Almond Joy Cupcakes

 
Two weekends ago, Dorothy of Crazy for Crust hosted our first “Rotating Sacramento Food Blogger Family Gathering.” She opened her house to six of us bloggers, 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 she also 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 freeway getaway traffic 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 probably know that I’m obsessed with 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 filled with the familiar flavors of the classic candy bar. Tropical coconut infuses the tender cupcakes, creamy almond butter fills their centers, and decadent dark chocolate frosting covers their tops. Despite their sophisticated appearance and rich flavors, these cupcakes are so easy to make and surprisingly healthy too!
 

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND JOY CUPCAKES

I actually began planning this recipe three 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 to make this simple Almond Joy cupcakes 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 more tender texture, which more closely resembles that of all-purpose flour. This means you get the best of both worlds: the added health benefits of whole wheat flour and a beautifully moist and soft texture!

Note: If you don’t own whole wheat pastry flour, you can easily substitute white whole wheat flour — or even 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!

Tip: If you’d like to make these Almond Joy cupcakes gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. That’s where I’ve shared my recommendations about how to do this!
 

 
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, increase it to 2 teaspoons instead.

Tip: Coconut extract is inexpensive, shelf stable, and keeps for ages. I highly recommend buying a bottle! Although almond extract is my absolute favorite baking extract, coconut is right up there too. I’m obsessed with its sweet, tropical flavor! You can find it on the baking aisle, right next to the vanilla extract, at many grocery stores.
 

 
As one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking, I mixed Greek yogurt into the batter as well. It supplies lots of moisture — for a fraction of the calories and fat of butter or oil — and it adds a little extra protein too! For the last touch of moisture, I decided against coconut milk because it’s not an ingredient I normally stock in my pantry, so I turned to nonfat milk instead.

Tip: You can easily substitute whatever milk you normally keep in your fridge! Almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk… Just about any type will work!

To keep these Almond Joy cupcakes clean eating friendly, I turned to pure maple syrup to sweeten the batter. Remember, this is the kind that comes directly from maple trees! It only includes one ingredient (maple syrup), and it typically comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this).

Tip: You can substitute honey or agave, if you prefer!
 

 
It’s really important to mix the cupcake batter correctly! You’ll alternate between adding in the flour mixture and milk, gently stirring by hand just until they’re barely incorporated. Alternating additions are mandatory. They maintain the light, tender texture that you want and prevent over-developing the gluten strands, which would result in tough, gummy, or dense cupcakes. For the best results, add the flour mixture in three equal parts and the milk in two, beginning and ending with the flour.

Remember to generously coat your cupcake liners with cooking spray too! Low fat batters (like this one!) tend to stick to liners like superglue, but if you coat them with cooking spray first, they’ll peel away much more easily.
 

 
The filling and frosting are both incredibly 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 pure 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 provides sweetness. Mix those together in a bowl, and you’re done!

Tip: I highly recommend my homemade creamy almond butter! You just need a few minutes to make it.

For the fudgy dark chocolate frosting, you only need unsweetened cocoa powder, agave, milk, and vanilla. Again, just stir them together in a bowl — so simple!

Hint: I prefer agave over honey it has a slightly cleaner taste. Honey can impart a subtle floral flavor, but the agave allows the rich chocolate taste to really shine through. (Pure maple syrup also works quite nicely!)
 

HOW TO ASSEMBLE ALMOND JOY CUPCAKES

By now, the cupcakes are cool, the frosting and filling are ready to go, so let’s assemble these cute Almond Joy cupcakes!

First, 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.

Next, spoon or pipe in a few teaspoons of almond filling. You don’t need a fancy pastry bag to pipe it in! Just add the filling to a regular zip-topped sandwich bag, and snip off one corner with a pair of scissors.

Finally, to prevent the almond filling from seeping out and swirling into the frosting, place a large dollop of the chocolate frosting directly on top of the filling, and spread it outward from there.
 

 
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! ♥
 

 
When you make your own, would you mind leaving a comment and rating the recipe? (You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Facebook!) I’d love to hear what you think of these Almond Joy Cupcakes!

Almond Joy Cupcakes

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 cupcakes

These fun cupcakes taste like a sophisticated version of the classic candy bar! They're soft and moist inside with a delicious combination of chocolate, coconut, and almond flavors. The cupcakes can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready to fill and frost.

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Ingredients 

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 2 cups (240g) whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp coconut extract
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
• ⅓ cup (80g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup (80mL) nonfat milk

FOR THE FILLING

• 2 tbsp (32g) homemade creamy almond butter
• ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

FOR THE FROSTING

• ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• 3 tbsp (45mL) agave
• 5 tbsp (75mL) nonfat milk
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, and generously coat 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 or with a few crumbs attached. 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. Transfer the mixture into a zip-topped bag.
• 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. Cut off one corner of the filling bag, and pipe the filling mixture into the center of each. Drop a dollop of frosting on top of the filling, and spread outward until it covers the top of the cupcake.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's really important to measure the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will make your cupcakes dry, instead of soft and moist. Too much cocoa powder will make your frosting dry and taste bitter.

 

IMPORTANT MIXING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Do not use a stand mixer or hand-held mixer to make the batter. This results in gummy, dense, rubbery, or tough cupcakes. Use a whisk where explicitly instructed, and use a fork for everything else.

 

IMPORTANT LINERS NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s very important to coat the paper liners with nonstick cooking spray! Low fat batter tends to stick to liners, so spraying them helps prevent that and ensures the liners peel away more easily.

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour,or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat pastry flour.

 

COCONUT OIL ALTERNATIVES: Unsalted butter or any neutral-tasting oil may be substituted for the coconut oil.

 

COCONUT EXTRACT NOTE: Coconut extract is inexpensive, shelf stable, and keeps for ages. It provides the majority of the coconut flavor in these cupcakes, so I highly recommend buying a bottle! You can find it on the baking aisle, right next to the vanilla extract, at many grocery stores.

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: In the cupcake batter and filling, honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. In the frosting, pure maple syrup may be substituted for the agave. (Honey would also yield the same consistency, but it adds a floral undertone to the frosting's flavor.)

 

ALMOND BUTTER NOTES: This is my homemade creamy almond butter recipe. You just need 10 minutes to make it! If using store-bought creamy almond butter, make sure it only contains almonds and salt. (A little oil is fine.) It should be liquidy at room temperature. Do not substitute crunchy almond butter.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) should work as well, if measured like this.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least three days (if not longer!).

 

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies
♡  Almond Joy Brownie Bark
♡  Almond Joy Bran Muffins
♡  Fig Newton Cupcakes
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Coconut Macaroons
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s cupcake recipes!