Sweet coconut cake, nutty almond filling, and decadent fudgy chocolate frosting.
Two weekends ago, Dorothy of Crazy for Crust hosted our first “Rotating Sacramento Food Blogger Family Gathering.” She opened her house to 6 of us as well as our families, and we lounged on her sofas for hours, laughing and comparing various stories of recipe testing and photo shoots. In between conversations, Glory shared a sneak peek preview of her new cookbook, Glorious Layered Desserts, and emailed us an invitation to her Book Launch Party the next day.
The following Friday afternoon, I slid behind the wheel of my car and navigated through weekend getaway traffic out to Glory’s hometown. As I slowed to a stop on the off-ramp, my worrywart side took over. What if I don’t know anybody? What if I just stand in a corner by myself the whole time?
After cautiously easing into a parking spot in front of the building, I pulled out my phone to procrastinate for a minute by checking Instagram. As the first few pictures popped up on the screen, a smile crept onto my face. Hayley of The Domestic Rebel had just posted a few shots of Glory’s fabulous dessert sampler table!
I nearly sprinted through the doors in excitement over seeing this lovely lady again less than a week later. And almost all of the other women showed up too! Amy asked her husband to snap our picture, and we spent the rest of the evening laughing again, catching up, and sneaking sample after sample of those heavenly layered desserts. (That decadent Chocolate Brownie Trifle still floats through my dreams at night.)
Partway through the celebration, Glory paused a moment from autographing copies of her cookbook to thank the crowd for their support. She shed a few tears of pure joy, which touched all of our hearts, before raffling off a collection of gifts. When she reached into the glass jar to pull out the final ticket for the grand prize—a Kitchenaid mixer—she called out Hayley’s name! I cheered loudly from the back of the room; that mixer ended up with the sweetest, most deserving lady in the room.
On Sunday morning while I scrubbed my kitchen countertops, my phone vibrated with a text message from Hayley. She wrote that she planned on visiting my town for a few hours and asked if she could drop something off at my house afterward. My brain immediately jumped to the most delicious idea: Ohmygosh!! She’s going to give me a slice of her Brownie Truffle Pie she posted for Pi Day! My heart raced at the thought… By now, you guys must know that I’m addicted to dark chocolate and fudgy brownies!
I tried to calm myself down, suggesting to my slightly crazy mind that she was probably returning something I forgot at Glory’s book launch… Or Dorothy’s party… Or… Or… Or…
(Yeah, I was really trying hard not to get my hopes up. But that pie just looked so rich and fudgy!)
A few hours later, after cleaning up my banana cake photo shoot, Hayley knocked on the front door. As my little Chihuahua yipped at our ankles, she immediately invited me out to her car to pick up my surprise. Hmm, that’s odd… I mused. Why didn’t she just bring the plate in? (Yes, I was operating under the pie assumption again.) Hayley led the way to her trunk, popped it open, and…
She handed me the Kitchenaid mixer. The brand new, sleek and shiny, gorgeous silver Kitchenaid mixer she won at Glory’s book launch. My jaw fell open a few inches, and tiny tears threatened to well up in my eyes and spill over. She smiled and explained, “Because you don’t own one, I wanted you to have this!”
Just a week after meeting in person, Hayley was already giving me the most expensive baking appliance I’ve ever seen. She is such a sweet, compassionate, and truly genuine friend! As she backed out of my driveway, my heart burst with happiness, and I did the only logical thing I could think of…
I baked—Almond JOY Cupcakes!
These fun cupcakes are completely filled with the familiar flavors of the classic candy bar. Tropical coconut infuses the tender cakes, creamy almond butter fills their center, and decadent dark chocolate frosting spreads across their tops. Despite their sophisticated appearance and rich flavors, these cupcakes are so easy to make and surprisingly healthy too!
I actually began planning this recipe 3 months ago. But a few days after formulating the idea, I decided to redesign my entire blog, and I set aside the concept until I finished that humongous project. Because I initially thought of it before Hayley sweetly handed me the mixer, you actually don’t need one for this simple recipe!
For the cupcake base, I worked with whole wheat pastry flour. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll remember my excitement over finding the 20-pound box on my front doorstep, and I actually ordered it specifically for this recipe! Whole wheat pastry flour differs from regular whole wheat flour because it’s ground from softer wheat berries. This produces a finer and slightly more tender texture, which more closely resembles that of all-purpose flour. However, if you don’t own whole wheat pastry flour, you can easily substitute regular whole wheat flour instead! This recipe is very similar to my Fig Newton Cupcakes, and when I used regular whole wheat flour in those, they still turned out light and moist. Just make sure you measure it correctly! (Check out my Baking Basics for a quick refresher.)
To impart the classic Almond Joy coconut flavor, I added both coconut oil and coconut extract. The coconut oil keeps the cupcakes moist and tender, while the coconut extract provides the majority of the flavor. Please do NOT skip it! A mere 1 ½ teaspoons of coconut extract imparted a lovely flavor without being overpowering, but if you prefer a more prominent taste to compete with the dark chocolate frosting, try increasing it to 2 teaspoons instead.
As one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking, I mixed in Greek yogurt as well. It supplies lots of moisture without the excess fat and calories of butter and oil, and it adds a little extra protein too! Maple syrup contributes the sweetness, keeping these clean-eating friendly, but you could replace it with honey or agave if you prefer. For the last touch of moisture, I decided against coconut milk because (a) it’s not an ingredient I normally stock in my pantry and (b) it’s much higher in fat and calories than regular milk. I wanted to keep these cupcakes low fat and skinny, so I turned to nonfat milk instead.
It’s really important to mix the cupcake batter correctly! You’ll alternate between adding in the flour mixture and milk, making sure you stir just until they’re barely incorporated. Alternating additions are mandatory. They maintain the light, tender texture that we want and prevent over-developing the gluten strands, which would result in tough dense cupcakes. For the best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts and the milk in 2, beginning and ending with the flour.
The filling and frosting are both laughably easy to make. Neither one requires a mixer—that’s right, no butter and sugar to cream! For the filling, you just need 3 ingredients: almond butter, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup. The almond butter adds the classic almond flavor from the candy bar, while the Greek yogurt creates a creamy texture and the maple syrup cuts back a bit on the yogurt’s tang. Mix those together in a bowl, and you’re done!
For the fudgy dark chocolate frosting, you only need cocoa powder, agave, milk, and vanilla. Again, just stir them together in a bowl—so simple! I prefer agave over honey or maple syrup because it has a cleaner taste. The other two impart a subtle floral or woodsy flavor (respectively), but the agave allows the rich chocolate taste to really shine through.
By now, the cupcakes are cool, the frosting and filling are ready to go, so let’s assemble these cute cupcakes! Cut a hole in the center of each using a knife or a cupcake corer. I highly recommend a cupcake corer; I actually bought that pink one for less than $2 at Walmart. Spoon in a few teaspoons of filling before topping with the frosting. To prevent the almond filling from seeping out and swirling into the chocolate frosting, place a large dollop of the frosting directly on top of the filling, and spread it outward from there.
Yum.
These Almond Joy Cupcakes taste exactly like a sophisticated version of their classic candy bar namesake. Bursting with nutty almond, decadent chocolate, and tropical coconut flavors, you’ll love every tender bite, from your first taste to the final crumb. Made with only clean wholesome ingredients, these are a sweet treat you can feel good about enjoying!
And the biggest thank you to Hayley, one of the most thoughtful ladies I know, for her enormous generosity and my beautiful new Kitchenaid mixer! ♥
These fun cupcakes taste like a sophisticated version of the classic candy bar! The cupcakes can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready to fill and frost.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, and lightly mist with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the cupcakes, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, coconut extract, and vanilla extract. Stir in the maple syrup and Greek yogurt, mixing thoroughly until no lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mixing just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts and the milk in 2 equal parts.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350°F for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- To prepare the filling, stir together the almond butter, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup in a small bowl.
