Gluten Free German Chocolate Cupcakes (Vegan, Grain Free)
Gluten-free German Chocolate Cupcakes topped with the most luscious Coconut Pecan Frosting? Yes, please! Vegan, dairy-free, & grain-free too.
This post contains affiliate links for products I recommend and personally use. If you purchase a product through these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe Inspiration
German chocolate, and I go way back. It’s my all-time favorite cake that my mom still makes it for me every year. Only now, it’s gluten-free. This is where these gluten-free German Chocolate Cupcakes come into play. They’re an ever-so-slightly healthy twist on traditional German chocolate cake, yet just as delicious. Your non-gluten-free guests will be none the wiser!
Ingredients
How to make Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cupcakes
- Make the Cupcakes
- Combine the dry ingredients. Melt the chocolate. Add the eggs, melted chocolate, applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Mix well to combine.
- Pour the batter into a lined cupcake pan and bake at 350 F for ~20 minutes.
- Make the Frosting
- Combine pecans, coconut, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla, and salt in a food processor and process until chunky.
- Assemble the Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, top each with a generous spoonful of the coconut pecan caramel frosting.
- Garnish with additional chopped pecans or a sprinkle of shredded coconut. Enjoy!
Find the measurements and full recipe below!
Nutrition + Baking Tips
- Made with almond flour and coconut flour, these gluten-free German Chocolate Cupcakes are also vegan & grain-free.
- CocoaVia Cardio Health cocoa powder provides 500 mg of cocoa flavanols for heart and overall health.
- The almond and coconut flours, pecans, and shredded coconut add a nutritious boost of fiber and healthy fats!
- Cupcakes are perfect for portion control—unless it’s your birthday, in which case you can eat as many as you want! LOL!
- The applesauce adds a hint of apple flavor to the recipe. It’s delicious, but if you prefer it without, try using a different egg replacer. You may need to adjust the ingredients and add more liquids.
Gluten Free German Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, i.e. CocoaVia
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup avocado oil, or other neutral oil
- 3 ounces dark vegan chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup pecans, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, divided
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, measurement in solid form
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
- Combine the almond and coconut flours, cocoa powder, brown sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir with a fork until well combined.
- Place the dark chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl, and melt in microwave for ~ 3 minutes, checking/stirring every 1 minute until melted.
- Add the melted chocolate, applesauce, avocado oil, and vanilla extract to dry ingredients, and stir well with a fork or mixing spoon until ingredients are well combined.
- Spoon the batter in to cupcake liners (it will be thick), then bake for 20-25 minutes, or until done Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting..
Make the Frosting
- While the cupcakes are baking, by combining 1/2 cup of the pecans, 1/4 cup of the shredded coconut, solid coconut oil, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt in a food processor.
- Pulse mixture until ingredients are well combined, and nuts are finely chopped. Note: the frosting should have a chunky texture, as opposed to being smooth.
- Removed the frosting from food processor, and set it aside. Clean the food processor, and place the remaining coconut and pecans in the processor, and pulse until nuts are lightly chopped.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, spread the frosting on top, then sprinkle with the pecan coconut mixture to garnish.
Notes
- *Use a dark {vegan} chocolate that is 70% cacao or higher.
- **Virgin Coconut Oil has a melting point of ~75 degrees F, so make sure the room temperature is at 75 or below, otherwise your frosting will melt!
Nutrition
More Gluten-Free Chocolate Recipes
Craving more chocolate? I hear you! Here are more gluten-free chocolate recipes you’ll love!
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave your comments, and if you loved it, give it a 5-star rating! And please share this post with your friends and family, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram @thespicyrd.Thanks so much for your support!
And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter, Delicious News, to get new gluten-free recipes, integrative nutrition articles, free meal plans, reader discounts, and more delivered straight to your inbox!
Hi Spicy RD,
I love the idea of this recipe but I’m allergic to almonds. Any suggestions to replace the almond flour with an alternative? Thanks for your help.
Thanks,
Jamie
Hi Jamie! You could try replacing the almond flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour (or my 3-ingredient all-purpose GF flour blend: https://www.eastewart.com/easy-3-ingredient-all-purpose-gluten-free-flour-blend/ I have no idea what the texture will be like, but if you try it, please let me know. Cheers!
