Healthy One-Bowl Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

 
For many years during my childhood, we hosted my birthday party at one of the smaller swimming pools in town. We invited a few of my classmates and our family friends, and we tied colorful balloons and spread out plastic tablecloths on a couple of the wooden picnic tables scattered around the pool.  

My friends and I spent as much time in the water as we could: playing Marco Polo, diving for plastic rings on the pool’s floor, and doing cannonballs off of the edge to see who could make the biggest splash. Yet when the lifeguards blew their whistles to signal the start of the 15-minute adult swim, we didn’t mind quite as much as usual…

Because that meant snack time — and Mom let us eat special snacks at my birthday parties! Instead of our standard graham crackers, peanut butter, and apple slices, she let me pick out crunchy pretzel rods, potato chips, and a couple of different types of candy to share with my friends, so we always looked forward to those with giddy excitement.
 

 
Then towards the end of the afternoon, when the lifeguards blew their whistles yet again, we eagerly clambered onto the picnic table benches for birthday cake. It came in a big pink cardboard box, and Mom usually took me to Costco a few weeks before to pick it out.

Even back then, I often selected a chocolate sheet cake with extra sugary chocolate buttercream frosting, and the bakery scripted “Happy birthday, Amy!” across the top. (I’ve been a chocoholic my whole life!) Sometimes Mom even let me pick out an “upgrade” after flipping through the binder of cake designs, which meant the bakery added a few pastel pink frosting roses, colorful sprinkles around the piped frosting border of the sheet cake, and maybe even two or three plastic Disney figurines on top.

As the birthday girl, my parents let me eat whichever slice I wanted at the pool… But that was nearly impossible to pick! Should I ask for the corner piece with the most frosting ruffles? The one with a buttercream rose? The slice with my name on it??
 

 
Thankfully, we generally ended up with some leftover cake, so I could usually eat my “second” choice piece for an after dinner dessert the next day… And I thoroughly enjoyed every last crumb, even scraping all of the frosting and cake morsels off of my plate with my fork and licking the fork clean.

Yet as an adult, I find that most store-bought bakery chocolate cakes taste much too sweet… And even a little bland. Almost like watered down chocolate, rather than deep, rich, incredibly decadent chocolate cake.
 

 
So for my birthday this year, I’m baking myself a batch of these homemade Healthy One-Bowl Dark Chocolate Cupcakes! They taste unbelievably rich and decadent, where each bite bursts with chocolate flavor. They’re also supremely moist with just a hint of brownie-like fudginess!

Unlike those store-bought cakes, these healthy chocolate cupcakes contain no refined flour or sugar… Including those gorgeous swirls of chocolate frosting on top!

And since it’s my birthday… It’s totally fine to eat two, right?? 😉
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Let’s go over how to make these healthy one-bowl dark chocolate cupcakes!

You’ll start with — you guessed it! — one mixing bowl. In that bowl, you’ll whisk together a teensy bit of melted butter or coconut oil, a couple of egg whites, and a pinch of salt.

Unlike traditional recipes that call for ½ cup of butter or oil (if not more!), you merely need 1 tablespoon for your batch of cupcakes. That small amount really helps keep your healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes low calorie and low fat!

Stay tuned for what ingredient you’ll use to keep them moist…
 

 
But first, you’ll add two sweeteners to your mixing bowl! Yes, two. I know it’s rarely fun to track down multiple ingredients, but I promise it’s worth it to make these healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes! And here’s why…

The first sweetener you’ll need is liquid stevia. It’s one of my favorite ingredients. You’ll also use it in all of these recipes of mine! Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean eating friendly!). It’s also really concentrated. You just need 1 tablespoon to sweeten your entire batch of cupcakes!

However…

Something about cocoa powder or chocolate seems to mute stevia’s sweetness. Even when I added more liquid stevia to the batter, the cupcakes never tasted any sweeter. It’s as if there was a sweetness threshold, and no matter how much additional liquid stevia I stirred in, the cupcakes still tasted exactly the same.
 

 
So that’s where the second sweetener comes in! You’ll use confectioners’ style erythritol, which is also a plant-based and no-calorie sweetener. Unlike stevia, erythritol typically sweetens cup-for-cup like regular sugar.

By adding ¼ cup to the batter, the erythritol seems to magnify the stevia’s sweetness. The result? Your healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes taste perfectly rich and sweet — and so much better than those bland store-bought bakery cakes or cupcakes!

Not that I’m biased or anything. 😉

Hint: I buy my liquid stevia online here and my confectioners’ style erythritol online here!