- To prepare the frosting, stir together the cocoa powder, agave, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
- To assemble the cupcakes, remove the centers using a sharp knife or cupcake corer. Spoon in the filling. Drop a dollop of frosting on top of the filling, and spread outward until it covers the tops.
Notes: Regular whole wheat flour may be substituted for the whole wheat pastry flour, and unsalted butter may be substituted for the coconut oil.
It’s very important to mist the paper liners with nonstick cooking spray! Low fat cupcakes tend to stick to liners, so spraying them helps prevent that.
Oh my GOD these look amazing, thank you for the recipe Amy!! 🙂 Also, could you recommend a good brand of agave to use? I get overwhelmed in the store…but congrats on getting a stand mixer too! I’m saving up for one!
Thanks Marina! I really hope you get your mixer too. If you’re located in the US, Kohl’s normally has some great deals on Kitchenaid mixers! (I’ve been watching them since November, trying to figure out if I could splurge. 😉 ) I used Madhava Light Agave for this particular recipe. I agree; the number of brands and varieties at the store is overwhelming! But I’ve liked every brand that I’ve used so far.
I love the new layout to your blog and the new domain name! And these cupcakes look amazing – I am so impressed that you managed to make such a skinny frosting without any icing sugar!! Very excited to try these 🙂 Pinned!
Thank you so much Cerea; you’re such a sweet friend! The frosting is really dark (exactly how I like it!), so I hope you’re a fan of dark chocolate. 🙂 And thanks for pinning my cupcakes too!
These cupcakes look absolutely delicious! What a great idea! And by the way, I absolutely LOVE your blog! You are such a good writer and I love all of your stories that go along with your recipes! I recently found your site and check it out everyday for new inspiration and recipes.Your new layout definitely fits your blog, very clean and eye-catching!
Thank you Gayle! Your kind words mean the world to me, and I’m so happy you enjoy my stories and recipes. 🙂 And thank you for your sweet comment about the layout too. I actually designed and coded it all myself, so it’s really rewarding to hear that!
Yum! Did you make these just for me!?!?! You know I loooooooove the flavors of Almond Joy! From our Almond Joy Snack Bites to our Oatmeal, to muffins I’ve been concocting lately … Gretchen just rolls her eyes when I try to sneak this flavor profile into one more recipe! (Almond Joy burritos, maybe … or an Almond Joy burger???) 😀 You know I am totally pinning this straightaway!
For you and my mom! 😉 They’re one of her favorite candy bars too. I absolutely loved your Almond Joy Oatmeal, and I definitely pinned it too! After your almond joy muffins, why not try pancakes? Or waffles? Or scones? Or cookies? The possibilities are endless! (And I may need to try one of those ideas too…)
The cupcakes look amazing!! Definitely drool worthy as always!! I just wanted to stop by & say hi!!! Love what you’ve done with your site – the colors are so pretty & remind me of an Easter egg! 🙂 Love it!!
Hi Karey!! 😀 You’re so sweet with your compliments; thank you so much! Especially for taking the time to comment on my non-Paleo recipes. I’m sure it’s hard sometimes to look at treats that don’t quite fit into your new diet! And that’s totally hilarious you say the colors remind you of an Easter egg… That was my nickname in elementary school — “Easter Egg!!”
SUCH A beautiful gift. These mixers are so lovely. I have one, but rarely use it..I need to change that!! Despite not needing one for this recipe, you honored her gift well by using it RIGHT AWAY for these delicious looking cupcakes!
As soon as you start using it again, will you please teach me all of your tips and tricks?? The mixer is so huge, it’s almost intimidating! I’ve only ever used a hand-held one because that’s all my mom ever had at home too. 😉
Congrats on the new mixer…Your baking life will change forever! Hayley is the best! Happy Baking!!
