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Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

These vegan chocolate cupcakes are rich and moist then topped with silky smooth buttercream for the perfect celebratory treat everyone will love.
4.8 from 5 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 352kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • ¾ cup soy milk
  • ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

To make the cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one muffin tin with baking cups and set aside.
  • In a small bowl combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Mix together and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the milk to curdle.
  • In a large bowl combine cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Add coconut oil, water, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar to soy milk mixture and whisk together. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix to combine; a few lumps are okay.
  • Fill the cupcake holders ¾ of the way full and bake for about 20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

To make the buttercream

  • Gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
  • Meanwhile, using a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter on high for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extra and beat for another 5 minutes, scraping down the sides again, as necessary.
  • Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the melted chocolate into the buttercream. Increase the speed to high and mix for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Frost each cupcake using a piping bag or offset spatula.
  • Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Serving and Storing - Serve the cupcakes immediately or place them in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store the cupcakes for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These cupcakes can also be store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, simply pull out and let thaw at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
  1. Do not overmix. Overmixing allows the gluten strands to develop making the cake gummy. Mix until just combined to ensure a light, delicate crumb.
  2. Do not open the oven door while the cupcakes are baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cakes. You can check for doneness after 45 minutes.
  3. To prevent the cupcake from sticking, use baking cups and generously spray the cups before filling them with batter.
  4. Let the cupcakes sit for at least 20 minutes in the pan before flipping out. If you try and flip it out too early, the cake structure may not have fully set and will fall apart.
  5. Let the cake completely before decorating to prevent the buttercream from melting.
Frequently Asked Questions 
Can this cupcake recipe be made into a cake? Yes! This recipe will fill one 8 or 9″ cake pan. When making a cake, generously spray the pan with cooking oil. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the cake pan before adding the batter. Bake this vegan cake for about 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1.4mg