Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes

Eating healthy is something we take quite seriously.  When it comes to eating healthy, sugary treats are usually out.  But sometimes, we just want to live a little.  Sometimes you’ve just gotta have some chocolate, am I right?!

Enter these Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes.  They’re low(er) in sugar and carbs and high in fiber, protein, and deliciousness! Can’t have a cupcake without frosting?  We’ve got you covered!  It’s technically not paleo because it contains powdered sugar, but it is definitely lower in the sugar department than typical frosting and it’s dairy-free!  Check out our Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting today!

Now, back to the cupcake.  Let me tell you all about the goodness inside!

Instead of refined wheat flour, these contain coconut flour and ground flaxseed.  If you’re new to these ingredients, you’re missing out!  Coconut flour is a great gluten-free flour alternative and is high in fiber and healthy fats.  Because of its high fiber content, it often requires extra eggs in a recipe to hold everything together.  As far as substitutes, there really isn’t one for coconut flour.  It behaves quite differently than any other flour, so this is a great time to try something new!  Like coconut flour, ground flaxseed is also high in fiber, as well as omega-3 fatty acids.  Plus, nutrition experts often say ground flaxseed is a better choice versus whole flaxseed.  Whole flaxseed tends to pass through the intestine undigested, so you miss out on the benefits!¹

Eggs are an essential part of most baked goods.  They provide some lift and keep everything from falling apart.  And with any recipe containing coconut flour, you typically need a few more eggs than in traditional wheat flour baked goods.  I know eggs have gotten a bad rap in the past for containing high amounts of fat and cholesterol, but our bodies need fats and cholesterol to perform so many vital functions!  There’s so much research out there showing that fat isn’t so bad after all (but not all fats are created equal). One of these days, I’m definitely putting together a post to explain more about this because I could go on and on.  For now, I’ll stop there, we need some cholesterol and fat in our diets.  Anyway, eggs also contain high amounts of protein, many vitamins and minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.²

In recent years, coconut oil has become quite popular, often touted for its versatility from the kitchen to beauty routines, and more. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which are basically fats that are more readily broken down by your liver to be used as energy and less likely to be stored as fat.³

For sweetener, we’ve subbed pure maple syrup for refined sugar.  Sure, it’s still technically still sugar and high in calories, but in an unrefined form.  We used the lowest amount possible without sacrificing flavor–we wanted these chocolate cupcakes to be sweet, but not sickeningly so.  Moderation is key!  Maple syrup also comes with a few benefits of it’s own.  It contains several key antioxidants (to help fight free radicals), is lower on the glycemic index than refined sugar (better at not causing blood sugar spikes and crashes), and contains minerals such as zinc and manganese.⁴ Plus, pair this rich, natural sweetener with the healthy fats and fiber in the coconut oil, eggs, coconut flour, and ground flaxseed, and you’ve just made yourself a treat that won’t give you a sugar high (or the dreaded sugar crash).

Finally, there’s the cacao powder. This is the raw, unroasted form of the more well-known cocoa powder. Who knew chocolate could have health benefits? I’m sure you did, it’s really no secret. Cacao powder contains minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium.⁵ You can certainly sub traditional Dutch-processed cocoa powder and not sacrifice flavor. However, the heat from the roasting process may degrade some of the nutrients.

So the question is, can you really have your cake and eat it, too?? I’m kinda thinking we can, in moderation, of course.

Try out our Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes today and let us know what you think!  Don’t forget, if you need frosting, check out our easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting or simply top with you’re favorite whipped cream.  If you’re just into the cake without frosting (like my husband), these little guys can definitely hold their own!  If you need ingredients, check out our links below!

References:

1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/flaxseed/faq-20058354
2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-health-benefits-of-eggs#section9
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-101#weight-loss
4. https://draxe.com/nutrition/maple-syrup-nutrition/
5. https://navitasorganics.com/blogs/navitaslife/whats-the-difference-between-cocoa-and-cacao