I won a copy of Elana Amsterdam’s new cookbook, Gluten-Free Cupcakes, just in time for Easter a few weeks ago. Between traveling quite a bit and moving (just a few blocks, thankfully!), I’m sorry to say that I haven’t had a chance to make many of the recipes in it yet. But boy, every time I see that book, I just crave cupcakes.

Before my life became one busy blur as of May, I squeezed in this delicious twist on one of Elana’s recipes. These Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting are most definitely inspired by her book, so I really can’t take the credit here. I can tell you, though, that these cupcakes (and particularly the frosting…) are addicting. Please make them when you can share them, or else I’m pretty sure you’ll end up eating the entire pan!

This is the first recipe I’ve made using coconut flour. I’m now hooked on the stuff. You really don’t taste the coconut at all, which surprised me. I love coconut and would gladly eat a cupcake that tasted like it, but the fact that it doesn’t overpower the other ingredients is a big bonus if you’re not a coconut fan. Honestly, you would never know that these cupcakes are grain-free, sugar-free, high protein, and—dare I say—actually healthy.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Inspired by recipes from Gluten-Free Cupcakes, by Elana Amsterdam

Makes 12 cupcakes

 

For the frosting:

½ cup (packed) pitted Medjool dates

½ medium ripe avocado, roughly mashed

¼ cup creamy roasted cashew butter

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon agave nectar

 

For the cupcakes:

½ cup coconut flour

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

½ teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of sea salt

4 large eggs

½ cup agave nectar

2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup gluten-free, dairy-free dark chocolate chips

 

Fresh banana slices, for garnish (optional)

 

Make the frosting: cover the dates with hot water in a small bowl and soak for 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid, and place both the dates and reserved liquid in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the mashed avocado and cashew butter. Process until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and agave nectar. Process until thick and fudgy, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

Makes the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cups of a standard muffin pan with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, arrowroot starch, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, agave nectar, and mashed bananas. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until thoroughly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely in pan before frosting. Garnish with the bananas slices, if using.

Find more healthy but indulgent recipes at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.