Super moist chocolate spiderweb cupcakes that are made grain-free and dairy-free – perfect for Halloween!
Halloween baked goods are so cute, but often so processed. Not here! Except that pesky white chocolate. I just can’t quit it. And the frosting? Made with coconut oil, cocoa powder, honey and peanut butter. Yeah! :D
I love chocolate and peanut butter (like I guess the rest of the world?) but if you don’t, feel free to use any other nut butter. And if nut butter is a no-go, perhaps coconut butter would work! Not coconut oil, the fat, but coconut butter, which is the meat of the coconut!
You know what’s really neat? These chocolate spiderweb cupcakes are grain-free, but my test testers didn’t even think they were “healthified.” HA! I think any baker can tell, though. Although with the chocolate peanut butter fudge topping, it’s pretty hard to tell. The texture is slightly different than a normal cupcake, but it’s the closest I’ve ever gotten with anything gluten-free. Much less grain-free. And they’re super, super moist.
By the way, here’s a tutorial for the spiderwebs. It was super simple. I promise!
I originally wanted to make skeletons for my cupcakes, and after four days of dipping pretzels in white chocolate, not being able to resist them and then having to remake them day after day, I had to give up. I put on their heads this morning and somebody told me that they looked like something “constructed at the playground.” So in a fit of rage (not really) I ate all the white chocolate covered pretzels this morning and tried to think of something Halloweeny to do with my cupcakes.
I think these chocolate spiderweb cupcakes are pretty simple as far as Halloween goodies go and most definitely healthier! And they’re kind of cute, right? ;) I brought them to a party and they were a bit hit! And nobody asked if they were gluten-free or somehow “special.” They were too busy inhaling them. :)
Gluten- and Grain-free Chocolate Spiderweb Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 8 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 40 grams (1.4oz, ~1/3 cup but please weigh!) almond flour or almond meal
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (52 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 65 grams (2.2oz / ~ 4 1/2 tablespoons) coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup (106 grams) honey
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) coconut oil
- 1/4 cup (~64 grams) natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (~25 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons (40 grams) honey
Cupcakes:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting:
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C and line 8 muffin cups with liners.
- In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients and add this to the wet ingredients. Stir in just until combined. Do not over mix!
- Pour evenly into the muffin liners. If you want to make spiderwebs like I did, you need to be careful to not put too much batter in the liners because I'm guessing it'll be more difficult if you have a slightly domed cupcake. My liners were a little less then 2/3 full.
- Bake for 16 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs or a little stickiness is okay, just not raw batter. These are super moist so if it comes out totally clean, they're probably overdone.
- For the frosting, melt the coconut oil, natural peanut butter and cocoa powder together in a pot or pan over low heat. When it's completely melted and smooth, take it off the heat and add the honey and stir until well combined. Let the cupcakes and frosting cool completely before icing. These are much better stored at room temperature and it's okay to keep at room temperature even after frosting. My favorite way to enjoy them is to reheat them a little in the microwave. The topping melts and it gets so gooey. Definitely the most "regular" cupcake tasting in this form. :)
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78 comments on “Chocolate Spiderweb Cupcakes (grain-free, dairy-free)” — Add one!
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So how do you make the spider webs on top
The link is after the second photo. :)
I know that there is a difference between Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa and Dutch processed. Should I use the Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa? I don’t have Dutch processed.
E. Lorch
If you don’t have Dutch process cocoa powder, I’d recommend Hershey’s Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder. It has the same dark chocolaty flavor. If you don’t have that, then Hershey’s regular unsweetened would probably work but I haven’t tried so I’m not positive. Sorry I can’t give you a better answer and sorry for my slow reply!
I made the cupcakes for Halloween and they were amazing!
I want to make it for guests tomorrow that have a child who is GF/ DF. Which flour do you suggest to use instead of the almond meal? how much?
Sorry for the slow reply! Have been in hospital giving birth. :) So happy you liked the cupcakes! The recipe is already GF. Or can they also not have nuts? There’s unfortunately no good sub for almond flour except other nut flours. Sorry about that!
I can’t have egg. Do you think it would be a big deal to leave it out of this recipe?
Unfortunately it would be. Sorry about that. :(
Are you able to reply with How many carbs, protein and calories? I’m in a challenge and need to log my food diary. If these happen to already be in MyFitnessPal, then you can just reply with the name to search for. Thanks in advance.
