Flourless Coconut Quinoa Cupcakes with Chocolate-Avocado Frosting

this post is sponsored by bob’s red mill. thank you for supporting the partnerships that allow brewing happiness to grow and exist. xoxo.

While searching through the archives of my site, looking for inspiration, I realized that I have a major blindspot when it comes to cupcakes. I currently only have two “cupcake” recipes on here : Healthyish Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Greek Yogurt Glaze and Watermelon Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Icing. Neither of those recipes are very cupcake like at all. One is basically a muffin and the other is essentially just a fun way to eat fruit.

So here I am to fill in the gap. I’m here to bring you a semi-“normal” cupcake, that’s definitely still healthy, but you could serve it at a birthday party and no one would question it. I present… Flourless Coconut Quinoa Cupcakes with Chocolate-Avocado Frosting.

The base of the cupcakes is essentially the same as my Flourless Coconut Quinoa Cake, and the frosting is the same frosting I used for my Healthy Chocolate Cake. The melding of the two creates a sweet coconut cupcake, with tons of fun texture and moisture, paired with a pudding-like chocolate frosting that’s mostly made of avocados! (But you don’t taste the avocados.)

Let’s do a little breakdown of what makes these cupcakes healthy…

1. They’re gluten free. No flour is used at all. Pre-cooked Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa is used in place of the flour.
2. The cupcake part is refined sugar free. I use Bob’s Red Mill coconut sugar to sweeten those. (Although, the frosting does have some powdered sugar in there, but hey – it’s all about balance!)
3. Coconut oil and avocado add a boost of healthy fats! You’ll not only feel satiated from the sweet treat you just ate, but you might also feel full. Therefore, aiding in moderation!

These are the cupcakes I’ll be bringing to every party from now on, and maybe even making them for my own birthday next year. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! xo.

More healthyish cake recipes: Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Cake + Pumpkin Chia Olive Oil Cake + Healthy Angel Food Cake

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Flourless Coconut Quinoa Cupcakes with Chocolate-Avocado Frosting

These flourless coconut quinoa cupcakes with chocolate-avocado frosting are a totally gluten-free sweet treat made with wholesome ingredients! 

Course Dessert, Sweet Thangs

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Cooling Time 20 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Author Brewing Happiness

Ingredients

Flourless Coconut Quinoa Cupcakes

• 2 cups cooked Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa (about 3/4 cup dry quinoa cooked with 1 1/2 cup water)
• 1/3 cup non dairy milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Coconut Sugar
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate-Avocado Frosting

• 6 medium hass avocados, pitted
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cacao powder (sub unsweetened coco powder)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Cook your Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa according to the instructions on the package or according to your favorite method. Set quinoa aside to cool. 

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. 

3. Add your cooked quinoa, non dairy milk, eggs, butter and coconut oil to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth (should take less than 1 minute.)

4. In a medium sized bowl mix together your Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, coconut palm sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

5. Add your liquid mixture to your dry ingredients, and stir until all is well mixed.

6. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Spray with coconut oil or other non stick spray. Use a 1/2 cup measurement to fill each cupcake liner with batter to the brim. 

7. Bake for 25-28 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes IN THE PAN before removing the cupcakes. 

8. Meanwhile, add avocado meat, powdered sugar, cacao powder and vanilla extract to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth, using a spatula to scrape down the sides if it becomes hard to blend. 

9. Transfer your frosting to a piping bag or ziplock bag. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. 

10. When your cupcakes are cool, use your piping bag or ziplock bag to frost each cupcake. 

11. Top with a sprinkle of Bob's Red Mill Shredded Coconut. 

12. EAT UP.

In the past week I’ve been battling feelings of anxiety, lethargy, guilt, burnout, and loneliness. Needless to say it’s been a struggle. I know it will pass, because I’ve been here before. I know it will pass, but it doesn’t make it easier.

I started this blog nearly 5 years ago out of a much darker version of this feeling. I called it Brewing Happiness, not because I was bubbling over with joy, but rather because I understood that happiness is hard to come by. Happiness requires us to “brew” it each and everyday, just as we brew our coffee.

When I get to this place it is easy to get lost in a sea of scrolling and mind numbing activities. It’s easy to spiral. It’s easy to sulk. Days can pass without reprieve.

But what I’ve learned over the years is how to fight for happiness – how to claw my way out of this feelings-hole. So I can come up for air sooner than I used to. I put together a little list of my go-to methods for fighting the ick. Let me know what you think, and let me know if there is something on your list that you think I should add to mine!

Tips for Fighting Icky Feelings

1. Say yes. To friends. To invites. To parties. Get out of your freaking home and force yourself to be around people. It’ll help.
2. Phone a friend. Literally or figuratively. Mostly it’s just important to tell someone else what you are feeling. It’s not easy to be that vulnerable, but you just have to tell one person. Be totally honest. Let them hold your hand through the darkness.
3. Go on a walk first thing in the morning. No excuses. Don’t give yourself time for the to-do list to kick in. Just get up and go. Move your body, get fresh air, and hopefully feel some sunshine on your face. If you can, walk toward some body of water. It’s healing.
4. Turn your phone on airplane mode. Or off. Just stop checking it incessently, or mindlessly scrolling. Force yourself to just be with your own body and mind. You can Google that thing later.
5. Exercise. Turn that morning walk into a power walk, get your butt to the gym or schedule a workout class. It doesn’t matter. Just do your best to get your heart rate up. Endorphins are great for changing your mood.
6. Stay away from lots of sugar and gluten. Scientific studies have linked both of those products to depression. No matter if it’s fully true or not, I’d rather be safe than sorry. It also helps to focus on your health a bit if you’ve gotten off track. Sometimes your mood is an indicator that you just need to reprioritize you again.
7. But do treat yourself. Make these flourless coconut quinoa cupcakes, or order that fancy salad to be delivered to you. Just remember not to let the treat pass you by. Revel in it. Remember that it/you are special.
8. SLEEP. Turn your phone off and go to sleep early. Sleep fixes most things.

Let me know if you have any more tips and tricks for me to add to my happiness arsenal! Remember that happiness isn’t always easy. It must be fought for. It must be preserved and held tight and nourished and cared for. Happiness is an everyday battle. If you forget to fight, that’s okay. Just remember that it will return when you start fighting again. I promise it will return.

Brew your happiness each morning alongside your coffee. Let it wash over you. Hold it close. Spread it around. xo.