Flourless, Grain-Free Chocolate Cupcakes from 100 Best Quick Gluten-Free Recipes; Photo by Jason Wyche
Anyone who dines at my house has probably tasted my Flourless Chocolate Cake.
It’s a staple in my entertaining repertoire. It is a simple, fail-proof cake and I recommend it to beginners all the time because it always turns out perfect and everyone enjoys it, gluten-free or not. And, most important, it is quick to make—perfect for busy cooks who want a spectacular, versatile dessert with minimal effort.
So, when I began collecting recipes for my new book, 100 BEST QUICK GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES and needed quick, gluten-free recipes under 30 minutes I knew this one had to be in it. But could I make it even faster?
Bake or Cook in Small Sizes to Save Time
You bet, if I use one of my favorite principles to shave time: cook (or bake) in smaller sizes. In this case, serving size. You can always make the full-size cake (see Layer Cake below) but the batter bakes more quickly in cupcake pans. Plus, if you bake cupcakes you don’t have to cut the cake just before serving. Just put the cupcake on a plate, dust with powdered sugar, and you’re good to go—saving even more time.
The Perfect Mini-Dessert for Entertaining
With today’s fascination with small desserts, use this easy recipe to impress your guests. If powdered sugar isn’t fancy enough, use your favorite icing and decorate as you like. Personally, a decadent chocolate frosting using coffee as the liquid and topped with a chocolate-covered espresso bean is especially delightful (since I love chocolate and coffee, alone or with each other).
And, remember: 100 Best Quick Gluten-Free Recipes makes a perfect gift for friends, family, colleagues… or for yourself. It is also grain-free, perfect for your Paleo guests or anyone who can’t digest grains. Enjoy!!
FLOURLESS, GRAIN-FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Excerpted from 100 BEST QUICK GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES © 2014 by Carol Fenster. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Flourless cupcakes use ground nuts as the base and are extremely quick to assemble in a food processor. They also bake faster than standard-size cakes. Instead of the simple dusting of powdered sugar, you can top them as you like, with your favorite icing and decorations. These cupcakes are my “go-to” choice for gluten-free, dairy-free guests, but you can also use the batter for a 9-inch round cake (see Layer Cake option below). Feel free to use the same amount of ground walnuts or pecans instead of the almonds, if you prefer. For best results, make sure the eggs are at room temperature or add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda for more lift.
2 cups almond flour/meal or 2 cups whole almonds
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (use either natural or Dutch-processed)
4 large whole eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
[1] Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup nonstick muffin pan (gray, not black) with liners.
[2] In a food processor, place the almond meal. (If using whole almonds, grind the nuts to a fine, meal-like texture.) Add the brown sugar, cocoa, eggs, oil, vanilla, and salt and process for 30 to 40 seconds. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula and process for another 30 seconds or until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup batter for each cupcake.
[3] Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
STORAGE: Store leftovers at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.
Makes 12 cupcakes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Layer Cake
Bake in a 9-inch nonstick springform pan (gray, not black) lined with parchment paper until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Gently run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert the cake on to a serving plate, discard the paper, and let the cake cool completely.
Per cupcake: 390 calories; 10g protein; 31g total fat; 3g fiber; 22g carbohydrates; 62mg cholesterol; 117mg sodium