I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. :)
These look amazing. Anything I can use in place of the Expresso powder? I don’t have any and wanted to try making them today.
Thanks, Cassie! Just leave out the espresso powder. It doesn’t make such a huge difference. I hope you’ll love the cupcakes! :)
Hi,
Was looking for Halloween recipes when I found urs.. The cupcakes look so pretty and yummy!
Can I check if I replace the frosting with juz melted dark chocolate, will I be able to get the same effect? hmmm..
Appreciate ur response.. Thanks!
Thanks! :) I think that using melted chocolate will work but since I haven’t tried it, I’m not 100% positive. Good luck with it! :)
Believe it or not, my 6-year-old son does NOT like peanut butter. What can/should I add to the frosting to replace the peanut butter? Thanks!
Any other nut butter will do! :) Even Nutella would probably be okay. Good luck! :)
Ok, so I don’t see the part of the frosting that is light colored in the ingredients or directions for the spiderweb part. I want mine to look just like yours! Please explain further! Thank you!
Hi there! Check out the paragraph after the first picture. ;) Or here, this is just easier: spiderweb tutorial for cupcakes. Good luck with your cupcakes!
Thank you! I knew I was missing it somewhere. And boy, are you FAST!
You’re welcome! It could have been that you’re super early with the Halloween thing and making them right now so I thought I’d better respond ASAP. ;)
Oh, and BTW, you don’t have to do concentric perfect circles (picking the piping bag up each time you complete a circle), just a ‘swirl’ of circles works just as good since you’re just going to drag a toothpick through it anyway.
I was actually looking for your ‘recipe’ for the light frosting (I was thinking it was something with peanut butter)- I think I’ll just use plain ol’ powdered sugar and water, maybe with a bit of coconut oil to keep it gooey. Thanks for your help.
You’re so right! And now I feel quite silly. Thanks for the tip! Good luck with your spiderweb cupcakes. :)
I made these a fortnight ago for 4 gluten intolerant colleagues in my team. A girl who has been eating GF for 3 years said they were the best GF cupcakes she has ever had! They were all asking after the recipe! I also gave one to my personal trainer as he was impressed with me eating grain free.
Impressive all round, so thank you :)
Wow! Thank you so much for the feedback, Beccy. :) It made my day, for sure. I'm not exactly an authority on gluten-free eating / recipe creating so it means a lot to me to have their feedback… yours too! :)
These seem exactly what I'm looking for but I would like to make them as mini cupcakes.
Would I just lessen the cooking time?
Sorry for the slow reply! Yes, just lessen the time. I'm guessing you should check them at 8 minutes. Good luck with them! Let me know how they turn out. :)
These look fantastic! The frosting looks to die for, and I love the tutorial you posted too. You're amazing for posting Halloween themed things. I'm enjoying looking at them all, but I'm so bad at actually doing those kinds of things.
Thanks! But how are you bad at them? Just with timing or you don't like making Halloween stuff? I'm sure yours would be fantastic!
Very cute and I love that you used peanut butter!!
Yay peanut butter! I think almost all of my top 10 most viewed recipes have peanut butter in them. I guess people love the stuff. :)
These are SO cute, Erin!
Thank you! :)
Planning on making these today ,i would love to know how to create the web…hope you post it soon
https://www.texanerin.com/2012/10/spiderweb-tutorial-for-cupcakes-cookies.html I hope you enjoy them! :)
These look like the real thing!! NOt only real sugar-gluten-filled chocolate cupcakes but real spiderwebs! I love the decoration Erin. I've never made a gluten free cupcake before :)
Haha. Thank you! I only bake gluten and grain stuff sometimes because I think it's a fun challenge plus there are so many people out there who can't have gluten. Normally stuff isn't the same but I love it when something comes out almost there. So fun!
Wow these look magnificent. By no means these look healthy or anything. I love the peanut butter chocolate frosting the best and that web effect is super cool. I have never tried to do that because I think it would be a disaster. Was it hard to do?
Thank you! It is SO easy. I swear. If I can do it, so can you! I hope my picture tutorial brought across how truly easy it is. :)
Oooo….almond flour! I have some in my pantry that I've been pondering as to what I'd make with it. Yep, this is what I'm going to make. I'm so excited to try them! Moist cupcakes are the best, I do declare. :D Plus, the spiderweb is so cute!
