Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting

This weekend was my husband's birthday. We celebrated by doing exactly what we love to do, spending time together. Oh yeah, and eating cupcakes, very moist and delicious chocolate cupcakes. If you don't mind, before I get to the cupcake recipe, I would like to gush a little over my handsome hubby. He is my best friend and confidante and I truly believe he is the most awesome husband in the world!

Tom's Top Ten

1. Hard Working, thank you for being the hardest working man I know. You work hard to support our family and to provide a respectable living for us. You never seek recognition for the work you do, always humble and modest.

2. Integrity/Honesty, thank you for being a man of great character. You do what you say you are going to do, you have high standards and you would never tell a lie.

3. Goal Setting, thank you for being self-driven and self-motivated always setting goals to reach and strive for.

4. Supportive, thank you for always supporting me and believing in me. You allow me to be me and love me the way I am.

5. Discerning, thank you for being the one to take time before making a decision and holding your ground even when I try to convince you otherwise.

6. Trustworthy, thank you for being a man of your word, I know I never have to doubt you and will always trust you.

7. God Loving, thank you for pursuing a relationship with our Heavenly Father and for being the one all those years ago to encourage me to read my Bible.

8. Health Conscious, thank you for taking care of your health and your body, I love your muscles and your heart.

9. Self Improving, thank you for always looking for ways to improve yourself and always seeking to learn more.

10. Committed, thank you for being committed to everything you set out to do. You finish what you start and don't give up or give in.

Happy Birthday Honey
I Love You! XOXO

My go to recipe for birthday cakes comes to you via Lauren at Healthy Indulgences. She took a flourless chocolate cake recipe (shhhhh, it's made with black beans) and turned it into a HEALTHY gluten-free, sugar-free & low-carb masterpiece. In the past I have made the recipe with butter, but this time, since I am now dairy-free, I used coconut oil for the cupcakes and NON-hydrogenated (very important as hydrogenation = trans fat) organic shortening for the frosting. I also used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder for very deep and rich chocolate cupcakes. The end result is delicious, moist and oh so chocolatey! If you have a special celebration coming up, give this recipe a try.

Dark Chocolate Cake (or cupcakes) with Dark Chocolate Frosting

Recipe by Healthy Indulgences
Adapted by Healthy Living How To

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 22-25 minutes for Cupcakes, 42-45 minutes for Cake
Makes: 12 Cupcakes or one 9″ Layer Cake

Cake Ingredients

• (1) 15 oz. Can Eden Organic Unsalted Black Beans
• 1 Tbsp. Water
• 5 Large Organic Cage-Free Eggs
• 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt
• 6 Tbsp. Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil
• 3/4 c. Smart Sweet Non-GMO Erythritol Granules
• 1/2 tsp. NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
• 1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. Rumford Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Frosting Ingredients

• 7 Tbsp. Spectrum Naturals Organic Non-Hydrogenated Shortening
• 1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. Smart Sweet Non-GMO Erythritol Granules, Powdered
• 1/16-1/8 tsp. NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
• 6 Tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tbsp. Native Forest Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt

Cake Directions

1. Drain and rinse black beans.
2. In a high-speed blender, purée beans along with water until smooth.
3. Add eggs through cocoa powder to blender and mix until incorporated.
4. Finally add baking powder and baking soda and mix one more time.
5. Liberally grease cake pan with shortening or coconut oil and dust with cocoa powder OR if making cupcakes, liberally spray cupcake liners with non-stick spray.
6. Bake at 350 ºF  40-45 minutes for cake OR 22-25 minutes for cupcakes.
7. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in center of cake, when done it comes out clean.

Frosting Directions

1. Powder erythritol by placing granules in a coffee grinder, Magic Bullet or other high-powered blender and pulsing until it resembles powdered sugar.
2. With a rubber spatula, gently mix powdered erythritol and stevia with shortening, once incorporated, use electric mixer to fluff.
3. Add coconut milk, vanilla & sea salt, and mix again.
4. A little at a time, add cocoa powder, first mixing with spatula and then mixing with electric mixer.
5. Once all cocoa has been added and incorporated, mix on high for 30 seconds or so to fluff it up.

Notes
The frosting is enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes. If you make a 9″ layer cake, you can split it in half, very carefully, so you have two layers and then fill and frost. You might even have a little frosting left over depending on how thick you like to lay it on. Any leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for about a week or so. Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but I feel like a kid again, sneaking a spoonful of frosting here and there!

 

About Vanessa Rae Romero

A Christ-follower, wife, mom, grandma, entrepreneur, city slicker, purple lover, and health nut who inspires women to live healthy, love intently, lead purposefully, and to have fun along the way.