These Chocolate Cupcakes are fudgy and scrumptious.  Even better, they’re Nut Free and Gluten Free and Dairy Free, and they’re sweetened with just a touch of maple syrup.  Indulgent yet easy to make, these cupcakes are the perfect treat anytime.

These are the same Nut Free Chocolate Cupcakes that I made for my daughter’s birthday party and that are the base for showing off the beautiful two-toned roses I did with my Sugar Free White Frosting recipe.  (Don’t be intimidated!  Get yourself a Wilton 2D piping tip and make your piping dreams come true!  It’s easier than you think.  See my recipe for Sugar Free White Frosting for how to make your piping dreams come true.)

My daughter loves these cupcakes plain without any frosting, and I concur there’s nothing wrong in keeping it simple.  But.  Add just a spoonful of Chocolate Ganache Frosting on top, and these cupcakes are out of this world.  Still so simple, but now so fudgy and extra chocolatey.  I ate so many of these cupcakes when I was photographing them that I think I might be up all night tonight.  It was worth it!

These Nut Free Chocolate Cupcakes are like the little black dress of your baking repertoire.  Keep them simple with an easy Chocolate Ganache Frosting, or dress them up with a fancy Sugar Free White Frosting that can be tinted any color your heart desires and piped into all kinds of beautiful designs. 

Why You’ll LOVE this Recipe:

• No Sugar
• Gluten Free
• Nut Free
• Dairy Free
• Low FODMAP
• Low Cholesterol
• Easy to make
• Healthy and delicious

Ingredients for Gluten Free Nut Free Chocolate Cupcakes with White Frosting:

• Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
• liquid stevia
• maple syrup
• vanilla
• egg whites
• oat milk
• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• cornstarch
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• cocoa powder
• coconut milk
• chocolate chips

Notes on Ingredients:

Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks – Make sure the Earth Balance is softened before putting it in the mixer.  If it’s too cold, then it won’t incorporate well with the other ingredients.  I usually just pop it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften it up. 

Egg whites – You know all those egg whites you’ve been saving up from all my recipes you’ve been making that call for “eggs + egg yolk”?  Well, now’s the time to use them.  You need 3 egg whites or 90 grams of egg whites.

Oat milk – Using oat milk helps keep these cupcakes both nut free and dairy free.  We need a little more oat milk in this recipe than in the Vanilla Cupcakes recipe, because cocoa powder is very drying. 

Cornstarch – Cornstarch is truly the magic ingredient here.  It gives the cupcakes this wonderful tenderness that melts on the tongue.  Don’t leave it out.  And I don’t recommend substituting it with any other kind of starch (potato, arrowroot, tapioca).  Each starch has different qualities, and in this recipe, cornstarch really produces the right texture and flavor.

Chocolate Chips – There are lots of sugar free brands now.  My favorites are Hu No Added Sugar Chocolate Chips (great for people avoiding FODMAPs), Bake Believe (from Costco), and Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips (found in most supermarkets).

How to Make Sugar Free Gluten Free Nut Free Chocolate Cupcakes From Scratch

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Prepare two cupcake pans with liners.  I love these compostable liners.

Make the Cupcakes

Soften the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks by putting them in a bowl with the maple syrup and putting them in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.  I add the maple syrup, because I always keep maple syrup in the refrigerator, so it helps to take the chill out of the maple syrup, too.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks with the liquid stevia and maple syrup.  Add the vanilla and egg whites.  Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, mix together the Gluten Free Flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the mixer and beat on low.  The mixture will be thick – that’s okay. 

Add the oat milk, and beat until smooth, starting on low and then increasing the speed to medium.

Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ of the way up.  Do not overfill.  Overfilling can actually cause cupcakes to sink, because the cupcake doesn’t have enough of the liner to climb up.  The cupcake needs to be able to grow and climb up the liner to support it.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Allow to cool completely before topping with frosting. 

Make the Ganache Frosting 

Ganache Frosting is a very easy way to dress up a cupcake, and it makes these cupcakes incredibly fudgy and amazing. 

Put the chocolate chips in a bowl.  Shake the can of coconut milk so that the cream and coconut liquid combines.  Heat up the coconut milk in the microwave for 45 seconds.  Pour the warm coconut milk over the chocolate chips.  Let sit for about 5 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. 

Let the Ganache Frosting sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to let it cool and thicken.  This just makes it easier to spread. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, use a spoon or offset spatula to spread the Ganache Frosting on top of the cupcakes.  I like to pour a spoonful of ganache on top of the cupcake and, moving in a circular direction, smooth the ganache with the back of the spoon.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect – these cupcakes are all about comfort through chocolate. 

I store these in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, if they last that long.  Treat yourself and enjoy!

More Gluten Free Nut Free Desserts:

• Gluten Free Cinnamon Thins
• Peach Pie
• Lemon Scones
• Classic Scones
• Sugar Free Nut Free Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes