Magnificent German Chocolate Protein Cupcakes stuffed with a coconut pecan mix. Easy german chocolate cupcakes with filling are low fat, low sugar and healthy!
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I’ve had my eye on a German chocolate cake inspired recipe for a high protein dessert for the longest time. So when I got my hands on some shredded coconut, you know this had to be the first thing I went for.
What’s so special about these German chocolate cupcakes? Well they’re actually have a filling of a coconut pecan mixture you would see on the cake. What’s even better is that these cupcakes are sugar free since they use protein powder and monkfruit as a sweetener.
Ingredients for German Chocolate Protein Cupcakes
A very clean and healthy list of ingredients in this German Chocolate Protein cupcake recipe, so you can have no guilt as you go for a second one!
For the German Chocolate Cake Cupcake:
- Chocolate Protein Powder needed for a high protein cupcake and also replaces the ‘sugar’.
I used Whey-Casein protein powder from Quest Nutrition and Whey protein powder from Dymatize ISO for this recipe. - Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Substitute – I use Lakanto, to keep this recipe sugar free; (code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here)
- Unsweetened Applesauce
- Hot Water
- Some Lemon Juice
- A bit of Melted Butter
- Baking Soda
The Coconut Pecan Cupcake Filling:
- Shredded Coconut
- Chopped Pecans
- Almond Butter Powder, also known as Powdered Almond Butter. I use the one from PB2.
- Vanilla Protein Powder: I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla whey-casein here.
- Some Almond Milk
For the Protein Chocolate Frosting:
- Chocolate Protein Powder: I recommend Quest Nutrition Chocolate here since it’s whey-casein and blends well with the yogurt.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Non-fat Greek Yogurt
How to make German Chocolate Cupcakes with Filling
The filling in these German chocolate cupcakes is my favorite part since it’s got all the good stuff you see on the German chocolate cake.
To make German chocolate cupcakes with filling, use a 1 teaspoon measure to scoop out a well in the cupcake top.
Then dig the well deeper to create space for the filling.
Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl to form the mixture.
Put some coconut pecan filling in the well, and cover with a piece of cupcake that was removed.
Tips for the perfect German Chocolate Stuffed Cupcakes Recipe with Protein Powder
It looks intimidating, but this German chocolate stuffed cupcakes recipe is easy, but here’s a few things to keep in mind as you bake them with protein powder:
Making the Batter:
- Use melted Butter so that it mixes well into the healthy German chocolate cupcake batter.
- Don’t over-mix the batter!
Make sure you gently fold the dry mix into the wet to combine them.
If you over-mix it, the protein powder will make the low calorie German chocolate protein cupcakes tough, dense and gummy.
- Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I’d recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have sugar free and healthy cupcakes.
Baking:
- Don’t let the batter sit out too long; Pour immediately into baking pan and bake.
This is to avoid any reactions between the ingredients.
- Grease the cupcake liners if they aren’t silicon.
This will allow the protein powder cupcakes to come off easily.
- Don’t over-fill baking pan cavities or the cupcake batter will overflow!
Go only about ¾ the way to the top
- Don’t over-bake the mini cake bites or they might get tough; Remove when the tester/knife comes out just dry; Little moisture is okay.
Filing and Icing the Cupcakes:
- Let stuffed cupcakes cool completely before filling and frosting, or the filling and frosting will melt away.
- Add milk in the filling little at a time – too much will give you a very runny mixture.
How to Store German Chocolate Cupcakes
To store these German chocolate cupcakes with filling, place in an airtight container and can keep on the countertop for 2-3 hours, fridge for 5 days or freezer for 2-3 months.
You need to refrigerate German chocolate cake cupcakes for longer term consumption since the frosting is made with Greek yogurt, and will go bad outside.
To defrost frozen German chocolate protein cupcakes with filling, leave them on the countertop or place them in the fridge overnight. I would not recommend using the microwave, unless its for 10-12 seconds.
Alternatives for Healthy German Chocolate Stuffed Cupcakes
This recipe for German chocolate stuffed cupcakes is a clean and healthy recipe with this ingredient list, but here’s some alternatives to try if you don’t have access to them all:
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: Use All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in the same amount by weight not cups.
