Light Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
Light Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes that don’t even need to be frosted. More zucchini recipes? You bet. It’s one of those vegetables you can easily sneak into a quick bread, muffins, and these light chocolate zucchini cupcakes.
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Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to have in our garden because it’s easy to grow and super versatile.
This recipe is taken from Mom’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake, which can be made gluten-free easily by switching out the flour. I decided to take these cupcakes one step further and decrease the fat and sugar.
I used Stevia In The Raw as a sugar substitute for this recipe. I’m not a big fan of sugar substitutes, but I occasionally experiment with friends and family members with blood sugar issues.
From what I have read, Stevia In The Raw is supposed to bake well and measure cup for cup equal to sugar in recipes, similar to Splenda, with which I have had great success.
Weight Watcher points are 5 points plus per cupcake.
**Please read the notes below for dairy, egg, and gluten substitutes.
To Make These Light Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes You Will Need:
- Oil
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Sugar
- Stevia In The Raw or Splenda
- Egg and egg white
- Vanilla
- Sour milk or milk substitute
- Flour or gluten-free blend
- Unsweetened cocoa
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Zucchini
For vegan cupcakes, substitute the milk and eggs with a substitute of your choice. Any dairy-free milk substitute will work fine. Just add the vinegar and stir.
I usually use Ener-G Egg Replacer or aquafaba as egg replacers in my baking. If you decide to use aquafaba, you will need 6 Tbsp for this recipe. Aquafaba is the liquid from canned garbanzo beans.
I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour for gluten-free cupcakes. Some gluten-free flour blends do not have xanthan gum added. If the label does not mention xanthan gum, you will need to add 1/2 tsp to the recipe. Gluten-free Cup for Cup flours most often do.
Enjoy!
Light Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup Stevia In The Raw or Splenda
- 1 whole egg or egg replacer of your choice
- 2 egg whites or egg replacer
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup sour milk ~ or milk substitute. I used Almond Milk with 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups flour or gluten-free flour blend.
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups grated zucchini I prefer unpeeled as it adds color to the final product.
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped ~ omit for nut-free
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips I used an allergy friendly semi-sweet mini chip
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Prepare muffin tins by placing paper, foil, or silicone liners in cups.
- In a large mixing bowl add oil, applesauce, sugar, and Stevia In The Raw or Splenda. Mix well.
- Add egg and egg whites or egg substitute, vanilla, and milk, or milk substitute. Mix well.
- In a small bowl mix together flour or gluten-free, flour blend, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add to creamed mixture, stirring just enough to blend. Stir in grated zucchini.
- Spoon into lined muffin tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips on top.
- Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Times may vary depending on oven.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
- Store in an airtight container or freeze for longer storage or for your next craving.
