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About a year ago I discovered this cupcake recipe, and I haven’t been the same since. And then I created this grasshopper frosting to top them off with! Even though they are paleo, they are so close to being real grasshopper cupcakes that my gluten-free friends go crazy for them. You will go crazy for these paleo cupcakes too!
I remember making a new friend last year…well, we had known each other in high school…but we renewed our acquaintance and became close friends because of our similar circumstances. We both struggle with anxiety and depression, and she had some other health issues that kept her from eating certain foods. She ate paleo, just like me. I would invite her over for dinner as she was trying to figure out what there was to eat on so many dietary restrictions.
And I put on a show for her, because I’ve been doing this long enough that I can make it look fancy.
A three course meal: vegan asparagus-pea soup, salmon salad, and chocolate pie. I set up everything on our patio with lace doilies and my fancy dishes. It was so perfect. And when she and her husband ate, it was the best feeling ever. They had no idea you could do such awesome things with food. Neither did I when I started, so being able to show them made me feel great
Fast forward a couple of weeks. I discovered this recipe, and after my first bite, I knew that I needed to take some cupcakes over to my friend. I didn’t have the ingredients for the frosting, so I threw a bunch of stuff in my food processor and hoped for the best. And I wasn’t disappointed.
Neither was she.
The spring afternoon was warm, and we sat on her front porch talking for a while. I don’t think I will forget how important it was for both of us to find someone who understood what the other was going through. It was amazing. I’ve been incredibly blessed in finding good people to be my friends.
The sun lowered in the sky, and a light breeze played in the trees. She looked at the grasshopper cupcakes and said, “I’ll save these for later, after you’ve gone.” She was trying to be polite. Most people do that.
“No,” I said. “You need to eat them now. I want to watch you enjoy it.”
I am so weird.
She didn’t hesitate (they looked amazing) and started eating them. And it was the best feeling ever to know that I brought a little joy to her day and to her mouth.
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I love these so much I just want to shove them in my face.
And apparently, so does my child. These hadn’t even been out of the oven for more than two seconds when he started jumping up and down and yelling, “Pup-pates!”
He literally shoved these sweet cupcakes in his cute baby face. And proceeded to eat three more before going to bed. And then three more this morning. Funny kid.
The only problem is that these paleo cupcakes can be a little messy, just like any cupcake. I keep finding crumbs all over the floor. (P.S. When my baby realized I was taking photos of his mess, he proceeded to throw more crumbs down for me, yelling, “Dere you go, mama.” He’s so helpful.)
But who can complain? Yummy grain-free cupcakes, a happy baby, and raw vegan frosting with spinach in it (What? I haven’t told you yet?). Haha. Good luck. Just don’t let your kids see you make this or they’ll realize that you are trying to trick them.
I wouldn’t have been so successful in making these cupcakes without the help of my Paleo Baking Conversion Charts.
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Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes with Vegan Grasshopper Frosting
Ingredients for Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes
- 1 cup Nutiva Coconut Flour
- 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 9 eggs
- 1 cup Agave
- 3/4 cup Coconut Milk or prepared Crio Bru
- 3/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tbs Vanilla
Ingredients for Vegan Grasshopper Frosting
- 1 cup Raw Cashews (soaked 4-8 hours)
- 1 handful Spinach
- 1 tbs Coconut Oil (semi-solid)
- 2 tbs Raw Honey
- 3/4 tsp Peppermint Extract
Equipment
- Hand-mixer
- Two 12 cup muffin pans
- Parchment paper cups (absolutely no paper…these babies will stick!) or you can cut squares of parchment paper.
- Food processor
Makes 20 cupcakes.
Instructions for Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and melt the coconut oil on the stove top.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl, then set aside.
- Measure out wet ingredients separately, the add them one at a time into a large mixing bowl. Begin by beating eggs with hand mixer on low (100% must: you cannot make this right without the hand mixer…I’ve tried) then add agave, followed by the milk and vanilla, and finally the melted coconut oil. Whip on high for one minute, occasionally whipping the sides. The batter should get VERY fluffy, with lots of air whipped into it. Almost like a nice mousse. Note: If it runny at all (which may be because your coconut flour isn’t high quality), whip in another teaspoon of cocoa powder, followed by a tablespoon of coconut flour.
- Spoon into parchment paper cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove and cool for 30-45 minutes before applying frosting.
- Place cashews into small food processor on high for 2 minutes, or until ball starts to form. Stop processor and scrape the sides. Turn on blade again for less than a minute.
- Add spinach, coconut oil, honey, and peppermint extract.
- Process on high for one more minute.
- Chill for at least 20 minutes prior to frosting cupcakes. Apply with a knife and smooth out. Or, you can apply in layers by working quickly with the chilled frosting and dropping spoonfuls on with a melon-ball scoop then spreading out each layer individually (three layers, each a little smaller than the last).
Enjoy.
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I mean that.
In fact, I’d love to see a video of you eating these.
Because I’m weird.
- 1 cup Nutiva Coconut Flour
- ¾ cup Cocoa Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 9 eggs
- 1 cup Agave
- ¾ cup Coconut Milk or prepared Crio Bru
- ¾ cup coconut oil
- 1½ tbs Vanilla
- 1 cup Raw Cashews (soaked 4-8 hours)
- 1 handful Spinach
- 1 tbs Coconut Oil (semi-solid)
- 2 tbs Raw Honey
- ¾ tsp Peppermint Extract
- Equipment
- Hand-mixer
- Two 12 cup muffin pans
- Parchment paper cups (absolutely no paper…these babies will stick!) or you can cut squares of parchment paper.
- Food processor
- Prep time: 20 minutes. Bake time 20 minutes.
- Makes 20 cupcakes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and melt the coconut oil on the stove top.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl, then set aside.
- Measure out wet ingredients separately, the add them one at a time into a large mixing bowl. Begin by beating eggs with hand mixer on low (100% must: you cannot make this right without the hand mixer…I’ve tried) then add agave, followed by the milk and vanilla, and finally the melted coconut oil. Whip on high for one minute, occasionally whipping the sides. The batter should get VERY fluffy, with lots of air whipped into it. Almost like a nice mousse. Note: If it runny at all (which may be because your coconut flour isn’t high quality), whip in another teaspoon of cocoa powder, followed by a tablespoon of coconut flour.
- Spoon into parchment paper cups about ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove and cool for 30-45 minutes before applying frosting.
- Instructions for Vegan Grasshopper Frosting
- Place cashews into small food processor on high for 2 minutes, or until ball starts to form. Stop processor and scrape the sides. Turn on blade again for less than a minute.
- Add spinach, coconut oil, honey, and peppermint extract.
- Process on high for one more minute.
- Chill for at least 20 minutes prior to frosting cupcakes. Apply with a knife and smooth out. Or, you can apply in layers by working quickly with the chilled frosting and dropping spoonfuls on with a melon-ball scoop then spreading out each layer individually (three layers, each a little smaller than the last).
2 responses to “Paleo Grasshopper Chocolate Cupcakes”
Oh my gosh Anne! You are so amazing! I LOVE you and your food so much! And like I said before, I seriously do think about these cupcakes all the time. You are an inspiration!
[…] mops the floor and then I stress out about anything getting on it (like the night that I made those amazing, decadent, and terribly addictive cupcakes…those floors had been polished a mere 10 minutes before my son and I started throwing […]