While writing my Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook, I debated which recipe to feature on the front cover for a very long time. Should it be something classic, like the chocolate chip cookies on P.76 or the fudgy brownies on P.84? Something that looked over-the-top decadent, like the peanut butter cup cheesecake on P.122? An assortment of baked treats?
Eventually, I settled on the dark chocolate cupcakes (P.114), one of my favorite desserts in the entire cookbook. When I awoke on the day of the cover photo shoot, I felt a few butterflies flitting about my stomach as the morning sped past. Even though we’re not supposed to, people still judge a book by its cover… I thought. So it has to be perfect! No pressure or anything, Amy… Oof!
In the kitchen, I sifted through my collection of 31 different paper liners, trying to find the ideal pattern and shade, preferably something that looked subtle and classy. From the back of the drawer, I picked out a sleeve of simple black liners, knowing those would let the tall frosting swirls and plum-colored title text shine.
After pulling the cupcakes from the oven and smelling their tantalizing rich cocoa aroma for what felt like years as they cooled on the counter, I filled a piping bag with the sweet light brown frosting, sneaking a taste from the spatula, and bent over the first treat, which sent the butterflies into a frenzy, threatening to burst out of my chest. Breathe, it’s okay; no pressure! I reminded myself.
I surveyed my tall frosting swirls, selected the three that looked the best, and carefully carried those cupcakes over to the table. After scattering a few baby pink and pastel purple sprinkles around the table, I turned on my camera, peered through the viewfinder, and pressed my finger down on the shutter before checking the image on the tiny digital display. Then repeated. Again and again and again, until I finally captured the perfect shot.
Whew!
Because Healthier Chocolate Treats is coming out as an eBook tomorrow (EEK I’m so excited!! You can see a special sneak peek preview here and order a copy too!) and because I adore those chocolate cupcakes so much, I’m celebrating today with these Ultimate Healthy Dark Chocolate Cupcakes! They’re slightly different than those in my cookbook, topped with my all-time favorite fudgy chocolate frosting instead, and taste as rich and decadent as the ones you’d buy from a bakery.
So it’ll be our little secret that they’re incredibly easy to make and completely healthy!
The recipe begins with two key ingredients: white whole wheat flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour.
Note: Whole wheat pastry flour would be the perfect substitute, and I’ve included my preferred gluten-free flour blend in the Notes section, too.
As for the second part, you just need regular ol’ unsweetened cocoa powder! Because you’ll use 1 full cup, the cupcakes already taste really rich and dark chocolaty without Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. However, it’s incredibly important to measure the cocoa powder correctly, using either a light hand with the spoon and level method or a kitchen scale. I highly recommend the latter! This is the inexpensive one that I own, and it was the best $20 I’ve ever spent. I use it every day! Too much cocoa powder will dry out your cupcakes and make them taste bitter, but my trusty kitchen scale ensures that the cupcakes turn out perfectly tender and rich every time.
To keep the cupcakes clean eating friendly, you’ll sweeten them with pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Be sure to use the good stuff! Avoid pancake syrups or sugar-free syrups; those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe. Pure maple syrup typically comes in thin glass containers or squat plastic jugs, and the only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup.” You can typically find it near the oatmeal at the grocery store, and I’ve also bought it online!
Low-fat cupcakes tend to stick to liners like superglue, so I have a special trick to get around that… Coat the cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray! This simple tip means the liners will peel away much easier from the cupcakes once they’ve completely cooled. And if the cupcakes still stick more than they should, seal them inside of an airtight container for at least 24 hours to help loosen the liners a little more.
And now for my favorite chocolate frosting! It’s really rich and fudgy, almost like spreading fudge on top of the cupcakes… Pure bliss! Even better, it’s mindlessly easy to make! Simply stir together unsweetened cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and a little vanilla crème stevia in a bowl. That’s it! You just need a fork—no mixers required—which makes clean-up a breeze!
Note: Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and a little goes a long way. You’ll only need ½ teaspoon! This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
Time to celebrate the Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook! (And maybe with a second cupcake too… Or even a third!)