- 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement: Regular confectioners sugar or coconut sugar (this won’t be sugar free though, and also higher in calories)
- Melted Butter: Melted Coconut Oil or Dairy Free Butter
- Lemon Juice: Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
Alternatives for Cupcake Fililng:
- Almond Milk: Regular milk
- Almond Butter Powder: Peanut Butter Powder
Options for Cupcake Frosting:
- Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
To make German Chocolate Cupcake Vegan:
Use a plant based protein powder, dairy free butter and coconut yogurt as alternate ingredients to turn this German chocolate cupcake recipe Vegan!
Some more Healthy Chocolate Protein Cupcake Recipes
- Dirt Pudding Protein Cupcakes
- Snickers Protein Cupcakes
- Bailey’s Protein Cupcakes
- Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Cupcakes
German Chocolate Protein Cupcakes – Stuffed and So Good!
Ingredients
- ½ cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, see post for subs, 60g
- ½ cup Chocolate Protein Powder, Whey, 45g
- ⅓ cup Chocolate Protein Powder, Whey-casein, 30g
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder, 20g
- 3 Tbsp Zero Calorie 1:1 Sugar Replacement, 36g
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ cup Hot Water, 180ml
- ½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce, 120g
- ½ Tbsp Melted Butter, 7g
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
Coconut Pecan Filling:
- ¼ cup Shredded Coconut, 20g
- ¼ cup Chopped Pecans, 28g
- 3 Tbsp Almond Butter Powder, 18g (or Peanut Butter Powder)
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Power, Whey-casein, 6g
- 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk, 15ml
Chocolate Protein Frosting:
- ¾ cup Non-fat Greek Yogurt, 168g
- ½ cup Chocolate Protein Power, Whey-casein, 45g
- 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 5g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, line 10 cups of a muffin pan with cupcake lines, and lightly spray insides with cooking spray (or use non-stick pan).
- In a bowl, whisk flour, whey and whey-casein chocolate protein powders, unsweetened cocoa powder, zero calorie sugar replacement and baking soda.
- In a large bowl, whisk together hot water, applesauce, melted butter and lemon juice.
- Add dry mix to wet, and gently fold until just combined.
- DO NOT OVER-MIX or protein powder will make the cupcakes dense.
- Pour batter into cupcake cavities, dividing equally.
- Batter should be ¾ way to the top (it will overflow if too much).
- Don’t let the batter sit out.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes.
- Toothpick inserted into the center should come out dry.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Coconut Pecan Filling:
- Let cupcakes cool completely.
- Use a tsp measure to make a hollow cavity at the top of the cupcakes (go about half way deep).
- In a bowl, combine shredded coconut, chopped pecans, almond butter powder, protein powder and milk (little at a time). Mix until smooth.
- Fill mixture into cupcake hollows, then cover with small piece of cupcake top (which was removed).
Chocolate Protein Frosting:
- In a bowl, combine Greek Yogurt, protein powder and cocoa powder and mix until smooth.
- Continue to mix; Frosting will come together. Add milk if needed to thin.
- Scoop out and spread frosting on top of cupcakes.
Notes
- Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener; I’d recommend stevia if needed.
- Nutrition value is calculated using products recommended below.
- See post for alternate ingredients, tips and storage options.
- Quest Nutrition Chocolate Whey-Casein Protein Powder
- Dymatize ISO 100 Gourmet Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
- Lakanto 1:1 Monkfruit Sugar Substitute
- Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount off your order
- PB2 Almond Butter Powder
- Servings: 10 cupcakes | Serving size: 1
- Calories: 131cal
- Fat: 4.5g | Saturated fat: 1.1g
- Carbohydrates: 13.1g | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 2.2g
- Protein: 13.5g
I’m confused with the recipe. Everything above says applesauce but the recipe card says pumpkin and it also calls for pumpkin spice?
Hi Kayla! So sorry about that. I accidentally put in pumpkin from an older recipe. Just updated it: There should not be any pumpkin spice, and it uses applesauce instead of pumpkin puree.
Can’t wait to know what you think!