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    Home Β» All Recipes Β» Dessert

    Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

    January 11, 2022 By Melissa Huggins / 4 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    Batch of vegan chocolate cupcakes on a cooling rack.

    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.

    Table of Contents

    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make the best Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
    • Helpful baking tips
    • Cupcake Storing Tips
    • More cupcake recipes to try
    • Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

    Why you'll love this recipe

    These Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes 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 these cupcakes together. Here's what you'll need:

    Ingredients to make cupcakes on a marble table top

    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 or curdle much, but that's ok and the recipe will still work.

    Apple Cider Vinegar – Lemon juice can be used instead.

    Granulated Sugar – To keep these chocolate cupcakes vegan, use organic or unrefined sugar. Non-organic or refined sugar might be filtered using bone char.

    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. Also, it's imperative that all the ingredients are room temp or the oil will solidify when mixing.

    Dutch Process Cocoa Powder - It provides an intense dark chocolate flavor that is just heavenly. However, you can also use regular cocoa powder if you want and it'll still turn out chocolatey and delicious!

    How to make the best Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

    The batter will come together in just 4 easy steps. This is how it's done:

    Four process photos of whisking cupcake batter.
    • 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 β…” of the way full. Bake for 20-24 minutes.

    Helpful baking tips

    These cupcakes will come out perfect every time as long as you follow the recipe very closely. Any small changes can alter the results. Here are some helpful tips for a successful experience.

    • For best results, avoid scooping flour directly from the container using a measuring cup. Instead, use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level the excess off using a butter knife. Avoid packing or tapping flour into the cup.
    • 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.
    • Be careful not to overmix the batter. The longer you mix it, the more the gluten will develop, resulting in dense and chewy cupcakes.
    • Avoid overfilling liners to prevent the batter from spilling over while baking. Fill each hole to no more than β…” of the way full.
    • Let cupcakes cool down for at least 30 minutes before frosting them. If your cupcakes are still warm, the frosting might melt and slip off.

    If you would like to learn even more baking tips, here is a great article with 10 Tips for Baking the Best Cupcakes.

    Cupcake Storing Tips

    Although these vegan chocolate cupcakes are best enjoyed fresh, they store well and can even be frozen.

    • Room temperature – Unfrosted cupcakes 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, and another layer on the cupcakes before placing the lid on.
    • Frosted - although they can stay outside for quite a while, the frosting might soften if the weather is too warm. I recommend that you store decorated cupcakes in the fridge and take them out about an hour before serving.
    • Fridge – Both frosted and unfrosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
    • Freezer – they 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 and place them 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 cupcakes.
    Close up view of a vegan chocolate cupcake on a white plate.

    More cupcake recipes to try

    Want more recipes like this one? Here are some reader favorites to try out:

    • Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
    • Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    • Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would really make my day! You can also share your remake with me on Instagram. Just tag #veganhuggs and @veganhuggs so I don’t miss it! 

    ⭐️ Subscribe to the Vegan Huggs Newsletter and receive weekly recipes straight to your inbox! You'll also receive my FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. 

    Fully decorated vegan chocolate cupcakes on a cooling rack.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

    These Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes are moist, rich, and incredibly decadent! Together with a silky-smooth chocolate frosting, they are a chocolate lover's dream come true.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Cooling Time30 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12 people
    Calories: 189kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    Chocolate Cupcakes

      Wet Ingredients:

      • 1 cup soy milk (see note)
      • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (sub lemon juice)
      • 1 cup cane sugar
      • ΒΌ cup applesauce , unsweetened
      • β…“ cup canola oil , or any neutral flavored oil
      • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

      Dry Ingredients:

      • 1 Β½ cups all-purpose flour (*see note about measuring)
      • Β½ cup dutch processed cocoa powder (sub unsweetened cocoa powder)
      • 1 teaspoon baking soda
      • ΒΎ teaspoon sea salt

      Frosting

      • 1 batch Vegan Chocolate Frosting (see notes for alternative options)

      Recommended Equipment

      • 12-Slot Cupcake Pan
      • Cupcake Liners
      • 2 Mixing Bowls
      • Mesh Strainer
      Prevent your screen from going dark

      Instructions

      Chocolate Cupcakes

      • Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Now fill a 12-Slot Cupcake Pan with cupcake 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 compltely 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. 

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
      Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

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      melissa

      About Melissa

      I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

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        Recipe Rating




      1. Kathy

        July 29, 2022 at 1:13 pm

        5 stars
        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. πŸ™‚

        Reply
        • Melissa Huggins

          August 02, 2022 at 11:40 am

          That is amazing Kathy! And, I appreciate you taking the time to leave this feedback. πŸ™‚ You are awesome.

          Reply
      2. Melanie

        December 16, 2021 at 9:51 am

        5 stars
        Wow! This is the best cupcake recipe I’ve ever tried. They were moist and fluffy. I love the Dutch chocolate too. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Melissa Huggins

          December 16, 2021 at 10:09 am

          Hi Melanie, I'm so happy you loved the recipe. Thank you for giving it a try! πŸ™‚

          Reply

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