Good morning! I hope your week is going well so far. It has flown by on my end. I’m back with a recipe today, and will be posting my 20 Weeks pregnancy update later today and Friday FAQs tomorrow.
As you may know, I’ve been busy revamping reader-favourite blog recipes and shooting new photography for the Oh She Glows Recipe App. As I re-test old favourite recipes, I often find myself improving upon them in various ways (such as easier-to-follow directions, better tips, the addition of metric units of measure, or simply by creating something that tastes even better!). I kept saying that I wished there were a way I could share with you guys both what I’m up to and the recipes I’m revamping! Then it dawned on me…well, why don’t I just share quick, mini posts doing just that? Initially, I brushed the idea off because I’ve never done “bite-sized” posts before, but it could be fun. With summer quickly approaching, short and sweet posts might be nice here and there! So why not turn it over to you, dear readers, and see if this is something you’d be into?
Basically my idea is this: I pop in with a mini recipe post sharing a recipe that I’ve revamped (or, occasionally, a new quick and easy recipe I’ve added to the app) along with one or two new photo(s). There will be a brief hello/update from me, and then the recipe! Boom. Bob’s your uncle. (Wait, do people say that anymore? lol) Anyway, I’d love to hear what you think!
I’m kicking off today with my all-time favourite vegan chocolate cupcakes from way back in 2011. I had a major craving for cake last week (thanks Shari!), so this seemed like the next logical recipe to revisit. I ended up streamlining the written directions/ingredient list, adding metric units of measure (weight/volume), and pairing the cupcakes with a salted buttercream frosting. I also tested a gluten-free version (using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour), however I wasn’t happy with the outcome (the cupcakes were quite dense). I think I’ll have to work on a custom gluten-free flour blend in the future!
Fail-Proof Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Yield
12 cupcakes
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
These are my go-to, never-fail vegan cupcakes! They are the perfect cupcake for all of your celebration needs. You won't believe it when you see how much they rise while baking. I top them with a layer of salted buttercream and sprinkles for a festive twist. They never last long! For the fluffiest cupcakes use all-purpose flour, however the recipe is pretty forgiving so feel free to use white spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour in a pinch (bake times may change slightly). Recipe updated from my 2011 version.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup (220 g) natural cane sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) grapeseed oil*
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (210 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (27 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the salted buttercream:
- 1/2 cup (100 g) vegan butter**
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered icing sugar, sifted if necessary
- 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk, as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Sprinkles, for decorating***
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- For the cupcakes: Add the milk, sugar, oil, vinegar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. With electric mixers, beat the wet ingredients on low speed until combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until no clumps remain.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just until smooth and no patches of flour remain.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, about two-thirds full for each.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the cupcakes slowly spring back when pressed gently with a finger. A toothpick inserted into the centre should also come out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a cooling rack.
- For the buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the butter and vanilla with electric beaters until light and fluffy.
- Add the icing sugar, gradually, while beating on low speed. Now, add in the milk to thin it to your desired consistency, while gradually increasing the speed. I add a teaspoon at a time. If at any point you add too much milk and the buttercream becomes runny, simply add more icing sugar to thicken it back up. You want a nice spreadable consistency that is not runny.
- Add the salt to taste and beat again to combine.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spread a thick layer of frosting on top of each, followed by a generous amount of sprinkles. Enjoy!
- Leftover cupcakes will keep for a couple days in a sealed container, or you can freeze them for up to 1 month. I freeze them uncovered at first and then once they are frozen solid, I wrap each cupcake individually in foil. Then I place all of them into a large freezer zip bag, pressing out all the air.
Tip:
- * You can also use melted coconut oil in this recipe, however make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature (no cold milk!) to prevent the coconut oil from hardening upon contact.
- ** I use soy-free vegan buttery spread (by Earth Balance), however feel free to use any kind of butter you prefer.
- *** Look for natural sprinkles (without artificial dyes), such as "Let's Do Organic" brand.
Well I was pretty sure after reading this post that I was going to print this recipe off and give these a try. After reading all the comments on how great they are, I am 100% I will be printing this recipe. Thanks for sharing! Off to the printer I go.
Haha, I hope you enjoy the cupcakes, Paul! :)
This looks nice, i keep on learning thanks again.
Hi Angela!
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile and when I use your recipes, they are always a hit in my house! It’s so crazy but when you were expecting your first, I was too, and our babes are two months apart. Now we both are expecting again!!! I love it! I love how honest you are about your pregnancy. I’m 26 weeks this week and even though I’m having another boy, it has been a waaaaaay different pregnancy. My cervix started thinning at 20 weeks so I’m on modified bed rest (still get to work thank goodness!) and they have me on progesterone. This babe is worth every bit of the struggle though! I’ve made it six weeks and hoping to make it to full term!
Keep feeling well! (AND I’m going to try these cupcakes after my glucose test!) ;)
Hey Sarah, Thank you so much for your lovely note! That’s so awesome our little ones are so close in age. :) Way to stay positive on modified bed rest too. That sounds challenging, but like you said, totally worth it. Hopefully my blog posts will help you pass a bit of time. ;) I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible!
I was craving chocolate (have to love pregnancy cravings) and your email with the link to this revamped recipe is a life safer. I just made them and they smell delicious! Now I only have to work on my patience and let them cool.
