gluten free chocolate cupcake with sweet potato

Name: gluten free chocolate cupcake with sweet potato
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup mashed sweet potato (~1 medium); 2 eggs; 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted and cooled); 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 cup cacao powder; 3/4 cup gluten free flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda

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this gluten free chocolate cupcake recipe is so delicious and you wouldn't know there's a vegetable in the batter! they're easy to make and gluten free friendly.

birds eye view of gluten free chocolate cupcake with frosting

these are the best cupcakes i have ever made. and quite honestly, probably some of the best i've ever eaten!

this gluten free chocolate cupcake is the perfect sweet treat to end the day or to make for a loved one's birthday celebration. they're simple, easy to make, indulgent and absolutely delicious!

the ingredients used are high quality, leaving you with a better-for-you cupcake that will have you reaching for more without any guilt.

you can't taste the sweet potato in the cupcake but i share many benefits to baking with it below!

main ingredients

gluten free flour
sweet potato
coconut oil
eggs
maple syrup
granulated sugar
cacao powder
protein chocolate mousse for the frosting

gluten free chocolate cupcake ingredients — ingredients for the chocolate frosting

why add sweet potato to the cupcake batter?

there are multiple reasons why adding sweet potato to the batter is beneficial. the most important is the texture it creates once the cupcakes are baked. the sweet potato keeps the cupcakes light and moist.

the sweet potato complements the chocolate flavor nicely. after baking, you can barely taste the sweet potato leaving you with a rich and indulgent chocolate cupcake.

last, but definitely not least, the sweet potato provides more nutritional value. they are a great source of vitamin a and vitamin c. so you can have your cupcake and gain health benefits too!

how to make the cupcakes

preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
line a cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers in every other to leave space for the cupcakes to rise
mix the mashed potato, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl
add in the cocoa powder and mix until combined
fold in the gluten free flour, baking powder and baking soda until just combined
scoop about ⅓ cup of batter into every other cupcake liner
bake for 16-18 minutes until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick comes out clean
let cool completely before frosting the cupcakes, i use this recipe for a chocolate frosting

gluten free chocolate cupcakes without frosting

frequently asked questions

do i have to use gluten free flour?

nope! you can also use regular all purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio for this recipe.

what can i substitute for the sweet potato?

the only other substitute i would use is mashed pumpkin. however, i would use fresh instead of canned because that would make the batter have too much water... best to stick with the mashed sweet potato/yams.

how do i know the cupcakes are done baking?

you know the cupcakes are done baking when they've risen to have a dome top. another way to tell is if you stick a toothpick in the middle of the cupcake and it comes out clean.

what's the best frosting to use?

i love to use my chocolate mousse recipe for a healthy chocolate frosting. however, you can use any frosting of your choice!

how do i store these cupcakes?

store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

gluten free chocolate cupcake with a bite taken out of it

if you try this recipe, please consider leaving a rating and comment at the end of this blog post! it is incredibly helpful to my small business and to your fellow readers.