Gluten Free Diet: Dreamy Chocolate Cupcakes by Kelly Keough

Contributed by chef and cook book author Kelly Keough .

(CBS) Who can resist a cupcake? No kid I know. But many parents are worried about high levels of sugar in their childrens' diets and people of all ages with wheat allergies are on the look-out for gluten free sweets.

So here we go, a pair of easy-to-make sugar-free and gluten-free cupcake recipes that will make the whole family stand up and applaud.

First up is a chocolate frosted cupcake everyone will love and still feel healthy and energized after eating. It's vegan, but no one needs to know.

And for adults, we are serving up a "Matcha Green Tea Cupcake."

It may sound sophisticated, but green tea (matcha is a finely ground version) is a great way to sneak in antioxidants. Heaps of unsweetened chocolate powder also up the antioxidant power of this confection.

And these cupcakes won't wax your waistline. They each clock in under 250 calories.

To pull it off we use gluten-free flours plus the alternative sweeteners: agave and the zero glycemic sugar, Swerve.

Swerve is great for baking and frosting as it comes in regular and confectioners sugar.

Mix and match the cupcakes with the chocolate or matcha green tea frosting for any festive event. These cupcakes rise nicely and keep their shape, so pack them up and bring them to a summertime party or picnic.

VEGAN SUGAR-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Made with an all-purpose gluten-free flour, potato starch, and arrowroot, plus the low-glycemic sweetener, agave and the zero glycemic sweetener, Swerve. Find Swerve at: http://www.swervesweetener.com/

37 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup unsweetened chocolate powder
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/2cup potato starch
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
2 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea salt
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup agave
1/2 cup Swerve
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon chocolate extract
1 cup hot water

In a stand-up mixer with paddle attachment, blend the melted coconut oil, agave, Swerve, soy yogurt, vanilla extract and chocolate extract. Add the prepared dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine. Add in the hot water and mix until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow batter stand 2 minutes.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with foil liners. With an ice cream scoop, pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 15 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they bounce back when gently touched in the center.

Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.

NUTRITION
Servings Per Recipe: 12

SUGAR-FREE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

An easy sugar-free chocolate frosting made with Swerve Confectioners sugar. You can find it at http://www.swervesweetener.com/

5 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Swerve confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened chocolate powder
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In stand up mixer with paddle attachment, add Swerve confectioner's sugar, cacao powder, shortening, and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated. Frost 2 teaspoons of the frosting on each of the cooled cupcakes. Frosting may be stored in refrigerator.

NUTRITION
Servings Per Recipe: 24
Serving Size: 2 teaspoons

VEGAN SUGAR-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE MATCHA GREEN TEA CUPCAKES

A matcha green tea cupcake that tastes as good as it looks using an all purpose gluten-free flour, arrowroot flour, and white rice flour, plus the low-glycemic sweetener, agave and the zero calorie sweetener, Swerve.

37 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup melted coconut
1/2 cup agave
2/3 cup Swerve
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/2 cup arrowroot flour|
1/4 cup white rice flour
2 tablespoons golden ground flax meal
1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a stand up mixer with wire attachment, whisk together warm unsweetened almond milk, melted coconut oil, agave, Swerve, vanilla, and lemon juice; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, arrowroot flour, white rice flour, ground flax seed, matcha green tea powder, gluten-free baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt.

Switch to a paddle attachment. Add prepared dry mixture to prepared wet mixture and blend until well incorporated. Allow batter to stand for 2 minutes.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with foil liners. With an ice cream scoop, pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 15 minutes. Cupcakes are done when golden and bounce back when gently touched in the center.

Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.

Note: Matcha green tea is sold in most health food stores and online. It comes mixed with sugar or without sugar. This recipe calls for the matcha that has no sugar.

NUTRITION
Servings Per Recipe: 12 (serving size, 1 cupcake)

Calories: 202.0
Total Fat: 10.3 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 205.7 mg
Total Carbs: 36.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.0 g
Protein: 2.0 g

SUGAR-FREE MATCHA GREEN TEA FROSTING

A beautiful light green frosting for cupcakes loaded with the antioxidants of match green tea using Swerve Confectioner's sugar.

5 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Swerve Confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS
In stand up mixer with paddle attachment, add Swerve Confectioners sugar, matcha green tea, shortening, almond milk, and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated. Frost two teaspoons of frosting on each of the cooled cupcake. Frosting may be stored in refrigerator.

Note: Matcha green tea is sold in most health food stores and online. It comes mixed with and without sugar. This recipe calls for the matcha that has no sugar.

Yield: 24, two-teaspoon servings.

NUTRITION
Servings Per Recipe: 24

Kelly e. Keough is an expert healthy chef, and TV host of "The Sweet Truth" cooking show on Veria. Her cookbook, "Sugar-free Gluten-free Baking and Desserts", shows you how to have your sweets and eat them, too. Kelly's passion is inspiring people with health, weight, and aging concerns related to sugar and gluten - to not live without. Kelly has made her decadent guilt-free desserts for stars such as Martin Lawrence, Jack Black, and Gene Simmons.Her latest book is due out winter 2010 from Ulysses Press.