Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting are moist and perfect chocolate cupcakes with two cups of zucchini hidden inside! Topped with chocolate buttercream frosting these are the best chocolate cupcakes I have had!

FOR MORE GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES, TRY THESE TRIED-AND-TRUE RECIPES. FOR GLUTEN-FREE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES, GLUTEN-FREE FUDGE BROWNIES AND GLUTEN-FREE SUGAR COOKIES. MY CLASSIC GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES ARE ALSO ALWAYS A HIT!

We love growing a big garden every year and we always have an abundance of zucchini. But I’ll be honest with you, my family isn’t too keen on eating sautéed or roasted zucchini. So, being the ‘good’ mom that I am I try to hide it into other foods so they don’t know they ‘re really eating it. Ha!

These cupcakes are unbelievably delicious! I even made them in cake form for birthday parties and people cannot believe the secret ingredient is zucchini. If you’ve ever made homemade chocolate cake, especially gluten-free, and it always comes out dry this recipe is a must!

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

• 2 Cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (My favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1)

• 2 Cups Granulated Sugar

• 2 tsps Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 Cup Butter (or refined coconut oil)

• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 2 Cups Shredded Zucchini

• 1 Cup Chocolate Chips

• 3 Eggs

Ingredients for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 Cup Unsalted butter – should be softened at room temperature

• 3 1/2 Cups Confectioners sugar – also known as powdered sugar. Measured before sifting (sifting is not necessary).

• 1/2 Cup Cocoa powder– natural unsweetened cocoa powder or dutch process.

• 3 tbps Heavy whipping cream – lightens up and thins the frosting.

• 2 tsps Vanilla extract – we use real vanilla extract for the best flavor.

• 1/8 tsp Salt – balances the sweetness of the buttercream. It’s the secret ingredient in buttercream that makes it taste not too sweet. We use fine pink himalayan salt.

Gluten-Free Flour

I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour for these gluten-free zucchini chocolate cupcakes. Personally, it is my favorite cup for cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend made with rice flour. A cup for cup gluten-free flour blend is one that already has starches and xanthan gum added to it.

Cup for cup (or 1 for 1) flour blends makes gluten-free baking so much easier! Make sure you do not add any extra xanthan gum to your flour if it already has it in it. If you do, your cupcakes will be super gummy! Not all gluten-free flour blends are created equal so keep that in mind when choosing a flour!

Some other great brands are Pillsbury Gluten-Free flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Another thing to keep in mind with gluten-free baking is to weigh your flour instead of using a measuring cup. Or use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, being careful not to pack the flour into the cup. Please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup. If you do you could get more flour than the recipe calls for. 

Dairy-Free Baking

This cupcake recipe is fairly easy to make dairy-free. I and a few other members of my family are sensitive to dairy as well, so I often make dairy-free versions of these recipes.

Simply swap out the butter for refined coconut oil (or your oil of choice) or a dairy-free butter. The chocolate chips are optional (but who doesn’t want chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chips inside?!). You can easily substitute your favorite dairy-free brand, mine is Enjoy Life.

Easiest Way To Shred Your Zucchini

Like I mentioned earlier, my family doesn’t prefer cooked zucchini. So for years I have been shredding and freezing it. I have found this method to be so easy and work great for us and hopefully it will for you too. And we always make it a family affair! Everyone gathers in the kitchen, the kids peel the zucchini, I chop and put it in the food processor and my husband helps bag it all-it’s great! And then we can enjoy delicious gluten-free zucchini bread, cupcakes, pizza etc all winter long!

Step-By-Step Shredding Process

• Peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler

• Cut into cubes so it will fit easily in a food processor

• Place in food processor and pulse until shredded

• Put into freezer bag, label and place in freezer

How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes With Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

• Shred your zucchini. (See above)

• To a stand mixer add melted butter (or oil), vanilla, eggs and sugar and mix together.

• In a separate bowl, add all your dry ingredients together and whisk them up!

• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined.

• Add in the zucchini and carefully mix together.

• Add in your chocolate chips and mix until combined.

• Grease and flour your muffin tins or add cupcake liners.

• Fill the tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350 until the tops spring back when touched, about 20 min.

• Allow cupcakes to cool completely before adding the buttercream. 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Beat softened butter in a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment on high speed for 3 minutes until creamy and lightened in color.

• To a separate bowl sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder and slowly add to the whipped butter.

• Add remaining ingredients –heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.

• Beat together on low speed until powdered sugar is incorporated then on medium/high speed for another 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Add more cream if needed to thin the frosting.

Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool then add a generous amount of this glorious frosting. Yum!

How To Store Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

To store these cupcakes, place them in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze, wrap each individual cupcake in clear plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.

**I personally, do not recommend freezing cupcakes that already have the frosting on.

And there you have it! I hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as we did! Happy Baking 🙂