Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Orange Frosting
Decadent chocolate and sweet orange mix together for these veggie-loaded Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Orange Frosting. A gluten-free and dairy-free cupcake with the perfect inside texture needs to be your next special dessert.
Originally published on October 4, 2018
The best cupcake for any occasion
Looking for the perfect Chocolate Zucchini Cupcake recipe? Needs to be gluten-free, dairy-free? I’ve got you covered! My newly republished and updated Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Orange Frosting is your missing recipe. With just a few simple ingredients, fresh zucchini, and a muffin tin, you’ll have this gluten-free dessert ready in a flash. Each cupcake is perfectly fluffy and moist. The inside has amazing texture and you’ll be blown away that these cupcakes are even gluten-free!
What’s in these cupcakes
Avocado oil – I personally use avocado oil for all my baking, but you can use what you have on hand
Cane sugar – cupcakes need to be sweet! I like using this brand of cane sugar
Fresh zucchini – grate the zucchini and squeeze the moisture out using a paper towel
Warm water – regular ole tap water works great
Gluten-free flour blend – use your favorite blend of gluten-free flour, I used this one for this recipe
Cocoa – chocolate!! This one is great, but use what you have on hand
Sea salt – a pinch of sea salt to bring out the sweet
Baking soda
Baking powder
Orange – zest and juice
How to make these gluten-free cupcakes?
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a cupcake tin with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the egg and cane sugar. Stir until creamy. Add the freshly grated zucchini (with moisture squeezed out), avocado oil, and water. Stir or whisk together.
Add the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir together.
Add the orange zest and freshly squeezed juice from one orange. Mix into the batter.
Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake tin.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of a cupcake.
Let the cupcakes cool before removing from the cupcake tin.
Making the delicious orange frosting
In a medium mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, butter, two tablespoons of dairy-free milk, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Using a handheld mixer or a spoon, stir until a thick frosting forms. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk (one tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (add 2 tablespoons at a time). Stir until you have a nice thick frosting. Frost the cupcakes once they are cool. Then serve.
What type of oil should I use?
Personally, I use avocado oil for 99% of my baking as the health benefits are great and it has a high-heat index making it a great option for baking with. In a pinch, you could use melted coconut oil, canola oil, or sesame oil (or whichever oil you have on hand!).
Can I make a double batch in the same bowl?
Absolutely, you can double the recipe and use a single mixing bowl. Have a big celebration coming up? A double batch of these zucchini cupcakes and you’ll have the dessert table looking spectacular.
Can I freeze the cupcakes?
Yes, you can freeze these cupcakes! Let the cupcakes cool completely before placing them in a freezer-friendly container. They can be in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, simply place on the counter to slowly thaw. Frost the cupcakes after they’re thawed from being in the freezer.
- 1 egg
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini, squeeze water out first
- 3/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 cups warm water
- 3 cups gluten-free flour blend
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 orange, zest and fresh juice
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 3 Tbsp dairy-free butter
- 2-4 Tbsp dairy-free milk
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with muffin liners and set aside.
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In a medium mixing bowl combine the egg and cane sugar. Stir until creamy. Add the freshly grated zucchini (with moisture already squeezed out), avocado oil, and water. Stir or whisk together.
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Add the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir together.
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Add the orange zest and freshly squeezed juice from one orange. Mix into the batter.
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Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake tin. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of a cupcake. Let the cupcakes cool completely before removing from the cupcake tin.
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In a medium mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, freshly zested and squeezed orange, dairy-free butter, and two tablespoons of dairy-free milk. Using a handheld mixer or large spoon, stir until a thick frosting forms. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk (one tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (add 2 tablespoons at a time). Stir until you have a nice thick frosting.
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Frost the cupcakes once they are cool. Then serve.
Store cupcakes (frosted or un-frosted) in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days or store in the freezer (in a freezer-friendly container) for up to 3 months.
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