Classic Chocolate Cupcakes (Vegan)

You need these Classic Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes in your life. They're easy to make, decadent and topped with a rich vanilla buttercream frosting. Plus, they're gluten free. You won't be able to stop at just one!

Why we love this recipe

• Vegan and gluten free: These vegan chocolate cupcakes strike a happy medium by being egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free (yet super flavorful!) so everyone can enjoy.
• Much easier than making cake: all of the deliciousness of cake in portable form. Plus, you don't need any fancy piping skills to frost these!
• Rich, chocolatey and delicious: these vegan cupcakes are packed with rich dark chocolate and have an extra hit of flavor from espresso! Our whole family LOVED these, even my notoriously picky husband.
• Perfect for birthdays, holidays or weekend baking: let's be honest, you don't need a special occasion to bake cupcakes, but this classic recipe is perfect for just about any event!

Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make these vegan chocolate cupcakes:

For the cupcakes

For the frosting

Ingredient Notes

• Vegan butter: make sure to soften the butter to room temperature before using in both the cupcakes and the frosting. If it's not softened, it won't incorporate well with the other ingredients.
• Espresso: espresso enhances the dark chocolate for extra rich, delicious cupcakes. We prefer freshly brewed espresso in these vegan chocolate cupcakes, but if you don't have access to an espresso machine, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder.
• Gluten free all purpose flour: we always use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in our baking recipes and highly recommend it. It's available at most grocery stores and online.
• Nondairy milk: we prefer using oat milk in this recipe for its creamy texture and mild flavor. You can also use cashew, almond or soy milk.
• Dark chocolate: any dark chocolate will do, but we prefer something around 70-80%. Note that dark chocolate is NOT the same as unsweetened chocolate.
• Cocoa powder: we use unsweetened cacao powder. You can also use regular baking cocoa, but be sure to opt for unsweetened.
• Unsweetened applesauce acts as a binder in place of eggs to keep these chocolate cupcakes fully vegan. It's an essential ingredient in this recipe (but don't worry – you can't taste it!).

Step-by-step instructions

Here's how to make these vegan chocolate cupcakes in a few easy steps:

Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a muffin/cupcake tin with liners.

Melt chocolate in the microwave 30 second intervals until fully melted and set aside to cool slightly while you make the batter.

Dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Wet ingredients: Beat butter using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue mixing until incorporated. 

Add in applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla and espresso and continue mixing at a medium-low speed. 

Incorporate dry and wet: Slowly mix about half of the dry mixture into the wet, then slowly stream in half of the milk until incorporated. Repeat until all of the dry mixture and the remaining milk is incorporated. The batter should be thick, but pretty smooth. 

Add in melted chocolate and continue mixing until smooth and creamy. 

Prep and bake: Use a cookie scoop to transfer batter to muffin tins. Fill about ¾ of each tin. 

Bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting. 

Make the frosting: Make sure butter is completely softened. Cream butter in stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with hand mixer. When light and fluffy, slowly incorporate powdered sugar (about ½ cup at a time). 

When fully incorporated, add remaining ingredients and mix at medium-high speed for about 30 seconds, until super light and fluffy. 

To frost cupcakes, use a piping bag or simply use a knife or spatula. Optional: sprinkle frosting with chocolate shavings. Voilà! Perfect vegan chocolate cupcakes.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Storage: since these vegan chocolate cupcakes don't contain any dairy products, you can store them covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also store in the refrigerator if preferred (or if you live somewhere very warm).
• Make sure to let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting, otherwise the buttercream will melt.
• Topping ideas: we love simple chocolate shavings, but you can also top these vegan chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles (perfect for a birthday!), fresh raspberries, mini chocolate chips or crushed cookies.
• These cupcakes would also be fantastic with a raspberry, peanut butter or chocolate buttercream!

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