Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (Rich, Soft, and Seriously Chocolaty)
Rich, soft vegan chocolate cupcakes that are easy to make and full of deep chocolaty flavour. This homemade vegan cupcake recipe gives you a moist, fluffy crumb every time with simple ingredients, and it’s dairy-free and egg-free. Top them with a swirl of your favourite vegan frosting like chocolate or vanilla, or try something a little different like coffee, raspberry, or peanut butter. It’s a simple, reliable vegan dessert that’s sure to impress.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For Vegan Buttermilk:
- 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk (unflavoured, room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
For Cupcake Batter:
- 1 ½ cup (188g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (42g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (83ml) oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (188ml) hot water (freshly boiled)
For the Frosting:
- 1 recipe vegan chocolate buttercream frosting (or any other vegan frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Add cupcake liners to your pan and set aside.
Make Vegan Buttermilk:
- Pour the dairy-free milk into a measuring cup or bowl.
- Add the vinegar to the milk and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Make Cupcake Batter:
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
- Stir the oil and vanilla into the buttermilk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick at this point. Don't overmix.
- Slowly add the hot water and stir until smooth and fully combined. Don't overmix.
- Using a spoon or a large scoop, divide batter into the 12 cupcake liners.
Bake:
- Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the largest cupcake comes out clean. Take care not to overbake.
- Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes, remove the cupcakes, and place them onto a cooling rack.
Cool, Prepare Frosting & Decorate:
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the vegan chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Once fully cooled, frost the cupcakes.
- If using, add sprinkles to the top of the cupcakes immediately after frosting so they stick.
Notes
- Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below, before making this recipe.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 5 more days.
- Freezing: Once fully cooled, wrap the cupcakes individually and tightly, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
- The nutrition information below is based on 1 of 12 cupcakes, each frosted with the full chocolate buttercream recipe linked above, with both recipes made as written. This is only a rough estimate. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg
