Avoid common almond flour baking issues with this easy and well-tested recipe! These almond flour cupcakes use a simple trick to achieve light, fluffy results with perfectly rich chocolate flavor. What's the secret for achieving the best texture? Whipping the egg whites separately aerates the crumb to offset grain-free flour's heavier consistency. Top this naturally gluten-free dessert with a mound of almond frosting and you'll be in cupcake heaven!
Preheat the oven to 400°F. (NOTE: You will not bake at 400℉ the entire time, so be sure to note the baking directions.) Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
In a bowl use whisk attachment to beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add ½ cup sugar and continue beaten until stiff, glossy peaks form. Set aside.
3 large eggs, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
In a separate large mixing bowl beat the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup sugar until thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about 2 minutes. Beat in the cooled butter, vanilla, and almond extract.
¼ cup (57 g) melted and cooled unsalted butter, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon almond extract
Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well mixed. The batter will be very thick, similar to cookie dough.
2 cups (184 g) blanched almond flour, ⅓ cup (34 g) dutch-processed (preferred) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
Add the beaten egg whites to the almond flour mixture. Use paddle attachment or handheld mixer to combine the two mixtures well with no streaks remaining. Be sure to scrape down the bowl at least once, especially all the way down to the bottom, to incorporate the thicker chocolate mixture.
Divide evenly between the 12 cupcake tins. The batter will reach about 2/3 the way up tins. I used a large cookie scoop to do this quickly and evenly. Be sure to not overfill.
Bake for 5 minutes at 400℉. Leave the cupcakes in the oven and turn down the temperature to 325℉. Bake for 15-17 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted in the comes out clean.TIP: I recommend leaving the cupcakes in the oven without opening the door to rotate or check for doneness as little as possible. They will fall. The cupcake tops will still look "wet" until they are done baking.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring out to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Almond Buttercream Frosting
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, on low speed mix together the softened butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, extract and salt until well combined.
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar, ¼ cup (60 g) heavy cream, ½ teaspoon almond extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
Once it has been combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. If you prefer a slightly stiffer frosting, add up to ½ cup additional powdered sugar and beat again until combined. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Separating eggs
Eggs separate easier when they are cold. Then all the yolks and whites to come to room temp.
Storing and Freezing
For best results, store these almond flour chocolate cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days. Although some frostings have to refrigerated, I highly recommend setting the cupcakes out several hours before serving to reach room temperature.Freezing Unfrosted Cupcakes: Wrap each completely cooled cupcake securely in plastic wrap. Transfer wrapped cupcakes to a gallon freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.When ready to use, remove from freezer bag and thaw wrapped cupcake at room temperature for 1 hour before frosting and serving.Freezing Frosted Cupcakes: Place frosted cupcakes on a baking sheet and freeze until the frosting solidifies. Wrap each cupcake securely with plastic wrap and transfer to a gallon freezer bag to freeze up to 3 months.