-free recipes.
Please enter my name in the contest for the Authentic Foods cake mix. Hope the wee ones are doing well!
Joyce
I would love to try these mixes. Thanks!
These are beautiful, Ali! I love your frosting. I am going to have to try that soon.
I love your recipes, they are really helpful for me as I recently became gluten free and am now trying to go sugar free aswell. I made your soft molasses cookies with date sugar a few days ago and I just love them. My friend who has no food restrictions also loved them. THANK YOU!
Any way to use oat flour for any of these recipes?
These look yummy! I'm going to try them tonight. I made the flourless chocolate chip cookies this weekend and thought I'd gone to heaven. I'd love to be entered in the contest, as well!
Thanks so much Ali!
Jennifer M.
Incredible! Thanks for this great frosting recipe. I have been looking for a good dairy free frosting so this will definitely come in handy this holiday!
Very excited to try this one out. Perfect for any celebration or no reason at all. I think these could easily satisfy any size of chocolate craving. Thank you!
Wow Ali! Those cupcakes are just flat-out gorgeous! Yum - now I really want one (too bad I just finished breakfast =D).
These look so yummy! Will make them soon for sure. Thanks Ali!
I heart gluten-free baked goods! Thanks for the recipe.
Yum! As soon as my oven is fixed, I'm going to try these!
WOW, these look amazing!
These look soooo yummy! Winning the AF mix would be pretty neat too. :)
All of these giveaways are so exciting...sign me up! Thanks for offering it!
Yet another delicious dessert to try. Gotta get bakin'!
I have to keep a ready supply of cupcakes at my son's school, should another child's parent bring goodies to class in honor of their student's birthday. These will be perfect - frozen too. Thanks!
I also shared this on Facebook.
Chocolate goodies that are gluten free, dairy free, *and* egg free?! My sweetheart is going to love these. Thank you so much for so many tasty and nutritious food ideas.
I've got to try to make these! My son loves your sunflower toddler snack cookie recipe. Thanks for sharing your recipes! -Jennifer D.
Ali, these will be perfect for the preschool party! the children will be so excited when they see them, they look delicious!
Thanks for another fun giveaway Ali!
I am interested in the cake mix and of course your cupcakes. The photograph is stunning.
Lara
Thanks for the yummy-looking recipe! And thank you, too, for the detail of your recipes. I love to know that you use stone cupcake pans, for example. I didn't even know they existed, but now one will be on my Christmas list.
I posted this on my facebook!
These look amazing! I am sure my daughter will love them, along with everyone else :)
I'm licking my computer screen! Those look so good. They are going on my must make list.
My weekend is filling up fast and my Christmas list is shrinking! 1st on the list is molasses cookies and now these yummy cupcakes too. Thanks for posting!
Shared on FB too. :)
Wow... I'm super excited to try these out... and such a simple recipe!
These look amazing! I'm always looking for new cupcake recipes.
Those look SO pretty and I luv agave!
Enjoy!
The cupcakes look so delish! Thanks for another great giveway!
yummy!! I love chocolate, those look delicious. Can't wait to try them out.
Valerie