These vegan chocolate cupcakes are rich and moist then topped with silky smooth buttercream for the perfect celebratory treat everyone will love.
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Hey friends, guess what?
Today is my birthday!
Another trip around the sun and another year wiser. I gotta say, this past year was a pretty good one for me. I choose to believe in myself this year. This meant I took some risks, gave myself a lot of self love, learned knew skills, and developed and deepened many wonderful relationships.
So it seems that I’ve got a lot to celebrate today. And we are celebrating this year in decadent style with these vegan chocolate cupcakes.
I’ve always loved my birthday – never understood those people who are relatively indifferent towards their own. But this year, I’m especially pumped it’s my birthday. After a long, busy semester of juggling way to much, I am turning off my computer, walking away from the school books and house projects, and getting out of town for a day of adventure, relaxation, and fun.
I can’t tell you how much I need this.
But, back to these cupcakes…
These vegan chocolate cupcakes are the perfect way to celebrate any birthday. Unbelievably moist and rich with chocolatey goodness in every bite, this is indulgence in its truest form. Better yet, they are super simple to make. Even the most novice vegan baker could make a batch of these turn out perfectly. And to top it off, I added my silky smooth chocolate buttercream.
Pro tip: Use chocolate chips when making chocolate buttercream rather than cocoa powder. This gives the buttercream a complex and delicious flavor (especially when you buy high quality chocolate) far beyond what cocoa powder can do. Melted chocolate also improves to the texture creating a creamy silky buttercream that you can just sink your teeth into.
So good!
So to birthdays, getting a little older (and surely wiser), and a day of adventure and relaxation, I say CHEERS, my friends!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one muffin tin with baking cups and set aside.
In a small bowl combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Mix together and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the milk to curdle.
In a large bowl combine cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Add coconut oil, water, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar to soy milk mixture and whisk together. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix to combine; a few lumps are okay.
Fill the cupcake holders 3/4 of the way full and bake for about 20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
To make the buttercream
Gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.
Meanwhile, using a stand-mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter on high for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extra and beat for another 5 minutes, scraping down the sides again, as necessary.
Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the melted chocolate into the buttercream. Increase the speed to high and mix for another 2-3 minutes.
Frost each cupcake using a piping bag or offset spatula.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 352Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 169mg7%
Potassium 139mg4%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 36g40%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 435IU9%
Vitamin C 1.1mg1%
Calcium 49mg5%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
If you give this recipe recipe a try, snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Make sure to tag @mydarlingvegan so I can see your creations!
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Reader Interactions
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 12-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, author of the 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan, and creator of My Darling Vegan.
Hey 🙂 Could you maybe double check your converter? When I go to metric and with a portion I end up with almost 2kg of vegan butter for the frosting. When I go back to cups, it is 0.6 cups, so something is off or I need a looooot of butter 🙂
Looking forward to try to make them later.! Thanks
These were the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! I used oat milk, red wine vinegar and sunflower oil and they were perfect, believe it or not. The trick must be the extra liquid. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve been commissioned to bring cupcakes to a bridal shower, and thought why not bake them yourself – a non-baker – sure why not? In my quest for recipes I have found you and yours, they look so yummy and simple! Question tho – can I use coconut sugar or any others instead of white sugar, and if so, would the measurements be the same? And, instead of regular sized muffins I am thinking of making minis – what would the baking time then be? Many thanks – great recipes! Happy Baking Deborah
Hey Deborah, Coconut sugar would affect the texture and without having tried it myself, I’m not sure what the ratio would be. I’m sure it would also require some tweaking of the other ingredients to get the texture right. However, you can make these mini cupcakes. I would start baking them at 10-12 minutes and check them after that. Let us know how they turn out!
We made the minis tonight and they were great, however I used Earth Balance whipped butter (instead of sticks which I can’t find anywhere) and the frosting was a disaster. I’ll opt instead for regular butter if that’s the key?
Most chocolate chips have milk in them, so NOT vegan. My daughter is allergic to milk and we’ve always had trouble finding things she can eat. We usually end up using dark chocolates because of the milk issue. Carob chips usually are dairy free but they don’t melt as well. Always read your labels.
There are a handful of easily accessible vegan chocolate chips. Some that are naturally vegan and others that are intentionally. Checking labels is good but most well-stocked grocery stores should have at least one vegan option.
Hi making these for a vegan friend. I am not vegan my self. I’m pretty comfortable with all the ingredients except vegan butter. Can you give me a brand I can look for or a supermarket you buy it at? Thanks.
Just made a batch of these as mini cupcakes for a local fundraiser. They were bit hit! One women told me they were ‘to die for’ (I did add an extra tsp of apple cider vinegar when adding the wet ingredients0.
I love the recipe!! Is there a way to make the frosting more stiff before applying with a tip to the cupcakes? Also, do you have a vanilla cupcake recipe with white buttercream icing?
If you refrigerate the frosting after it’s whipped up but before you apply it to the cupcake, you should have a stiffer frosting. I don’t have a vanilla cupcake yet but now it’s on my list! Thanks for the suggestion.
I’m not sure how coconut milk reacts with apple cider vinegar. It might not create a buttermilk texture like soy, but I imagine it would still work for the recipe.
