A recipe for the BEST easy vegan chocolate cupcakes! They are dairy-free and eggless, yet deliciously moist and fluffy. Topped with a luxurious coconut milk ganache and cacao nibs.
I’m just putting it out there: this recipe is a keeper. The thing with cakes is once you find a recipe you like, you stick to it and NEVER LET IT GO. That’s exactly I did with this recipe for vegan chocolate cupcakes. In fact, I adapted it from my vanilla version, which is coming to the blog later because chocolate has priority over EVERYTHING. (Update: the vanilla recipe never made it to the blog, but check out this vanilla almond milk recipe instead) Also this coconut milk ganache is just something else – it wouldn’t be right for me to deprive you of its creamy luxuriousness.
Is it just me who wants to face-plant into that ganache? Look how fluffy it is – it’s like chocolate clouds! It is rather unfortunate that chocolate clouds don’t exist, as chocolate clouds would mean chocolate rain, which would literally make my life complete. However, these vegan chocolate cupcakes will certainly provide maximum chocolate dosage until someone invents real chocolate clouds.
INGREDIENTS BREAKDOWN:
Ganache-worshipping over (is it ever really over though?!), let’s address the ingredients which make these vegan chocolate cupcakes so amazing:
- Dairy-free spread. To make the cakes extra rich – if I’m making a treat, I’m making it in style.
- Two kinds of sugar. Yes, two! See above.
- Soy milk. Feel free to use any plant-based milk, but soy is the cheapest so…
- Plain flour. Key cake ingredient really. Very key for these vegan chocolate cupcakes.
- Cocoa Powder. Not just a little cocoa powder though, this recipe has 50 grams! This makes them extra decadent and chocolatey. They wouldn’t be vegan chocolate cupcakes without chocolate, would they?
- Raising agents. For an eggless cake, raising agents can be an issue. Some recipes I have come across call for vinegar, the concept of which has always frightened me when it comes to egg-free cake. (are we making some kind of salad dressing here? no). Hence, I decided to use lemon juice instead. Oh, sweet, mellow, friendly lemons, where would I be without you? Nerds like me will be fascinated to hear that the role of lemon juice, or indeed vinegar, in cake science is that it (an acid) reacts with the bicarbonate of soda (an alkali) producing carbon dioxide gas, which creates the holes in your cake. I guess we can conclude that making these vegan chocolate cupcakes counts as Chemistry homework, right?
- The ganache. Made with just two vegan store cupboard ingredients, this ganache will become a go-to recipe for all your creamy chocolate needs. You know what they say: “I got 99 problems and a tub of ganache with a spoon solves 98 of them”
- Last but not least, cacao nibs. These are a relatively new addition to our kitchen pantry, but let me tell you – they won’t last long. These tiny gems have a deep and bitter chocolate flavour, and are allegedly high in antioxidants, which are linked to the prevention of cancer and diabetes. They make a great topping for smoothies, pancakes, ice cream or indeed these vegan chocolate cupcakes! If you don’t have any cacao nibs, you could use chopped nuts, chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles. Or you could make a few batches of un-iced cupcakes, spoon some ganache + various toppings into a few bowls and set up a cupcake decorating bar, which would make a rather fun activity for adults and kids alike! *texts all friends to come to my house ASAP for a cupcake decorating party*
I actually made these vegan chocolate cupcakes to sell to my neighbours to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society. This is a charity which funds research into the causes and possible cures for Dementia. I’m happy to say we raised over £65 for the charity, and that the cupcakes went down very well indeed! Whether you too bake these vegan chocolate cupcakes for a bake sale, for a decadent treat, or just to lick the bowl, let me know how they go! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @shivaniblogs and use the hashtag #shivanilovesfood so I can see all your creations.
Sending lots of love and chocolatey thoughts your way,
Shivani xoxo
VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Ingredients
For the Cakes:
- 100 grams Dairy-Free Spread
- 100 grams Caster Sugar
- 40 grams Light Brown Sugar
- 240 millilitres Soy Milk
- 250 grams Plain Flour
- 50 grams Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
For the Ganache:
- 50 grams Dark Chocolate roughly chopped
- 75 millilitres Coconut Milk canned, full-fat
Decoration:
- 20 grams Cacao Nibs
Instructions
Make the Ganache:
- Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over low-medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges.
- Take off the heat, and add the chopped dark chocolate.
- Mix until smooth and store in the fridge overnight.
Make the Cakes:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the dairy-free spread and sugars with a wooden spoon.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the soy milk in 4-5 increments, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the lemon juice and mix.
- Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Decoration:
- Spread the chilled ganache on the cooled cupcakes with a butter knife. Sprinkle on the cacao nibs and enjoy!
Notes
- If you are in a pinch, you can freeze the ganache rather than chilling overnight - it would probably take an hour but keep checking on it!
- A handy tip is to use a ladle to portion out the cake mixture.
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