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Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes
5 from 9 votes

Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

These healthy chocolate cupcakes are made with whole wheat pastry flour and less butter and sugar than traditional cupcakes. They're light, fluffy, easy to make and perfect for any celebration!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 128 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • ¼ cup butter softened, at room temperature
  • 2 large egg at room temperature
  • ¼ cup applesauce at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • chocolate frosting I used Simple Mills, of choice
  • chocolate sprinkles for topping, optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners.
  2. Whisk almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl and let curdle for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Add sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl and whip with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.
  4. Add eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract and whisk until combined on low medium speed.
  5. Slowly add almond milk mixture while mixing on low.
  6. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and whisk on low until just combined and batter is smooth.
  7. Pour batter evenly between 12 muffin tins. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
  8. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes or so, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  9. Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost, top with sprinkles if desired and serve.

Notes

  • Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour
  • healthy cream cheese frosting
  • peanut butter greek yogurt frosting
  • Almond milk: Not all non-dairy milk will work for vegan buttermilk, but soy milk and oat milk should work if you don’t have almond milk on hand.
  • Apple cider vinegar: If you don't have apple cider vinegar on hand, white vinegar or lemon juice works just as well.
  • Cane sugar: You can swap cane sugar out for granulated sugar or coconut sugar.  
  • Butter: If you need this recipe to be dairy-free, vegan butter should work as a substitute.
  • Eggs: I haven’t tested an egg-free version of these cupcakes, but let me know if you decide to experiment in the comments below!
  • Applesauce: This helps to replace some of the butter, but if you don't have applesauce on hand, mashed bananas, Greek yogurt or more butter will work just fine.
  • Flour: If you don't have whole wheat pastry flour on hand cake flour or all-purpose flour should work just fine. To make these cupcakes gluten-free just use a gluten-free 1:1 flour like Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour. The cupcakes might turn out a little denser with the gluten-free flour, but it should work just fine.
  • Frosting: I love chocolate frosting on chocolate cupcakes, but feel free to use your favorite flavor of frosting. If you don't want to go the chocolate route you could try my healthy cream cheese frosting or peanut butter greek yogurt frosting instead.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 cupcake w/o frosting Calories 128kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 41mg (14%) Sodium 188mg (8%) Potassium 113mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 128

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 cupcake w/o frosting
Calories 128kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 188mg 8%
Potassium 113mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 9g 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.