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These incredible, no-bake, invigorating treats boast huge chocolate flavor: including a raw cake made from fruits, nuts and cacao (raw chocolate), and complimented by the most divine fudgey frosting . . . ever?
NOTE: The secret of the divine richness of the chocolate frosting is the heavenly Navitas Naturals Cacao Liquor – also know as cacao paste. Raw cacao beans – the real-deal source of all chocolate – are ground into a creamy paste (almost like a smooth peanut butter except chocolate-style). I haven’t come across anything else quite like it, as it catapults recipes into the arena of true amazingness. You can buy this cacao liquor in some health food stores, or have it delivered directly to you off the Navitas Naturals website via the Navitas link on the right side of the page. Alternatively, you can use melted baker’s chocolate in place of it, but the raw cacao liquor is undoubtedly superior quality.
INGREDIENTS:
For the cupcake:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup + 2 Tbsp raisins
2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp cacao butter, melted (or use coconut oil)
2 ½ Tbsp cacao powder
1 cup almond flour
1 cup coconut flour
pinch sea salt
For the frosting:
½ cup mashed avocado
3 Tbsp Navitas Naturals Cacao Liquor, melted (or use bakers chocolate)
2 Tbsp cacao powder
¼ cup agave nectar
For the sprinkles:
¼ cup cacao nibs
DIRECTIONS:
To make the cupcakes: Combine the walnuts, raisins, agave nectar and cacao butter in a food processor and puree. Transfer to a large bowl and add in the almond flour, coconut flour, cacao powder and sea salt, kneading together to combine thoroughly and forming a compact dough. (If dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water. If it is too wet, adjust with extra almond flour.)
To make the frosting: Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.
To assemble: Use a mini muffin tin, and tuck a layer of saran wrap into a cup to use as a mold. Spoon in some of the cupcake dough and press firmly into the cup to form desired cupcake shape. Use the saran-wrap to remove the packed cake from the muffin tin, then peel away plastic. Frost the cupcake liberally with frosting and sprinkle with cacao nibs. Repeat for remaining cupcakes.
Makes 12 mini cupcakes
Healthy benefits: raw, vegan, gluten-free, antioxidant-rich, contains healthy fats and fiber
©2009 www.JulieMorris.net
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[...] when I need a little goodness NOW. Luckily, there is indeed a way, a sweet way, a way called Mini Chocolate Superfood Cupcakes. Effective, instant, surprisingly healthy (via my recipe) and fabulous every time. These guys make [...]
why would you call this raw???? it is NOT raw! you are using agave nectar, almond flour, coconut flour, cacao liquor or bakers chocolate. none of this is raw. more than half of the total amount of ingredients in this recipe are cooked. the word “raw” should not be used to describe this.
Hi Lou,
Thanks for your comment. Almond flour can be made (or bought) from ground raw almonds, coconut flour from ground dried coconuts, the cacao liquor is from a great raw source (http://www.navitasnaturals.com/products/cacao/cacao-liquor.html) etc. Of course it depends on the source that you use. However if it does not meet your dietary standards, feel free to pass on this one.
Best, Julie
I really liked your mature and professional way of responding to lou’s comment without defensiveness. Well put!
Appreciated, Jenny!
Listen, I don’t mean any offense. Just show me a source where someone can by raw almond flour made from raw imported almonds (the only truly raw almonds as all others are pasteurized), or raw coconut flour that is not a by product of the coconut oil industry (coconut fiber that is leftover after extracting the oil is then dried and ground into flour). Dried coconut that has been ground down is not coconut flour, rather just ground coconut. The cacao paste or liquor goes through a few different steps of processing, one of which is cold pressing. This is not a guaranteed “raw” process and the term “raw” gets loosely used by many companies because there is nobody enforcing it. I have been a raw foodist for over 10 years now and most of that time I have worked in the health food industry. Over the years I have seen more and more “raw” companies, chefs, and books, that promote “raw” recipes that are not truly raw (I noticed you did not try to rebut my statements about agave). I have no problem at all with many of these healthy recipes, including yours, as alternatives to the standard. However, when people are told that something is raw by someone who portrays themselves as an expert of some kind, I have a problem when that claim is based upon their own opinion or standards that they feel acceptable for themselves rather than the truth.
Your recipe sounds tasty but I know that based upon your instructions there will be many people who are new to this or don’t know any better who will run out to there local health food store and purchase these supplies which most likely will not be anywhere near raw.
Hi Lou,
No offense taken, but thank you for the clarification.
As noted in your message, there is no universally accepted “raw” standard (unlike organic certification). Therefore the term is inherently ambiguous and somewhat left up to interpretation – hence, the influx of raw products and raw chefs, as you also noted. I see this influx as progress for the movement as a whole and therefore support these authors and products.
This website, is a collection of what has worked for me peronally over the last decade of my health food journey.
This looks *amazing*!
Just found your site and there are alread so many recipes I can’t wait to try! Your seed crackers, the acai fudge, these, so exciting!
I’m allergic to almonds, can I substitute the almond flour with anything else?
Hi Michelle,
You could try just using coconut flour instead (so 2 cups total for the whole recipe). I haven’t made it this way before, but if the cake turns out a little on the dry side in this version, add a bit more coconut oil to moisten it back up. Would love to hear how it turns out!