Thanks Ellen! I’m really excited to start using the mixer. And you’re completely right; Hayley is just the sweetest girl ever! 🙂
Amy, I enjoyed reading this post very much!! What a sweet story about your fantastic week. Congratulations on your new mixer! I almost cried! (Although, I was surprised to hear you didn’t already have one.) I’ve printed this awesome recipe. I’m cutting back on eating bad stuff, so this qualifies as truly good stuff!! 🙂
Blessings,
Kim
Thank you so much Kim! I feel truly blessed to have such a sweet friend — I nearly cried too (multiple times)! I had been contemplating getting one for about 6 months now, but with their price tags (and my teensy tiny kitchen), it was hard to pull the trigger. This was just the best gift of all! And I really, really hope you enjoy the cupcakes! 🙂
OMG. I’m going to cry. How amazing that she did that. Hayley is the best person in the world, I tell you. Congrats!
And these cupcakes. OMG!
Thank you Dorothy! 🙂 You seriously have the sweetest neighbor in the world. I want to move to your neighborhood just so I can be neighbors with both of you and hang out with you two more often!
Oh my goodness!! SO SWEET! What a precious and generous gift. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!! My favorite thing to do with it make meringue- because it takes so long to whip egg whites, you can just leave them whipping and do something else instead of sitting there holding the beaters! 😉 I vote that for your next recipe!
I’ve met the sweetest friends through blogging — you included, lovely! 🙂 I’ve actually only had meringue once, in the form of a lemon meringue pie, and… I hated it. It tasted metallic and I couldn’t stomach more than about 1 bite. But I’m willing to try again, and hopefully add a little more sugar than the person who made that pie did!
Just made these OMG so good!!! Your recipes never fail!! Thank you so much! 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cupcakes Marina! It’s my pleasure. 🙂
Hi Amy,
I’m making these cupcakes tomorrow, but I have a question. Are these cupcakes moist, or kind of dry? Because of the cupcake-liner-spraying, I was wondering if they became a bit dry….:)
These cupcakes are really moist! Spraying the liners actually helps keep them that way. If you didn’t spray the liners, the paper would actually absorb more of the batter’s moisture and dry out the cupcakes (as well as making the cupcakes stick to the liners like glue). I really hope you enjoy them Shenae! 🙂
What a lovely story–and what a great way to get your first mixer! I need to get some coconut extract. I always think I can get the flavor from coconut oil alone, but it’s never quite enough. Wonderful recipe!
Thanks Carrie! Coconut oil always surprises me: it gives too much flavor when I want none, and not enough when I want a powerful punch! The problems of recipe testing… 😉
Amy-
Is there a substitute for the maple syrup to cut back on the sugar content?
-Diana
You can try substituting stevia for some of the maple syrup, either vanilla creme stevia or the powdered variety, but you’ll need to add additional milk to compensate for the missing liquid. I’d love to hear what you try and how it turns out Diana! 🙂
Where can I find coconut extract? Local grocery store and whole foods did not carry it.
Can I use coconut imitation flavoring extract or should I stick to finding pure coconut extract?
Thanks, cant wait to give these a try!
Yes, that coconut imitation flavoring extract you found will work just fine! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cupcakes Jen! 🙂
Hi Amy, awww…such a great story! I am going to make these cupcakes this weekend. I will let you know how they turn out. They look marvelous!!
Thank you so much Carmelina! I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cupcakes! 🙂
These look amazing. I’d like to make them for my 3 year old- would they work as mini cupcakes? And in a pinch can I sub extra vanilla extract for the coconut extract? Thank you!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Adi! Yes, these will work as mini cupcakes. Just remember to reduce the baking time! You may substitute vanilla extract for the coconut extract, but the cupcakes won’t have any coconut flavor (so they won’t be true “almond joy” cupcakes since almond joy candy bars have chocolate, almonds, and coconut!). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you and your 3-year-old think of these!