Do you think this recipe would work in a small cake pan?
Hi Kim! Great question. I think it would probably work well in a shallow brownie plan, but it may be a little crumbly. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Love your vivid food memories, and love these cupcakes!
LOVE the raw frosting!!! And I have a feeling that I could clear a plate of these beauties in celebration of your birthday in just a few hours. Hope your day was a beautiful one!
I enjoyed your childhood memories… Tuna casserole. That was my husband’s favorite, but I have to admit I never had the nerve to try it until my adult years!! And I liked it. Missed a lot of tuna casserole years….
Happy almost-birthday my friend! You will never catch up with me though! And what a way to celebrate – these really look fantastic! I do the applesauce (and prune) trick too, but I also like ground chia seeds with water (3:1 ratio). And a great recipe wrapped in a funny anecdote – I love your story! I can’t imagine you having that kind of a temper tantrum, but so funny how the guilt got the better of you. Did your parents ever find out?
What a funny story! I’ll think of smashing a cake every time I see one 😉 Happy early birthday!!
These German chocolate brownie cupcakes look amazing, and the perfect end to a birthday meal 🙂
P.S. Jell-o salad — hilarious! 😛
EA, this cupcake looks worth celebrating. It’s gorgeous. I haven’t explored vegan cooking much yet; your recipe would be a great entree. Happy birthday … even that candle looks good enough to eat 🙂
Love the story- I so can’t see you getting into trouble though! ha. Those look deeeeelicious.
How you make something that looks so gorgeously, sexy-tasty as that in a healthier form is just clever wizardry my spicy friend. I especially like that crunchy topping-oof x
HAHA your story sounds a lot like how my stories went when I was 16! And I absolutely LOVE your photos, so gorgeous! I just want to dive right into those cupcakes!
Happy Belated Birthday! Your cupcakes are awesome. I’m going to make some soon! You cracked me up when you told me you forgot your dinner and it burned. I have walked away to check my computer and almost done that too! Happy Thanksgiving! xo
These cupcakes sound wonderful and the frosting–swooning over the frosting. Must make soon!
These cupcakes look so good!
Thanks so much Paula and so glad you stopped by!
Love the story, I bet it was fun!
Thanks Sarah! It was so long ago, but, yes, it was a blast 🙂
Perfect little pieces of heaven!
Thanks so much Francesca! They are definitely little bites of Heaven 🙂
Love all your memories, such a fun theme. And what a genius way to enjoy a little bit of your favorite cake. Looks amazing. And happy early birthday! 🙂
Thanks so much Danielle! Loved this month’s theme too, and reading everyone else’s favorite food memories 🙂
Great story EA! Such the troublemaker 🙂 Happy Early Birthday!!
Ha-Thanks Regan! I hope my kids don’t read this and get bad ideas from their Mama 🙂
Happy Birthday (week) to you EA! The cupcakes look tasty!
Thanks so much Marisa!! They are quite yummy indeed, and, in fact, I enjoyed one for breakfast today 🙂
it’s your birthday!!! happy happy to you… and i’m glad you’re celebrating with a proper to-die-for gluten-free cupcake. there’s no other way… xo
Thank you so much Gretchen! And I think you just celebrated a birthday, no?! Sending a virtual cupcake to you right this minute 🙂 Happy Birthday to you too! xo
Happy early Birthday party!! Just love all the light in these pictures.
Thank you so much Kristina! We’ve been spoiled here with the weather, so lots of great natural light to take photos in 🙂
That is hilarious EA! I love that your “punishment” to your parents was smashing your own cake. You totally showed them! These cupcakes look amazing!
Absolute. Total. Punishment. Indeed 🙂 Thanks Rachael!!
Early Happy Birthday EA! I love your remake on German Chocolate cake!
Thank you Cindy! Hope you’re having a fabulous weekend!
Happy Early Birthday! And I totally love this vegan recipe! So yum and no modification needed for me 🙂
Thanks so much Rebecca! Glad you like the recipe “as is” 🙂