I am originally from Germany so I am used to the metric measurements and love that you put them behind the US measurements. I personally think they are more accurate than the US measurements. The only thing I noticed for me is, that 1.5 cups of flour would have been 186g instead of the 210g with the flour I used, so I did go with yours.
Thank you so much for you constant inspiration to cook and bake, and I so can’t wait for your new cookbook to come out (I just pre-ordered it today)
Thanks so much for your support Chrissi! I hope you absolutely love the new cookbook when it comes out. :) Did the cupcakes satisfy your chocolate craving? I sure hope so! Congratulations on your pregnancy – sending you lots of well wishes!
They turned out amazing and made my neighbors and my day. And I am making them again right now as mini cupcakes.
These look amazing! I’m excited to try for my daughter’s birthday! We are an allergy household and use your recipes for much of our cooking!! Have you ever tried these in cake rounds? If so, any tips? Thank you in advance!
Looks amazing! I am allergic to nuts; do you think coconut milk would work as a substitute for the almond milk?
Hey Ali, Yes I think most non-dairy milks would work in this recipe! Let us know if you try anything out.
I made these the other day (though without the frosting, I am not a frosting person), and SO SO good. Though I do have a question: If I wanted to go from “cupcakes” to “layer cake” or “sheet cake” what kind of modifications to either ingredients or cook time or temperature would I need to make?
So glad you enjoyed the cupcakes Lyn! :) This cake recipe is wonderfully versatile and I’ve had success baking it many different ways. I have a recipe for a double-layer vegan chocolate cake (with instructions on how to make it into a sheet cake, too) in The Oh She Glows Cookbook on page 249, which was adapted from these cupcakes. Hope this helps!
Love finding great vegan recipes for normal things … like cupcakes! I bet my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour would be great in this recipe (lighter and finer than Bob’s). I can’t wait to try it! If you try it first, let me know what you think – far easier than creating your own blend for each recipe. :)
https://gfjules.com/product/gfjules-gluten-free-flour/
~jules
They look beautiful and delicious! and they seem very easy to make! I need to try them :)
The fact that these cupcakes turned out perfect despite all the mistakes I made says a lot. I wasn’t concentrating so I put the sugar in with the dry ingredients rather than beating it with the wet ingredients first. I also used coconut oil but forgot the part about not adding it to cold almond milk to avoid it solidifying. And yet they still came out amazing! They were delicious, light, fluffy and not too sweet at all. I used all spelt flour so they weren’t as challenging on my stomach as wheat flour. I didn’t bother making the buttercream as I just wanted to have a simple, easy and enjoyable hour of baking for the first time with my 2 year old daughter (hence the lack of full concentration!) but I imagine they’re even more delicious when the entire recipe is made. I’m not joking, I ate 5 of them over the course of an afternoon and evening! They’re not great ‘for vegan cupcakes’ – they’re great compared to any cupcakes. Thanks for a wonderful recipe – I will be making again!
How much cocoa powder do you think you would need to make a chocolate frosting?
Thanks!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now it’s my sweet tooth cravings I’m trying to get rid of! Help!
I made these for a stay-in girl’s night, and they were a big hit! They were perfectly fluffy and moist and sooo delicious. And easy too! I did make a little bit more frosting because we’re frosting fanatics haha. Another great recipe!
Wow! I had a real craving for some chocolate (it’s… A sensitive time ;-) ) and I searched these out! I didn’t have a cupcake tray handy so I used a loaf pan in a pinch (and let’s be real, in this state I would have just drank the batter and chased it with the frosting!) and it worked perfectly! The buttercream was the perfect compliment and I and my non-vegan girlfriend gobbled half the pan without coming up for air!! We both agree that these are better than any vegan baked good we’ve paid for at a café!
Angela saves the day again!!! Thank you!!!
Haha, I’m so glad the cupcakes hit the spot, Shannon! Thanks for the sweet comment. :)
Has anyone tried replacing cane sugar with brown sugar (the non-sticky type)?
Btw, can’t wait to try these!!
Can this recipe be doubled?
Love your blog and cookbook. Finally embracing the whole foods plant based way of life!! Thanks for helping make it easy and enjoyable!!!!
These look amazing!
I made a fourth of this recipe for a small cake for hubby, just to try it out. He loved it and he isn’t vegan! He was ecstatic! I didn’t have grapeseed oil so I used canola oil, and I used soy milk instead of almond milk, and the original Earth Balance product. It was as good as any non-vegan chocolate cake I’ve made, perhaps better. I’m not so into chocolate cake myself but this is a winner for those who are.
That’s so great to hear, Joy! I’m glad the cake was a hit. :)
I was looking for a vegan cupcake recipe for a babyshower found this one. Oh my gosh. I made these cupcakes but used gluten free flour. They are fantastic. I don’t need to look any father. Easy to make and delicious!
So glad to hear the cupcakes are a hit, Robyn! I hope the baby shower was fun! :)
I made these for a family birthday celebration! They were UH-MAZING!! They were also a hit with all the non vegans too!! I can’t wait for your new book!! You have totally helped my transition into vegan life and with my vegan pregnancy too!! THANK YOU!!
So glad to hear it, Audra! :) I’m glad the cupcakes a hit.