Tip: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, I highly recommend using the same liquid stevia that I do!
 

 
Time for that special ingredient that makes your healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes so moist! If you’ve looked through any of my other recipes before, then you probably know what it is…

Greek yogurt! Greek yogurt is another one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking. In this recipe, it adds the same moisture to your cupcakes as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories, and it also gives your healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes a protein boost!

After stirring milk into your mixing bowl, you’ll turn to the remaining ingredients. These include unsweetened cocoa powder, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and baking soda. No melted chocolate needed to make these healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes… Which means they’re really easy and quick to make!
 

 
Just a couple of quick notes about these remaining ingredients! You really want to use regular unsweetened cocoa powder (like this!), not Dutched or “special dark” cocoa powder. Those latter two actually taste more muted and bland compared to regular unsweetened cocoa powder. Besides, you’re actually adding more cocoa powder than flour, and that really helps make these healthy one-bowl dark chocolate cupcakes taste exceptionally rich, decadent, and chocolaty!

Tip: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder is also called “natural unsweetened cocoa powder” or “unsweetened cocoa powder” (without the “regular” part!). It’s lighter in color than Dutched and special dark cocoa powder, but it has a stronger and richer chocolate flavor. It’s the type of cocoa powder that I use the most in my baking recipes!

And in case you’re unfamiliar with it, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits, like extra fiber, but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture (closer to all-purpose flour!). That lets the moist, almost fudgy texture of your healthy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes truly shine!

Tip: Remember, it’s extremely important to measure the cocoa powder and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. ← That’s the one I own and love! Too much of either will dry out your cupcakes, and too much cocoa powder will also make them taste bitter. I promise it’s worth taking the few extra moments to measure properly!
 

 
Another quick tip for you! Sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda over the cocoa powder and flour before stirring them in. This helps prevent the leaveners from clumping, which means your healthy chocolate cupcakes will bake evenly.

But before you add the batter to your cupcake liners… You must coat your cupcake liners with cooking spray. This is not optional! Low-fat batters (like with this healthy-one bowl chocolate cupcakes recipe!) stick to liners like superglue. If you coat your liners with cooking spray, they peel away from your baked cupcakes much more easily!
 

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE FROSTING FOR CUPCAKES

Then while your cupcakes bake, it’s time to make your healthier chocolate frosting! It actually starts with more Greek yogurt. No butter or powdered sugar in this chocolate frosting!

I’ve discovered that not all brands of Greek yogurt work well in frosting recipes. My current favorite is FAGE. It’s exceptionally thick and creamy, not one bit thin or watery, which creates a great buttercream-like consistency. It also has a mellower flavor than other brands.

But to make sure this Greek yogurt chocolate frosting is just as stiff and pipe-able as regular buttercream, you’ll actually mix it with instant pudding mix. Yes, I know it sounds like a strange ingredient for frosting! But the instant pudding mix actually thickens the Greek yogurt while your frosting chills, so you’ll be able to pipe it onto your cooled cupcakes in gorgeous swirls. 

Tip: If you can’t find or don’t want to use instant pudding mix in your frosting, then check the Notes section of the recipe for two alternative chocolate frosting options!
 

 
Then you’ll use a bit more unsweetened cocoa powder to really boost the chocolate flavor in your Greek yogurt frosting, along with more liquid stevia to sweeten it. Super simple — and it only takes 2 minutes to prepare!

Now all that’s left to do is grab a piping tip, top your cupcakes with extra tall swirls of frosting, and…
 

 
Enjoy your healthy homemade chocolate cupcakes! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amys.healthy.baking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy one-bowl dark chocolate cupcakes!

Healthy One-Bowl Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 cupcakes

These are some of the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had! And since chocolate is my favorite cupcake flavor… That’s definitely saying something! They’re incredibly rich and decadent, with flavors similar to 72% dark chocolate, and they’re incredibly moist with a hint of brownie-like fudginess to their texture. The cupcakes are best if served the same day they’re frosted, but they’ll keep for at least three days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients 

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp (15mL) liquid stevia (see Notes!)
• ¼ cup (36g) confectioners’ style erythritol (see Notes!)
• ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (270mL) nonfat milk
• 1 ¼ cups (100g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda

FOR THE FROSTING

• 2 cups (480g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt (see Notes!)
• ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• 2 servings (16g) sugar-free, fat-free chocolate instant pudding mix (see Notes!)
• ⅝ tsp liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste – and see Notes!)