Without having watched you do the recipe, I really don’t know what happened to yours. They should come out very moist. I haven’t had anyone have experience with them being crumbly.
Maike says
Hey 🙂 Could you maybe double check your converter?
When I go to metric and with a portion I end up with almost 2kg of vegan butter for the frosting.
When I go back to cups, it is 0.6 cups, so something is off or I need a looooot of butter 🙂
Looking forward to try to make them later.! Thanks
Sarah says
Thanks for pointing that out. It’s fixed now!
Damaris says
These were the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! I used oat milk, red wine vinegar and sunflower oil and they were perfect, believe it or not. The trick must be the extra liquid. Thank you for sharing.
Deborah Koyanagi says
I’ve been commissioned to bring cupcakes to a bridal shower, and thought why not bake them yourself – a non-baker – sure why not? In my quest for recipes I have found you and yours, they look so yummy and simple! Question tho – can I use coconut sugar or any others instead of white sugar, and if so, would the measurements be the same? And, instead of regular sized muffins I am thinking of making minis – what would the baking time then be? Many thanks – great recipes!
Happy Baking
Deborah
Sarah says
Hey Deborah,
Coconut sugar would affect the texture and without having tried it myself, I’m not sure what the ratio would be. I’m sure it would also require some tweaking of the other ingredients to get the texture right. However, you can make these mini cupcakes. I would start baking them at 10-12 minutes and check them after that. Let us know how they turn out!
Tara says
We made the minis tonight and they were great, however I used Earth Balance whipped butter (instead of sticks which I can’t find anywhere) and the frosting was a disaster. I’ll opt instead for regular butter if that’s the key?
Lindsay says
Our Kroger’s has the sticks. Hope you can find them at a Kroger near you.
Bonnie says
Most chocolate chips have milk in them, so NOT vegan. My daughter is allergic to milk and we’ve always had trouble finding things she can eat. We usually end up using dark chocolates because of the milk issue. Carob chips usually are dairy free but they don’t melt as well. Always read your labels.
Sarah says
There are a handful of easily accessible vegan chocolate chips. Some that are naturally vegan and others that are intentionally. Checking labels is good but most well-stocked grocery stores should have at least one vegan option.
Marie says
The smell of vinegar when I opened the oven door was overwhelming….later the buns tasted absolutely awful…
Sarah says
How much vinegar did you put in? You shouldn’t taste it at all.
Ester says
Hi!
I’m trying to bake this but I don’t understand the meassurements for the butter (or vutter, as my friend says).
Thank you!
Rose says
Can you use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil and would the amount be the same.
Sarah says
Yes, that should work fine.
Neely says
Can you make this a day before or needs to be made same day serving?
Sarah says
You can make them the day before. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Mode Donovan-Deklerk says
Hi making these for a vegan friend. I am not vegan my self. I’m pretty comfortable with all the ingredients except vegan butter. Can you give me a brand I can look for or a supermarket you buy it at?
Thanks.
Sarah says
Earth Balance is my favorite. Many vegans would agree! P.S. you’re a good friend 🙂
Kathryn says
Just made a batch of these as mini cupcakes for a local fundraiser. They were bit hit! One women told me they were ‘to die for’ (I did add an extra tsp of apple cider vinegar when adding the wet ingredients0.
Sarah says
So glad to hear that. Thank you!
Rose says
I love the recipe!! Is there a way to make the frosting more stiff before applying with a tip to the cupcakes? Also, do you have a vanilla cupcake recipe with white buttercream icing?
Thank you!
Sarah says
If you refrigerate the frosting after it’s whipped up but before you apply it to the cupcake, you should have a stiffer frosting. I don’t have a vanilla cupcake yet but now it’s on my list! Thanks for the suggestion.
Janey says
This recipe was great! I made a cake instead if cupcakes with your recipe for my daughter’s birthday and both my girls and I loved it !
Jen says
Do you think coconut milk would work?
Sarah says
I’m not sure how coconut milk reacts with apple cider vinegar. It might not create a buttermilk texture like soy, but I imagine it would still work for the recipe.
Val says
The cupcakes turned out crumbly and way to dark. How can i fix that
Sarah says
I’m not sure without more details of how you prepped them.
Rose says
Are there any tips to keep it from being too crumbly? I did the recipe exact.
Sarah says
Without having watched you do the recipe, I really don’t know what happened to yours. They should come out very moist. I haven’t had anyone have experience with them being crumbly.
Katie says
Have you made this with any milks other than soy? I have rice milk and am wondering if it will have the same reaction.
Sarah says
The rice milk won’t curdle which will affect the overall texture of the cupcake, but not significantly.
Melissa Reichert says
What about almond milk? Only soy will curdle it?
Sarah says
Other readers have used almond milk with success. I’m sure it would be fine.
Sophie Rodrick says
Hi!
Just wondering if it was possible to do these gluten free also?
Thank you 🙂
Sarah says
Yeah, if you use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, like Bob’s Red Mill’s option, they should turn out good.
Joan says
Happy Birthday Sarah! Thanks for your excellent blog and recipes.
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Joan!