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These Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes are moist, rich, and incredibly decadent! Paired together with a silky-smooth chocolate frosting, they are a chocolate lover's dream come true.
Serve the best Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes to your friends and family and you'll see tons of smiles. They are a real crowd-pleaser and are seriously addictive! Fluffy, tender, and perfectly sweetened, no one will guess that they are dairy-free and egg-free.
Also, you won't believe how easy they are to make and they only require pantry staples that you might already have on hand.
I topped them with my Vegan Chocolate Frosting, but you can also use my Vegan Buttercream Frosting or Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.
Why you'll love this recipe
They are filled to the brim with rich chocolate flavor and they are a breeze to put together. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and the expert tips will ensure success. You'll feel like a baking pro!
Ingredients needed
This recipe requires just 10 pantry staples to bring everything together. Here's what you'll need:
- Soy Milk – I prefer the richness and creaminess of soy but any non-dairy milk will work.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Lemon juice can be used as well.
- Granulated Sugar – Brown sugar will work too or a blend of both.
- Canola Oil – Any other neutral-tasting oil like sunflower seed or avocado oil will work, too. You can use coconut oil, but make sure it's measured in its liquid state and all the ingredients must be room temp or the oil will solidify when mixing.
- Dutch Process Cocoa Powder - It provides a heavenly, intense dark chocolate flavor. However, you can also use regular cocoa powder if you want; it'll still turn out chocolatey and delicious!
How to make Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
The batter will come together in just 4 easy steps. This is how it's done:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to make vegan buttermilk. Let it rest for 10 minutes until it has thickened and curdled.
- Whisk the buttermilk with the oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.
- In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 20-24 minutes.
Baking Tips
These cupcakes come out perfect every time if you follow the recipe closely. Any small changes can alter the results. Here are some helpful tips for a successful experience:
- Do not omit the apple cider vinegar - It helps to curdle soy milk to make vegan buttermilk and also reacts with baking soda to aid the rise of cupcakes. As mentioned above, lemon juice can be used in its place.
- Don't overmix the batter - This will cause more gluten to develop, resulting in a dense and chewy consistency.
- Avoid overfilling liners -Fill each hole to no more than ⅔ of the way full to prevent the batter from spilling over while baking.
- Let cupcakes cool - If they are still warm, the frosting might melt and slip off. Cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting them.
Storing Tips
Although they are best enjoyed fresh, they store well and can even be frozen.
- Room temperature – Unfrosted will stay good at room temp. for 2-3 days in an airtight container. To prevent excess moisture, place a layer of paper towel on the bottom of the container.
- Fridge – Both frosted and unfrosted can be refrigerated for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer – Both frosted and unfrosted can be frozen for up to 3 months. For cupcakes without frosting, wrap them individually in wax paper and place them in an airtight container or Ziploc. For frosted cupcakes, place them on a tray in the freezer, uncovered for at least an hour, or until the frosting has frozen. Then wrap them and store them the same way as the unfrosted ones.
FAQs
Although they can stay outside for quite a while at room temperature, the frosting might soften if it's too warm. I recommend that you store decorated cupcakes in the fridge and take them out about an hour before serving. This will help set the frosting and keep the cupcakes moist too.
More dessert recipes to try
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Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup soy milk (see note)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (sub lemon juice)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup applesauce , unsweetened
- ⅓ cup canola oil , or any neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (*see note about measuring)
- ½ cup dutch processed cocoa powder (sub unsweetened cocoa powder)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Frosting
- 1 batch Vegan Chocolate Frosting (see notes for alternative options)
Recommended Equipment
- Cupcake Liners
- 2 Mixing Bowls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Now fill a 12-slot cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar then let it sit for 10 minutes to create vegan buttermilk. It will curdle and thicken slightly.
- In a large bowl with a mesh strainer on top (or use a Flour Sifter), sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In the bowl with the buttermilk, add the applesauce, oil, sugar, and vanilla then whisk to combine well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined. (*Don't over mix or it can create a dense and chewy cupcake- a few small lumps are fine)
- Divide batter evenly into each liner about ⅔ full (an ice cream scoop works great for this). Bake them in the oven for 20-24 minutes. To check for doneness, lightly press the surface - It should spring back. You can also push a toothpick through the center - it should come out clean from wet batter.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them. Now completely cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
Notes
- Soy Milk - it yields a consistency that is very similar to dairy buttermilk when an acid is added. If you can't have soy, you can use any non-dairy milk. It won't thicken much, but that's ok and the recipe will still work.
- Measuring Flour - don’t scoop the flour with a measuring cup directly from the container. Instead, Aerate the flour first, then scoop it out of your container with a spoon and then into a measuring cup. Don’t pack or tap the cup. After filling, lightly sweep a butter knife across the top to remove the excess flour.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for the best results. If some are cold, leave them out while you pre-heat the oven and prep. At least 20 minutes.
- It's important to maintain the right oven temperature for successful results. An oven thermometer is the best way to detect the accuracy of your oven.
- Frosting - these cupcakes will also go well with my Vegan Buttercream Frosting or Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Yields 12 cupcakes
- Nutritional info doesn't include the frosting. This will vary depending on which one you choose.
Beverly
Delicious every time. And no guilt for licking the spoon because there's no egg risk 🙂
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Beverly! So happy you love them. I need to make a batch soon too. 🙂
Kathy
I never leave comments on recipes but I just had to say that my family loved these cupcakes. The Dutch chocolate is a game-changer. Thank you for an awesome recipe. 🙂
Melissa Huggins
That is amazing Kathy! And, I appreciate you taking the time to leave this feedback. 🙂 You are awesome.
Melanie
Wow! This is the best cupcake recipe I’ve ever tried. They were moist and fluffy. I love the Dutch chocolate too. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Melanie, I'm so happy you loved the recipe. Thank you for giving it a try! 🙂