Instructions

• To prepare the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, and coat the liners with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, and salt. Whisk in the vanilla extract, liquid stevia, and erythritol. Stir in the Greek yogurt. Stir in the milk. Add the cocoa powder and flour, then evenly sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda across the top of the cocoa powder and flour (to prevent clumping). Gently stir until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners. Bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting. Add the Greek yogurt, cocoa powder, instant pudding, and liquid stevia to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl with foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, pipe the chocolate frosting on top just before serving.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's very important to measure the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Do NOT scoop either directly from the container. Too much flour and cocoa powder in the batter will make your cupcakes dry and crumbly, instead of soft, moist, and fudgy. Too much cocoa powder will also make your cupcakes taste bitter, instead of rich and dark chocolaty.

 

IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These cupcakes are meant to taste similar to 72% dark chocolate. If you'd prefer sweeter cupcakes, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of erythritol to the cupcake batter. (I cover why adding more stevia doesn't impact the cupcakes' sweetness level in the blog post above.) However, you can add additional stevia to make the frosting taste sweeter, so adjust the amount in the frosting to suit your tastes.

 

EGG WHITES NOTE: The cupcakes require 2 full egg whites. The whites contain the majority of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to ensure the cupcakes maintain their shape and texture while cooling. Without both egg whites, the cupcakes will collapse while cooling and turn out denser.

 

If you prefer to use whole eggs, then use 2 large eggs AND reduce the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added volume from the yolks.

 

STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: For the best results, I recommend using the same liquid stevia that I do. (Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they're not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for one another!) I buy it online here because that’s the best price I’ve found, and you’ll use it all of these recipes of mine too.

 

If you prefer not to use stevia in the cupcakes, substitute ¾ cup (180mL) of agave, honey, or pure maple syrup for the liquid stevia. Reduce the milk to ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (90mL) if using any of those liquid sweeteners. Alternatively, substitute ¾ cup (144g) of coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar in place of the liquid stevia, and reduce the milk to ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150mL). (The batter should be fairly thick, similar to muffin batter.)

 

If you prefer not to use the liquid stevia in the frosting, then substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of this powdered stevia –OR– ¼ cup of granulated sucralose, Truvia, or regular powdered sugar.

 

ERYTHRITOL NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: I buy my confectioners’ style erythritol online here. If you prefer not to use it, then substitute coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar instead. (You can also substitute granulated sucralose for a different no-calorie sweetener.)

 

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

 

COCOA POWDER NOTES: I do not recommend substituting Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. Both of these have a different acidity level, which will affect the taste and texture of your cupcakes. I've also found they have a blander and noticeably muted chocolate flavor when used to make these cupcakes. For the best flavor and texture results, use regular unsweetened cocoa powder for both the cupcakes and frosting. I like Hershey’s regular unsweetened cocoa powder because it’s affordable, easy to find, and has a good chocolate flavor.

 

If your cocoa powder is bumpy, clumpy, or lumpy, then sift it into the mixing bowl.

 

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

 

GREEK YOGURT NOTE: For the frosting, I’ve found that not all Greek yogurt brands are equally thick. FAGE plain nonfat Greek yogurt is my favorite for my Greek yogurt frosting recipes because it’s the thickest brand I’ve found, which means your frosting holds its shape much better when piping it on top of the cupcakes. (It also has less of a yogurt “tang” to its flavor!)

 

INSTANT PUDDING MIX NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: You just need the dry instant pudding mix (like this!) — do not prepare it according to the package directions!

 

Instant pudding mix is special because its thickening properties are activated when it’s cold or at room temperature — not when heated (like with cornstarch and regular “cook-and-serve” pudding mix).

 

If you can’t find sugar-free, fat-free chocolate instant pudding mix, then substitute sugar-free, fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix instead, and add an additional 2-3 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.

 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a great substitute for the instant pudding mix. I’ve tried using xanthan gum, and while it does thicken the frosting, it also adds a weird texture. Regular “cook-and-serve” pudding mix and cornstarch won’t work because those require heat to activate their thickening properties, and heating the Greek yogurt is not a good idea.

 

So if you can’t find or don’t want to use instant pudding mix, I recommend using one of my other chocolate frosting recipes (← see "Frosting #2 and #3") instead.

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ¾ teaspoon 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: Leftover cupcakes should keep for at least three days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

{gluten-free, clean eating option, low fat, sugar-free, higher protein}

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…
♡  Healthy Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
♡  Healthy Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting
♡  Healthy Vegan Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
♡  Healthy Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes
♡  Healthy Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
♡  Healthy Funfetti Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
♡  Healthy Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cupcake recipes!