Description
These vegan chocolate cupcakes are rich, moist, and perfectly tender with a luscious vegan chocolate ganache frosting. Made with simple plant-based ingredients like soy milk, vegan yogurt, and cocoa powder, they offer a delightful chocolate treat suitable for vegans and anyone seeking a dairy-free dessert. The cupcakes are quick to make and bake to perfection, with a hint of coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegan Cupcakes
- 120 ml soy milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 50 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 140 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 80 ml olive oil (or other neutral oil)
- 180 g soft brown sugar
- 100 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or soy/coconut yogurt)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 120 ml hot strong coffee
Vegan Ganache
- 1 batch vegan chocolate ganache (whipped according to instructions in the blog post)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Make Vegan Buttermilk: In a medium bowl or jug, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In another medium bowl, sift or mix together Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt ensuring even distribution.
- Cream Oil and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer in a large bowl, cream the olive oil and soft brown sugar together for about 30 seconds until combined. Add the vegan yogurt and vanilla extract, mixing again to incorporate thoroughly. Whisk in the vegan buttermilk gently.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients and hot strong coffee into the wet ingredient bowl in two increments. After each addition, whisk carefully to combine without overmixing. Expect the batter to be quite thin.
- Portion Batter: Using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each no more than three-quarters full to allow room for rising.
- Bake Cupcakes: Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean. Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes to room temperature before frosting.
- Make Vegan Ganache: Prepare the vegan chocolate ganache according to the blog post instructions. Whisk it into a fluffy, whipped consistency suitable for piping.
- Frost Cupcakes: Fill a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle with the whipped ganache. Pipe the frosting decoratively onto each cooled cupcake.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for best taste. If keeping for more than 2 days, refrigerate the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Before serving, allow them to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours as the ganache stiffens when chilled.
Notes
- Soft brown sugar can be substituted with coconut sugar or another unrefined sugar, but adjust sweetness to taste.
- The vegan ganache recipe and whipping instructions are detailed in the associated blog post and are essential for the frosting texture.
- Filling cupcake liners only three-quarters full allows proper rising and prevents overflow.
- Using hot strong coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without imparting a strong coffee taste.
- Allowing the cupcakes to come back to room temperature after refrigeration ensures optimal texture and frosting consistency.
