We don’t do a lot of sweets, obviously, in our house. It is a rare occasion that we bring sweets in, it’s more that we bring them out.

My kids know by now that when they eye that coveted birthday party invitation through the thin slot in our mailbox and they squeeze their tiny hands in the slot to barely pull it out, that it’s time, again, to pull out the mixing bowls. Birthday cupcakes are coming!

I’m all about getting out of the mode of food being the center of a celebration and for myself and Brandon we can handle that and we are doing well with it. We already don’t eat the birthday foods at a party and Jeremiah knows he’ll be checking his sugar half a dozen times in the hour and a half party. The kids already manage gracefully the changes we have implemented and do great with those changes. But what do I sometimes allow? Cake. Well, “healthy” cake. Actually cupcakes. Okay, let me clarify.

I allow homemade, whole food ingredient, no sugar added, chocolate cupcakes. And they are the BOMB. I found this recipe on Elana’s Pantry‘s website from a few years back and with a few tweaks and changes have made them my own.

I hesitate to say these are Whole30 approved because they are more on the line of how you see the cupcakes. If these are filling a sugar craving you have, if you would rather not go to the party than go and not eat cake, then I would suggest you steer clear of the cupcakes during your 30 days and wait until you have your sugar cravings under control. These would be more of a gluten-free or paleo dessert. 

We just went to a birthday party last weekend where we decorated sugar cookies, eyeballed a punch bowl of popcorn and a pitcher of white hot cocoa, and watched the other kids eat marshmallow topped cupcakes with vanilla ice cream. What did we have? Chicharrones, prunes, an apple and water. And we were fine. We were more than fine. We had a great time.

Dessert is not our driving force and we are okays without it. On some occasions, I want to treat the kids with these cupcakes and they are always excited to have them. Do we have them every time? No. But when we do we, we sure do like them!

Saying all that, the ingredients to these cupcakes are great ingredients that even the most allergic/sensitive member of your family should be able to enjoy. 

So, without further adieu, I present to you and yours…. chocolate cupcakes. Continue reading →