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!
When Healthier Chocolate Treats came out as both a hardback cookbook and an eBook (EEK I was so excited!! You can see a special sneak peek and preview what’s inside here and order a copy too!), I thought the best way to celebrate would be 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. I actually recommend not substituting either of these. They have a different acidity level, which will affect the taste and texture of your cupcakes.
It’s also incredibly important to measure the cocoa powder correctly, using either a light hand with the this 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 these 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 real kind! Avoid pancake syrups or sugar-free syrups; those contain other ingredients that will affect the texture of your cupcakes. 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 other sweeteners at the grocery store, as well as 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 liquid stevia in a bowl. That’s it! You just need a fork — no mixer 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 sweet flavor and don’t notice a strange aftertaste, like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I generally buy it online because that’s the best price I’ve found. (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 on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy chocolate cupcakes!
The Ultimate Healthy Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
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 liquid stevia (see Notes!)
Instructions
- 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 liquid stevia. Stir until thoroughly combined. Spread on top of the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
♡ Mini Chocolate Cupcakes (Vegan)
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Red Velvet Cupcakes
♡ Mini Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
♡ Funfetti Cupcakes
♡ Mini Dark Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
♡ Pumpkin Cupcakes
♡ Almond Joy Cupcakes
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cupcake recipes!
Hi Amy,
Wonderful recipe! What is the substitute for greek yogurt?
Thanks! Regular yogurt or a dairy-free yogurt alternative would be the best substitute. I’d love to hear what you think if you try the cupcakes Swastika!
Just baked a batch of this recipe. First time making cupcakes. Came out so well! I didn’t realize we have to fill the cup pan with only half of the batter. I had overflowing cup cakes but nevertheless tasted great. The frosting was yummy too. I would love an egg less version !
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! It means a lot to me that you picked my recipe as the one you’d try for your first batch of cupcakes. 🙂 My favorite egg substitute is Ener-G! It’s a shelf-stable powder. My brother is allergic to eggs, and it works like a charm in nearly all of my recipes. For each egg, you’ll need 1½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water + an additional ½ tablespoon of butter or coconut oil (to compensate for the missing egg yolk). I’d love to hear what you think if you try Ener-G!
We used PC’s gluten free flour, 1 for 1 and went the sweeter route using more syrup in place of milk.
Turned out perfectly! Thank you for the tips on measuring. Being a part time Pinterest inspired baker, things don’t often turn out as well as I expect, so I really appreciated the help.
Probably the best chocolate cupcakes I have ever had, with or without frosting!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes Jenna! That means a lot to me that you’d call them the best chocolate cupcakes you’ve ever had — thank you so much!! 🙂
Hi amy, I don’t like the taste of creme stevia can I by any chance swap the creme stevia with powdered sugar? If so, how can i do it.
For the icing btw.
I appreciate your interest in my recipe! If you don’t want to use the vanilla creme stevia, then use the alternative option I’ve already included in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cupcakes!
Looks delicious, I have a diabetic mom and would have to use stevia for maple syrup. Any suggestions for the amount of stevia that would be the same as the syrup?
That means a lot to me that you’d like to make these cupcakes for your mom, Melissa! The amount of stevia will depend on the exact brand and product of stevia that you’d like to substitute. If you’re using the same vanilla creme stevia that I used in the frosting, you’ll need 1 ½ teaspoons of that. If you prefer to use a different product, then let me know and I’ll give you an amount for that instead! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you both think of the cupcakes!
Hi Amy, not sure how I missed the recipe but thank you for pointing it out! These cupcakes are out of this world! One would never know they are healthy! The chocolate taste is divine and they are very moist. I doubled the recipe and brought them to work. Everyone LOVES them and naturally I told them about your blog 🙂 Thank you!
Awww Carmelina — you are just the sweetest person ever!! Your friends must love you as much as I do! I’m always so honored by your sweet comments and glowing reviews. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you try next!!
Hello, I am in the process of making these cupcakes and I noticed there is 1/4 c milk mentioned in the ingredients but it doesn’t say when to incorporate it into the recipe when mixing the ingredients together. Just happened to notice when my batter was very thick so just put it in at the last minute.
Hope they bake well!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Mary! Check the end of Step 2 — that’s where the milk is added, when alternating between adding the flour mixture and the milk. I know that can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
Hello, made the cupcakes they are very rich but good. The frosting was to dark chocolate for my taste so tried to sweeten it up a bit by incorporating some powdered sugar in to it. My dad liked them very much because they were not that sweet. He had the frosting all in his mustache 🙂
I’m so glad you and your father enjoyed these cupcakes Mary! What a fun mental picture of frosting in his mustache — thanks for sharing that with me! 🙂
Hi Amy! I didn’t have a chance to read through all the comments so I apologize if someone has already asked this. I have a second to leave a comment, I didn’t want to forget.
These cupcakes look amazing! Do you think they would hold well if made as a cake and layered. My mom can no longer make our traditional Mint Christmas Tree Cake and I’ve set out to surprise her with a healthy version. I hope to try your cream cheese frosting and flavor it with a little mint and color it mint green. I hope that will work. But what are your thoughts on cake layers?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Amanda! You’re so sweet to want to bake it for your mom as a surprise. I haven’t tried turning this into layers, but I think it should work! I’d recommend using 1.5 times the recipe to ensure the layers are thick enough. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Thank you SO much for getting back with me. I think I will try those recommendations. I’m so excited. It’s a long way out but that will give me some time to perfect it. I will try to remember to tell you how it turns out. Thanks again, so much!
It’s my pleasure, Amanda! 🙂
It’s fantastic! Not only tasty but so quick and easy to make.
Very Nice Article…
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! 🙂
hello there! congratulations for the good work!
i was wondering if i could let the frosting chill for a couple of hours, like you did in the dark choc raspberry cupcakes to be more frosty, or that kind of texture cannot be achieved with the upon inrgedients?
thank you in advance,
marianne
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Marianne! This frosting recipe is meant to be spread on top of cupcakes. It isn’t possible to pipe it like with my raspberry frosting, no matter how long it’s chilled. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cupcakes!