Hey, it's you! :D I hope you like the cupcakes. Let me know! Just remember the texture isn't exactly the same and you have to weigh the almond flour. Good luck! :)
Is this not the cutest?! I love the props too! I definitely have to add this to my halloween baking list!
Thank you! I had to order those spiders online. Happy someone likes them. :D
The cupcakes with the chocolatey peanut butter frosting looks absolutely perfect and delish! I think my blog is a lot on a sinful side, but then again, I do enjoy treating myself to healthier treats. Can't wait to further explore your blog. Have a great week ahead! Cheers, Jo
Thank you! You have a nice week too and thanks for stopping by to say hi. :)
These DO look perfectly moist and chocolatey, I can't believe they're gluten and grain free! Love the Halloween theme :)
Thank you! I'll try to keep the theme going. :)
these are like the most perfect spiderwebs i ever did see!
Thanks! I tried. Most of them were failures, though. The chocolate set too quickly. :(
I love those spiderwebs! And anything chocolate peanut butter :)
I thought people would like the combination… :)
Can't believe these are even remotely healthy, they look so chocolate-y and amazing! I love the spider webs, great job!
Thank you! :D
These are so cute!! I want to make these for our Halloween party!
Yeah! Do it, do it! :)
YUM! These look + sound fantastic. I love a healthier recipe that doesn't actually taste 'healthified.' =)
Me too! Can't stand healthy tasting stuff.
Yum Erin! These look super cute! Love the little spider's webs and that they're chocolate peanut butter! :-)
Thanks! I tried my best. :)
Love how cute the spiderwebs look on top! Those cupcakes look so delish, even if they are gluten and grain-free. I would certainly eat 10 ;)
Thanks! And haha, that was my opinion too. "These are grain-free… but they're so good! What…?"
They look so darn cute! I'm very impressed by how they look. I've had one other very good almond flour cupcake before and it was different, but in a good way and these look pretty similar to those. Can't wait to see how you did the webbing!
That sounds about right. Different, but in a good way! Do you have a link to the other cupcakes? I'd love to try them! And the webbing post will be up tomorrow. :)
Wow, these chocolate cupcakes look so moist. Even by looking at the picture I wouldn't know that it's grain-free.
I can't wait to see what other Halloween goodies you have in store for us :)
Me too! It's still a bit unclear right now… ;)
These are so pretty! I love the "spiderweb" effect!
Thanks! :)
these are so pretty! I think I saw them on tastespotting earlier today, did not know they were yours! love the moist crumb and the ingredients too. almond flour reminds me of caprese cake and I'd really like to learn to use more coconut oil. I actually think I will give these a go… my little one loves cupcakes but also likes healthy stuff -I must have done something good as a mother or she is a natural- during our recent trip to US she wanted to get some frosted cupcakes and then spitted them out. she said the frosting was disgusting. my baby!
Thank you! That wasn't me but I went and looked but didn't see them. Oh well. And good going with your daughter! I hope my future kids turn out that way. And if you just want something healthier, I have a recipe up for whole grain chocolate cupcakes. There is a lot of honey but the texture is absolutely perfect. :)
will be waiting for you to post that! maybe was foodgawker?
Here they are! People never know that they're whole grain. :) https://www.texanerin.com/2012/01/100-whole-grain-chocolate-cupcakes-with.html
And I didn't submit my post to any site. Now I'm really curious!
it must have been something similar but NOW you are in there! and me too today. until the natural light holds… still have not got any professional lamp. thanks for the recipe. but the frosting is always the problem. is there any "light" frosting you know of? something with no or little butter or cream cheese… she always scratch it off (so annoying but I know it's healthier that way)
She wouldn't like the one in this recipe? It's like melted chocolate with some peanut butter in it. But the whole grain cupcakes, they're so yummy that I prefer them plain. Maybe she'd like them plain too. :)
Love the frosting on these!
Thanks! And thanks again for sharing them. :)
These cupcakes look like they have a perfect texture Erin, I can't believe that they're gluten and grain free! And that fudge frosting sounds amazing too.
Thanks! The texture was really nice but not quite the same as a regular cupcake. Oh well. Pretty close, though!
Erin these are absolutely adorable!!! LOVE THEM.
Thank you! :)