When you bake yours, remember to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealtybaking IN the photo! I’d love to see your cupcakes and feature your photo in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| The Ultimate Healthy Dark Chocolate Cupcakes | | Print |
- for the cupcakes
- 1 cup (80g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ¾ cup (90g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ⅔ cup (160mL) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk
- for the frosting
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp vanilla crème stevia
- To prepare the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, and generously coat the liners with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter or coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the pure maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners. Bake at 350°F for 20-22 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To prepare the frosting, add the cocoa powder to a small bowl, and make a well in the center. Pour in the milk, vanilla, and vanilla crème stevia. Stir until thoroughly combined. Spread on top of the cooled cupcakes.
Do not substitute Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. They’ll make the cupcakes taste bitter, and the cupcakes already taste really rich and chocolaty without those two varities!
For the gluten-free flour, I recommend as follows: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (30g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (30g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if measured like this.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Alternatively, ⅔ cup (128g) granulated sugar plus an additional ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk may be substituted as well.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
If you prefer not to use the vanilla crème stevia in the frosting, substitute 3 tablespoons (45mL) of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave and decrease the nonfat milk to 5 tablespoons (75mL). You may also adjust the amount of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave to suit your tastes.
It’s VERY important to measure the cocoa powder correctly, like this. Too much cocoa powder in either the cupcakes or the frosting will make them taste dry and bitter, instead of rich and dark chocolaty.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
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Hi Amy, I was just wondering if cacao powder will work is that what you mean by unsweetened cocoa?
Thankyou
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Ash! Unsweetened cocoa powder and cacao powder are not the same thing. (If you’re ever unsure about what a particular ingredient is, just click on the pink text! The pink text = a link to the exact product that I use and recommend. 🙂 ) The cupcakes will turn out best if you use unsweetened cocoa powder, but cacao may be substituted in a pinch. I’d love to hear what you think if you try these cupcakes!
I did use cacao pwdr. and ran out of vanilla with only 3/4 of the amount needed. I think they turned out pretty dark and could have used more sweetener. Also, I’m not typically a fan of cake because it’s always too dry in my opinion unless it has a well of pudding or something like that. I wasn’t a fan of how dry these turned out but my hubby played a role in that as well as stated below.
I’m just now seeing this second comment of yours Kathy! These cupcakes should be the opposite of dry — almost fudgy, with how moist and dense they are! — so I’m guessing that the extra baking time really affected their texture. See my earlier comment to you about the exact baking time! 😉 I’m guessing that if you use cocoa powder instead of cacao powder, they’ll also turn out better. One last question for you! Did you use measuring cups or a kitchen scale to measure the cacao powder? If the former, can you describe how you measured? Did you dip the measuring cups into the container of cacao, by any chance? 🙂
Thanks for the tips, I may try it again when I can be fully present. I did dip the measuring cup. I don’t have or use a scale for food.
It’s my pleasure Kathy! That’s actually the problem that caused the dryness and bitterness — cocoa powder isn’t meant to be measured like that!
When you dip the measuring cup into the cocoa powder (or cacao, in your case!), you can end up with 1.5 times as much cocoa powder as when you lightly spoon and level, and that extra cocoa powder is definitely causing the issues that you’ve experienced! If you don’t own a kitchen scale, here’s what I recommend doing for measuring cocoa powder (and flour, oats, etc!): use a fork to “scoop” up cocoa powder from the container, and lightly shake the fork back and forth over the top of your measuring cup to transfer the cocoa powder into it. Once there’s a small mound of cocoa powder extending past the rim of the measuring cup, then place the flat back of a knife against the top of the measuring cup, and gently scrape it across the top to get rid of the excess cocoa powder. Never “pat” the cocoa powder down with the knife or fork. This fork method acts like a sifter (without dirtying another dish!) and guarantees you’ll add less cocoa powder to the batter, so you’ll end up with moist, tender, and rich (not bitter!) cupcakes. Does that make sense? 🙂
can you make this into a cake?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Meredith! (And I love seeing your pictures and stories on Instagram!) I haven’t personally tried, but I’m guessing it’d work. I’d recommend a 9″-round pan. You could either make one fairly thick layer or two extremely thin layers — it’s not quite enough batter for a standard-sized two-layer cake! 🙂 I’d love to hear how your cake turns out if you try that!
