These cute bleeding black chocolate cupcakes are delicious, juicy, rich yet easy to make. You only need a few easy ingredients and some food coloring to make them. They only take about 40 minutes to make, not counting the cooling time, and will be appreciated by everyone. Make these cupcakes for Halloween or any other occasion that requires a fun and delicious dessert made with a twist. These cupcakes are gluten, oil, nut and sugar free.
Chocolate is always a good choice, that also goes for Halloween! Because we all love chocolate, both you and old. These chocolate cupcakes are very easy and quick to make and are both gluten, sugar, oil and nut free. They are moist, tender, light and super delicious. Inside you’ll find a red chocolate caramel sauce resembling blood to make them extra Halloween-like. They are topped with a fresh, delicious yet light chocolate cream cheese frosting and decorated with edible sugar eyes. These cupcakes are such a delicious little sweet treat that looks adorable, are fun and taste delicious. And the best thing is that they are both gluten, oil, nut and sugar free, hence not risking anyone getting a sugar overload! But to be honest these cupcakes can be made for several other occasions just by varying the decoration and skipping the red food coloring if you don’t want it to look like blood. Because chocolate along with a lovely chocolate caramel sauce and chocolate cream cheese frosting is a winning combination for any festive occasion!
A few tips:
- Start by making the chocolate caramel sauce so it has time to cool completely.
- The amount of chocolate and red food coloring can be adjusted according to how strong chocolate flavor you prefer and how dark you want your “blood” caramel to have.
- Depending on how much cacao powder you use the amount of cream will vary. I used two teaspoons of cacao powder and three tablespoons of reduced fat cream for my sauce. But the amount will also vary depending on your food coloring and what type of cream you use.
- The caramel sauce should be pourable and not too thick when you’re done as it will set while it cools down. If your chocolate caramel sauce turn out too thick when it has cooled place it back in a small pot, heat on low heat and add a little more cream. Stir until well combined. Remove from the stove and let it cool again.
- The amount of chocolate in the chocolate frosting and the icing sugar can be adjusted according to how rich chocolate taste and how sweet you prefer your frosting. Start by adding 3/4 dl cacao powder and 1/2 dl icing sugar, mix until smooth, then taste to check if additional cacao powder or icing sugar is required. If the frosting turns out too thick add a splash of water or milk. The frosting will thicken as it rests in the fridge.
- Make sure the muffins are completely cooled before you assemble the cupcakes.
Ingredients for these Bleeding Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Granulated sugar free sweetener that caramelizes well. I used this one.
- Water
- Cream (I used reduced fat)
- Cacao powder
- Red food coloring
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar free sweetener/monk fruit
- Milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Apple sauce
- Quark or Greek yogurt
- Oat flour
- Cacao powder
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
- Stevia vanilla drops
- Sugar free icing sugar
- Edible sugar eyes
Other recipes you might like:
- Chocolate Sour Cream Plum Cake (Gluten, Nut, Oil & Sugar Free)
- Cherry Chocolate Oat Cake (Vegan, Gluten, Oil, Nut & Sugar Free)
- Hazelnut Cake with Whipped Creme Fraiche & Cherry Jam Topping (Gluten, Oil & Sugar Free)
- Healthy Chocolate Mousse (Vegan & Sugar Free)
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins (Gluten & Sugar Free)
- Brownie Hazelnut Ice Cream Bars (Gluten & Sugar Free)
- Mars Ice Cream Cups (Vegan, Gluten, Grain & Sugar Free)
- Three Ingredients Chocolate Nougat Eggs (Vegan, Gluten, Grain & Refined Sugar Free)
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Eggs (Vegan, Gluten, Grain, Sugar Free & Low Carb)
- Salted Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies (Vegan & Sugar Free)
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries & Cream Cheese Frosting (Vegan, Gluten & Refined Sugar Free)
Bleeding Chocolate Cupcakes (Gluten, Oil, Nut & Sugar Free)
Ingredients
For the bloody chocolate caramel sauce
- 1 dl Granulated sugar free sweetener that caramelizes well (see note 1 for the one I used)
- 1/2 tbsp Water
- 2-3 tbsp Cream (I used reduced fat cream)
- 2-3 tsp Cacao powder (depending on how much chocolate taste you prefer in your sauce)
- Red food coloring (adjust depending on the color and how dark you prefer your sauce)
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 2 Eggs
- 1 dl Granulated sugar free sweetener
- 1/2 dl Milk
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 dl Apple sauce
- 3/4 dl Quark or Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 dl Oat flour
- 3/4 dl Cacao powder
- 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/3 tsp Salt
For the chocolate frosting
- 200 g Cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
- 2-3 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 5-6 drops Stevia vanilla drops
- 3/4-1 1/4 dl Cacao powder
- 1/2 dl Sugar free icing sugar (or more depending on how sweet you prefer your frosting)
To decorate
- Edible eyes or other decoration
Instructions
- Start by cooking the bloody chocolate caramel sauce by adding 1 dl sugar with 1/2 tbsp of water in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let it cook until the sugar caramelizes. This takes 3-5 minutes. Do not stir the sugar while it cooks to avoid sugar crystals from forming.
- Remove the caramelized sugar from the hot stove. Let it cool for a minute. Place back on the stove on low heat, add cream, cacao powder and red food coloring. Stir to combine well and make sure they're no cacao lumps left. When you have a smooth sauce remove from the stove and set to cool.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celcius.
- Combine milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Prepare grease or prepare 6-8 muffin tins.
- Combine oat flour, cacao powder, cinnamon ,baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Add two eggs and granulated sugar to a big bowl. Whisk the eggs until they turn pale and become light and fluffy. This takes about 3-5 minutes.
- Add apple sauce, quark/greek yogurt and buttermilk (milk + apple cider vinegar). Gently stir to combine just until incorporated.
- Next add the dry ingredients little by little to the wet. Gently stir together just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins, fill them 4/5 way up. Bake in the oven for 12-16 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
- While the muffin bakes prepare the frosting by adding cream cheese, greek yogurt, stevia vanilla drops, cacao powder (start with 3/4 dl) and icing sugar. Mix until you have a fluffy and smooth cream. Taste to check if more cacao powder or sweetener is needed. Add more as needed and whisk again. If the frosting is too thick/thin either add a few drops of water or to thicken more cacao powder or icing sugar. Place in the fridge to set.
- When the cupcake have cooled make small wholes in the middle using a melon baller or small spoon. Fill the wholes with the bloody chocolate caramel sauce.
- Add frosting on top using a piping bag. Decorate with edible eyes or any other decoration of choice. Store in the fridge.