• 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, the batter will now be much thinner.
• Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners. Since the batter is runny, it pours most easily from a mixing bowl with a spout, or from a large measuring cup with a spout.

Bake:

• Bake for 20 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.