Hi! Is there something I can use to sub for the greek yogurt? I don’t have any on hand at the moment. Could cottage cheese work if I blended it? Thanks! 🙂
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Audrey! The best substitute would be another type of yogurt, like plain (non-Greek) or non-dairy (ie soy- or almond-based). I haven’t ever tried using cottage cheese as a substitute, so I’m honestly not sure how that would turn out. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cupcakes if you try them!
Will Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder work? I have the Rodelle organic. Also, do these rise well? I find a lot of healthier recipes don’t get the rise like normal cupcakes do. I’m planning on making cupcakes for my daughter’s first birthday and have been trying to keep them on the healthier side. These look amazing! Can’t wait to try them! 🙂
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Dana! I’m truly honored that you’d want to make these for your daughter’s first birthday. 🙂 I’ve actually covered the answer to your first question in the Notes section of the recipe, directly underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 😉 These cupcakes do rise! They don’t turn out really tall, but they do rise a bit above the rim of the cupcake liners. I can’t wait to hear what you think if you make these cupcakes! And happy first birthday to your daughter!
So I made a half batch because I don’t have the will power to control myself. Weighing everything out helped and they were delicious. If I calculated correctly, only 4 weigh watchers points when using butter instead of coconut oil. That’s quite bit less than regular cupcakes.
The frosting was inedible and I don’t know what I did wrong bc the texture of it was great but it tasted extremely artificial. I weighed everything out and did a half batch of it as well.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Amy! (And I love your name! 😉 ) I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! With the frosting, did you use the vanilla stevia, or did you use the alternative in the Notes section of the recipe? If you used the vanilla stevia, then it could be that you’re just more sensitive to its taste than the average person. If you use the alternative in the Notes section instead, I have a feeling you’ll like that much better! 🙂 And just to make sure, did you see the nutrition information and Weigh Watchers points underneath the recipe? I include both of those with my recipes so you don’t have to calculate, if you don’t want to!
Hi Amy,
Can I substitute oat flour for white whole wheat flour?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Belle! You may, but the cupcakes will turn out denser and may not rise as tall. The flavor should remain the same though! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cupcakes!
Can these be made ahead and frozen?
Yes! The cupcakes freeze well, but I recommend waiting to frost them until after they’ve been thawed and just before serving. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them Nicole!
I just made this moments ago with some substitutions and it turned out excellent! My kids think am a rock star mom at this time.😂😂 Though I love cooking and do cook a lot, baking isn’t necessarily my cup of tea.
I used only 2 ounces of unsweetened cocoa powder instead of 1 cup. I also added about 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate. (I melted them and added them alongside the maple syrup mix).
I also increased my flour to 1 cup. I do not have greek yogurt on hand so I used regular yogurt we have in the fridge. And I used coconut oil! I love how everything turned out.
Thanks Amy for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed these cupcakes Kechi!! Thanks for including your recipe modifications. I always love hearing what tweaks work, and I think you totally sound like a rock star baker with how well the cupcakes turned out! 🙂
I made these the night before my three year olds birthday party this weekend. A late toddler nap converged with my need to run to the store for some last minute things and I left the cupcakes in the oven with my husband and specific instructions to do the toothpick test when timer went off. He did it and it didn’t come out 100% clean (he’s an engineer) so he decided to turn off the timer and oven and just crack the oven door a bit. They would have been ok if not just a bit dark for kids, but by the next day they were so dried out. Luckily I had grabbed a few trays of mini cupcakes at walmart. Lessons learned: test recipe before the big reveal, and don’t leave the finishing touches to anyone else. 😉 I found them redeemable with ben and jerry’s ice cream!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Kathy! I come from a family of engineers, so I can totally picture what your husband must’ve looked like doing the toothpick test. 😉 I’ve actually made these cupcakes in four different ovens (I’ve moved a lot over the past few years!), and I’ve been super surprised that they were always done in exactly 21 minutes, even though the ovens all baked slightly differently. Maybe something to keep in mind the next time you try? 🙂 I hope you and your family had a wonderful time celebrating your three-year-old’s birthday!!
Just made the best chocolate muffin ever!!! And guess what, I totally forgot about the greek yogurt and that actual resulted in a really fluffy and soft muffin. LOVE IT!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Jessamine! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