Simply the BEST Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes! Seriously! Those are made in half an hour and with just a few basic ingredients I’m sure you have in your pantry right now. They are super EASY, fluffy and moist dairy-free, egg-free spongy cupcakes.
When a recipe turns out just as you expected, don’t you feel like making it again and again? This is how I feel every time I cook a batch of these vegan chocolate cupcakes. Needless to say, I would eat the whole tray by myself!
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WHY MAKE THIS RECIPE
Light, spongy and chocolatey cupcakes. This recipe is basically a combo of a delicious and chocolatey vegan muffin with my favorite Vegan Chocolate Frosting. You can’t go wrong with it.
Oh, if you’re a fan of moist and fluffy treats, check these out: Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes, Vegan Gluten Free Strawberry Cake, Vegan Chocolate Cake.
Made in 30 minutes. It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare the muffins batter and around 18-20 minutes to bake them. While the muffins are in the oven, prepare the frosting, which will take you five minutes. Let the muffins cool down a bit and frost them!
No flax eggs, no applesauce required. This is an uncomplicated recipe that requires basic pantry staples for your ingredients. Check out the recipe card below.
Super easy recipe. It’s a quick and easy treat that is simple to prepare and fast to cook.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Milk. There is almost one dairy-free milk for everyone. I use almond, oat and soy milk for baking. Soy milk is my favourite to make buttermilk, just make sure your plant-based milk is unsweetened.
Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is my favourite but you can also use regular vinegar, white vinegar or diluted balsamic vinegar instead.
Oil. I used canola oil in this recipe but any mild-taste oil, like light olive oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil will work great too.
Cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder or unsweetened.
Sugar. You can use brown sugar, cane sugar or panela. All them are more flavourful than white granulated sugar.
HOW TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES
- First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/ 175ºC and line a cupcake tray with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the vegan milk with the vinegar to get the buttermilk. Let it sit at room temperature for around 2 minutes.
- Add the oil and the vanilla. Mix to combine.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Mix everything well until no lumps left.
- If you haven’t done it yet, line the cupcake pan with muffin liners.
- Divide the batter into the cupcake pan, filling ⅔ of the way up.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool the pan for 5 minutes. Then remove muffins from the pan and let cool before frosting.
RECIPE FAQs
Vinegar, together with baking soda, gives cupcakes a proper lift. In this recipe, it also curdles the soy milk to make the buttermilk. Buttermilk helps to create tender muffins. Apple cider vinegar is my favourite but feel free to use regular vinegar instead.
Muffins are best the same day they are made. Although if you store them in an airtight container, they will keep fresh for up to 3-4 days at room temperature. Frost them within 2 days or freeze them for later use. For instructions on how to make the frosting ahead, check out the Vegan Chocolate Frosting recipe.
Cupcakes can be frozen frosted or unfrosted.
For unfrosted cupcakes: individually wrap the cooled cupcakes in plastic wrap, store in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them.
For frosted cupcakes: arrange them in a tray and place uncovered in the freezer for an hour or until the frosting has hardened. Once the frosting is hard, individually wrap them, place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring them to room temperature before serving.
Yes, absolutely. These Vegan Chocolate cupcakes pair with almost any frosting. You’re going to love them with this Vegan Vanilla Frosting or that delicious Vegan Strawberry Frosting.
RELATED RECIPES
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RECIPE
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- Medium sized bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- 12-hole muffin pan
- Hand mixer or stand mixer (to make the frosting)
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy milk (or almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or regular vinegar, white vinegar)
- ½ cup canola oil (or light olive oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, Dutch cocoa powder or unsweetened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 Recipe Vegan Chocolate
Frosting
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/ 175ºC and line a cupcake tray with paper liners.
- Then, in a medium bowl, combine the almond milk with the apple cider vinegar to make the vegan buttermilk. Let it sit at room temperature for around 2 minutes, until de liquid has thickened a bit.
- Once the buttermilk is ready, add the oil and vanilla extract. Mix to combine the wet ingredients.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir just until evenly combined and there are no lumps left. Don’t over mix.
- Divide batter between muffin liners, filling ⅔ of the way full. I love using an ice cream scoop to distribute the batter evenly between the cupcake compartments.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool and then frost.
Notes
Nutrition
Additional Info
I love this recipe. The finished cupcake is moist and delicious, and what I really love is that I don’t need any unusual ingredients to make this recipe. As you mentioned, it truly is made from pantry staples.
Hope you will love it as much as we do! Thanks so much, Angie!
I tried this recipe, and I just had to come back to comment. My family loves these vegan cupcakes. My husband has requested them for his birthday! Your recipe is now in our recipe collection. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Thank you so much, Jenny! I’m super excited to hear that you and your family love these cupcakes. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
You had me at 30 minutes prep! I love a decadent recipe ready in a crunch! Also, can we talk about this texture, this look so moist and yummy, I can’t believe it’s vegan!
Thanks Melanie! I’m also a great fan of quick and easy recipes. There is nothing better than a delicious recipe made in no time!
These cupcakes look so rich and like the perfect texture in both the frosting and cake itself. Plus on top of that they’re vegan- how great!
Hello, Moop! I’m so glad! Thanks for commenting.
My friend has just become vegan and we were looking for a chocolate vegan cupcake recipe for her birthday. We were both really impressed they tasted amazing!
Hello, Jen! Thanks for making my recipe, I love to hear the cupcakes tasted amazing. You can’t go wrong with healthy cupcakes and chocolate!
These chocolate cupcakes look super fluffy and delicious! I love how they are vegan and I am really tempted to try these out. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re so welcome! And thanks for the comment, Ramona! It’s my pleasure to share the recipes with you all!
Oh yes, we are HUGE chocolate lovers, too! My kids are going to adore these vegan cupcakes.
I’m so glad you like the cupcakes! Same here, we can’t resist a good chocolate dessert. Thanks for commenting.
These chocolate cupcakes look divine. I can’t believe they’re vegan. Definitely want to make some with my niece who’s been staying with us and is vegan. I confess, it’s been a challenge for me to find recipes that are vegan but everyone can enjoy. My hubby loves his meat and fish! But he also loves chocolate!!
Hi Jacqueline, that’s great to hear! I’m sure your niece will love the cupcakes. Good vegan recipes taste as delicious as non vegan ones, specially if there is chocolate involved! Thank you!
I’m bookmarking this recipe, as we avoid eggs since my grandson is allergic. These look like a gorgeous and decadent treat!
Thank you Beth, let me know how it went for you when you try it!
My sister is newly vegan and has a wicked sweet tooth. I thought these cupcakes were fabulous and I can’t wait to make them for her!
Hope she likes them, Brianna! Let me know how it turns out. Thanks for the comment!
I love a good cupcake recipe, and this one looks perfect!! I can’t believe that these are vegan. I love these so much, thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi Cathleen, you’re welcome! Thanks to you for the comment, I’m really glad to hear you like the recipe
I love when something is vegan ANd made with just real simple ingredients nothing too fancy 🙂 these were delicious!!! Will make again for sure.
Thank you so much for sharing your review, Heather! I’m glad the cupcakes were a hit! I agree, using natural and simple ingredients makes cooking easier.
These look fantastic. My mouth is watering!If I were you I would hide a few because if they were in front of me, they would be gone. Hang on I am getting a tall glass of almond milk!
Thank you Loretto! I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes. That’s precisely what I do, I hide them or give some away. I can’t resist chocolate cupcakes!
The only ‘problem’ with these cupcakes is that it’s impossible to stop eating them! Such an easy and utterly delicious recipe, even better that they’re vegan too! Definitely making them again soon!
I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed the cupcakes, Anna! Same here, we can’t stop eating them when I make a batch! Thanks for sharing your review!
Oh wow! These look over the top gorgeous, and I love that you made vegan cupcakes so easy to make with pantry ingredients.
Hello Karen! And they are super easy! I’m thrilled to hear you love the cupcakes! Thank you for taking your time to leave a comment!
I’m always looking for different cupcake recipes and alternatives, and these cupcakes look delicious! I can’t wait to try them. Your photos also bring them to life, and I can feel how soft and moist they are. Thank you for this!
Hello! I’m so happy you love them, those are very popular among my family and friends. Cupcakes and chocolate are always a win win! Thank you!