gluten free

And the best way to kick off the weekend is…. with these easy, delicious Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes, of course! Made with melted chocolate, rich olive oil and studded with chocolate chips, you won’t know what chocolatey deliciousness hit you! Best part? These fudgy cupcakes are naturally gluten free.

ABOUT THESE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Made with both melted chocolate and chocolate chips, these cupcakes are a chocolate lover’s dream. I used lots of dark chocolate in mine and my husband, who is a huge dark chocolate fan, loves them! These cupcakes are the same recipe as my Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake. Rather than pouring it into a 9 inch pan, I turned it into 12 cupcakes! 

I love the chocolatey olive oil base. The olive oil adds a rich and fruity flavor and so much moisture! I also use olive oil in my Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake. The olive oil makes for such a tender, delicious texture in both cakes!

WHAT’S IN THIS FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES RECIPE

I’ll start by what’s not in it: flour. I know…flourless cake sounds a little weird, but it is soooo good! Flourless makes these cupcakes naturally gluten free. This olive oil dessert is also dairy free. For a flourless and sugar less chocolate cake recipe, check out this 3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake from Gimme Some Oven!

As far as what’s in it, it’s a simple list of ingredients that most people probably have on hand. You can make mini substitutions with what you have on hand.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. Melted butter can be substituted for the olive oil.
• Chocolate: I recommend dark chocolate but bittersweet or semisweet also work.
• Eggs: Use 4 large.
• Sugar: I found that 3/4 cup is the perfect, just right amount.
• Cocoa Powder: 1/3 cup
• Vanilla: 2 1/2 teaspoons which surprisingly brings out the chocolate flavor.
• Espresso powder: This is the ingredient that you might not have on hand. It also works to bring out the chocolate flavor. It can usually be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. You can definitely leave it out if you don’t have it. In that case, I’d suggest bumping the amount of vanilla up to a tablespoon.
• Chocolate chips Semisweet, bittersweet, dark or milk chocolate chips all work.
• Salt: Salt also enhances the chocolatey flavor and rounds out some of the sweetness.

HOW TO MAKE THESE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Start by melting the chocolate and olive oil in a medium bowl in the microwave. I like to first chop the chocolate since chopping it will help it melt faster. Melt the chocolate and olive oil in the microwave in about two twenty second intervals. Stir it really well after each interval. The chocolate will melt more as you stir it.

You want to keep the chocolate nice and shiny so make sure not to heat it more than necessary in the microwave. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the olive oil and set mixture aside.

THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS

Next, you’ll add most of the other ingredients to a large bowl. Stir or whisk together the sugar, salt, espresso powder, cocoa powder and vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and olive oil mixture then stir in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the chocolate chips. That’s it. So easy!

BAKING THE CUPCAKES

Grease or line a cupcake tin and distribute the batter among 12 cups. I prefer greasing my tin rather than using cupcake liners. Using cupcake liners typically leaves little liner marks. Although these are cupcakes, I prefer them to have the look of mini cakes, so I just grease the tin really well. Once baked, the mini cakes, or cupcakes will pop right out!

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake. Cool for about ten minutes in the muffin tins and then remove to a rack.

ENJOYING THE CUPCAKES

I love and can’t resist this cake warm, but it can also be eaten warm, at room temperature or cold. These cupcakes are delicious as is since they’re very brownie-like.

If you want to add toppings, which I highly recommend, these sweet but not too sweet chocolate cupcakes are the perfect blank slate for all your favorite toppings!

WHAT TO TOP YOUR CUPCAKES WITH

WHIPPED CREAM

Since there is chopped chocolate, cocoa powder and chocolate chips in this flourless espresso cake, I like to top it off with a dollop of chocolate whipped cream! It only takes four ingredients and five minutes to make. You can also make the whipped cream without the cocoa.

I love folding fresh raspberries into either plain or chocolate whipped cream. I love the freshness that the berries add to an otherwise rich dessert. Chopped strawberries would also work. I like raspberries because you don’t need to chop them. Just lightly mash them with a fork and they fold in nicely. They add a pretty pink color and little bits of fruit!

MORE TOPPING SUGGESTIONS

• GANACHE: Rich, chocolatey ganache is the perfect sauce to drizzle or pour over the cake! Here’s the easy two ingredient ganache recipe I use for my Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes.
• ICE CREAM: A scoop of vanilla, chocolate, or coffee ice cream is AMAZING but really any flavor ice cream works!
• POWDERED SUGAR: A simple dusting of powdered sugar makes the cake extra pretty and adds a touch more sweetness!
• CARAMEL: My chocolate caramel recipe comes to mind first, but this maple caramel would be delicious too!

These flourless chocolate cupcakes are the perfect combination of a piece of chocolate cake and a brownie. They have the fudgy, gooey texture of brownies and are super easy to make! Perfect for when the chocolate urge strikes or for having friends over.

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