Made using everyday kitchen ingredients, these vegan chocolate cupcakes come together in around 30-minutes. If you are looking for a classic chocolate cupcake that happens to be vegan, you're in the right place.
Top with a quick and simple basic chocolate frosting or indulge in my vegan chocolate buttercream frosting.
Rich, moist and deliciously light, these vegan cupcakes are super simple to make and are perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike. I have made these cakes to cater birthday parties for big and small people and they are always a winner.
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Why This Recipe Works
"When I make these I don’t tell anyone they’re vegan at first. My clients prefer these over regular chocolate cupcakes. Amazing!" (Gigi) ★★★★★
Need More Cupcake Flavours?
Make it a cupcake party with these flavour favourites.
How To Make Cupcakes Without Eggs
If you've read my article DIY Vegan Egg Substitutes you'll know that before you choose an egg replacement for plant-based cooking, you need to know what the egg does in the original recipe.
In traditional cupcakes, eggs provide moisture, fat and structure. Eggs coagulate as the cake bakes and, with the starch from the flour, form the crumb.
Meanwhile butter, and all fats in general, create baked goods that are more tender. Think about a plain bread roll verses a buttery brioche bun. Butter also provides flavour.
In this recipe we are using a mixture of buttermilk (for a tender crumb), sunflower oil (for fat) and leavening agents for lift and structure.
All of these ingredients are most likely in your pantry! We're going to make the buttermilk ourselves, so that's simple too. Are you ready?
Sources: Baker Bettie and Baking Sense.
Equipment You'll Need
This eggless cupcake recipe is pretty dang simple - no beaters or blenders required. You are just going to need:
1 x 12-cup cupcake pan.
1 x whisk.
2 x large mixing bowls.
Ingredients & Substitutions
All-purpose flour. Nothing fancy here, you could use cake flour but all-purpose is my go-to. It's easy to find and I always have some in my pantry.
Natural cocoa. Again, I use regular old cocoa in a lot of my baking because it's readily available. Don't use Dutch processed cocoa - we are using baking soda in this recipe which doesn't activate with Dutch Processed Chocolate. So regular it is!
Buttermilk creates a tender crumb. We are going to combine apple cider vinegar with dairy-free milk to make our own.
Dairy-free milk. Soy milk makes the best vegan buttermilk. I've also seen it made successfully with pea milk. Something about the protein in these two types of dairy-free milk works better than other types to produce a thick buttercream most similar to traditional buttermilk.
Raw Caster Sugar. I prefer raw caster sugar when baking with chocolate because you get a more caramel, fudgy flavour but regular caster sugar will work too.
Step-By-Step Guide
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This recipe for vegan chocolate cupcakes is easy-peasy. It only takes a few steps.
Step 1.
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the sugar.
Step 2.
Combine apple cider vinegar with dairy-free milk (not coconut) to make vegan buttermilk in a separate bowl. Whisk in the oil and vanilla.
Step 3 and 4.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Whisk until just combined and fill your cupcake (patty) liners half-way. Only half-way - this is important.
Step 5.
Bake for 21 minutes at 175 degrees C.
Then, it's the fun part. Allow the cakes to cool and top with your favourite frosting.
Oven Temperatures
Ovens can vary in temperature by up to 20 degrees! So, the best way to ensure perfect baking is to use an oven thermometer. They are only a few dollars and you get a perfect temperature whether you have a convection or conventional oven.
Recipe Tips and Guides (Don't Skip this Section)
Cupcake Trivia
I can't help myself, I love a random food story or factoid.
These gorgeous vegan chocolate cupcakes taste just like traditional cupcakes but are so much simpler. Because we aren't using butter or eggs there is no creaming or faffing around.
FAQs
Yup! Wait until they have cooled completely before popping your un-frosted cupcakes in a freezer proof bag or sealed container. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw, leave them out on the kitchen counter until thawed completely. This will take a few hours so plan ahead.
My cupcakes last 4-5 days on the kitchen counter in a cooler climate. Pop them in the fridge if you live in tropical or hot areas for up to 5 days.
Indeed. You can swap out the all-purpose flour for a baking gluten-free flour or try the gluten-free mix I use in my Coconut Gluten-free Vegan Pancakes with Banana. It's a great all-rounder flour mix.
You can make an 8-inch cake with this recipe and you'll need to increase your baking time to around 30-minutes. For a full cake recipe try my Best Vegan Chocolate Cake.
Besides adding an appealing tang, adding acid to batter creates vegan cupcakes that are moist and delicious. Buttermilk helps tenderise gluten by breaking down the tough gluten strands.
More Cakes and Sweet Things
Sign up to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Insta for all the latest news. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook "Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family" It's full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.
Make This Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (45g) cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup (165g) raw caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup (250ml) soy milk or dairy-free milk
- ⅓ cup (80ml) sunflower oil or another neutral flavoured oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 175°C/350°F (conventional) or 155°C/311°F (fan) and set it up so your oven rack is in the middle. Line a 12-pan cupcake tray with patty liners.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in to a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar and set aside.
- In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Fill the remaining cup with dairy-free milk and stir. Set aside for 3 minutes.
- Transfer the milk - now buttermilk - to another bowl and whisk in the oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together until combined. Don't overmix the batter or you'll end up with rubbery cakes. Whisk until any larger lumps are gone but no more.
- Fill the patty liners half-way with the batter. Only fill to half-way, no more.
- Pop the filled tray on to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 21 minutes or until risen and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and sit for 5 minutes before turning them out to cool.
- Once cooled completely, top with your favourite frosting.
Becky says
Amazing! Super easy and common ingredients. I love being vegan and finding delicious desserts!
Kuzucvk says
Can you substitute cacao for cocoa powder??
Amanda says
I haven't tested the recipe with cacao but you can usually swap the two. You will get a slightly different flavour - cacao is less processed than cocoa and is a tiny bit more bitter - but it should work out just fine. 🙂
L. Newlin says
This was a simple and quick recipe to follow. I have vegans and gluten free members of my family so I substituted/added some of the ingredients below for their dietary needs. I used Cup for Cup gluten free flour, Just Egg replacement powder to add richness and oat milk- all were spot on perfect! They baked nice and high and tasted good. Very quick and delicious!
Amanda says
I love that the substitutions worked for you and that all your family members could enjoy the cakes. Thanks for reaching out and letting mw know, I appreciate it. 🙂
Corinne Grant says
These amazing - so easy to make and my three year old loves helping. These will definitely be our go to cupcake recipe from now on.
Amanda says
Oh, this is so great! I am so happy you loved the cupcakes and made them a kitchen project for you and your kiddo. That's awesome. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Corinne. x
Gigi says
When I make these I don’t tell anyone they’re vegan at first. My clients prefer these over regular chocolate cupcakes. Amazing!
Amanda says
Oh, how great is that!? I love it. I think taking the v-word out of the kitchen is a great idea. Just make great food. Thanks so much for letting me know, Gigi xx
Tushar says
I love Vegan chocolate cupcake recipe. This article is nicely written with amazing pics. Thankyou
Ann says
I made these for a vegan friend a while ago and decided to make them again, I’m not vegan so I was wondering if I could dairy milk or not. Great recipe!
Amanda says
Hi Ann,
You can use dairy milk. No worries. I am so happy you want to make them again. 🙂
Adam says
Perfect. Chocolate. Cupcakes. Delicious, moist and easy. I love them. The kids love them. You’ll love them.
Katrina Varcoe-Cocks says
They look amazing. And if they’re like any of your other cup cakes they’ll taste incredible. If I use almond milk as an alternative will that change the flavour too much do you think or will the cocoa hold it’s own? Personal preference I guess- I just have almond milk already.
Thanks, Kat xx
Amanda says
Hello! Almond milk is fine. We add vinegar to it anyway so the flavour will be changed in that process. I find soy and oat milk provide a thicker consistency but almond milk will be fine too xx
Kat Varcoe-Cocks says
Thanks Amanda - the almond milk worked fantastically. I also carefully read your instructions. I tend to over mix batter but stopped way before I normally would and the texture worked out great. My oven was hotter than I thought so I did over cook them slightly. The flavour was great and the frosting made them delicious but - Oh no - I'll have to cook another batch this weekend just to get them perfect :-). My kids are super happy!!
Amanda says
Oh, fantastic! You can never have too many cupcakes. I am so happy you enjoyed them. Thank you!