Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

Fudgy, decadent chocolate cake with rich and creamy frosting is undoubtedly my favorite dessert, so days like today are pretty special. These particular cupcakes are 100 percent gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, and refined-sugar free, but you would never know.

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups oat flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup coconut sugar (or sugar of choice)
• 1 flax egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips mixed with 1 tablespoon oat flour, optional

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup palm shortening
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. Stir together the oat flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, flax egg and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Gently stir in the boiling water, then beat until smooth. Allow the batter to sit for a few minutes.
4. Pour the batter into the lined cupcake pan using roughly 1/4 cup batter for each cupcake. Sprinkle a few of the semisweet chocolate chips into each cupcake, if desired. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes for a few minutes in the pan, then remove them to sit on a wire rack.
5. For the frosting, beat the shortening with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gently beat in the cocoa, then gradually add in the syrup and vanilla.
6. Frost the cupcakes, garnish if desired, marvel at how lovely they look, and dig in!

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/chocolate-brownie-cupcakes-vegan-gluten-free/