These vegan chocolate cupcakes are moist and chocolatey while being free of gluten, dairy, and eggs. Writing can easily be customized to fit any occasion!
If you’re looking for a sweet and delicious treat to give to your love on Valentine’s Day, look no further! These double chocolate cupcakes are super easy to whip up and can be customized to share any message you’d like with your Valentine!
They’re not only delicious, but also made with healthier ingredients, like coconut oil, coconut sugar, etc. They’re free of gluten, dairy, and eggs and vegan friendly too! Trust me, at first bite they’ll taste every bit as unhealthy as their sugar and preservative laden counterpart!
Because these are my version of the old fashioned hostess cupcakes, I wanted to add a creamy filling to the center. Trying to steer clear of marshmallow fluff and cool whip, which so many other copy cat recipes call for, I opted for a simple coconut whipped cream. It’s a subtly sweet, but yummy surprise at first bite. This step is totally optional as the cupcakes a perfectly delicious on their own.
Whether you choose to write on these or not, your sweetheart is bound to know how much you care for them with this tasty gesture! Enjoy!
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
These chocolate cupcakes are reminiscent of hostess cupcakes, but much healthier and so delicious! They’re free of eggs, dairy, and gluten! Vegan friendly too!
Ingredients
Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose or gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Bobs Red Mill 1 To 1 Baking Flour
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- 1/2 cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee or very hot water
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
or neutral cooking oil
- 1 flax egg or large egg, if not vegan (flax egg: 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tablespoons water)
or neutral cooking oilChocolate Ganache:
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk or cream from the can (if your can separates, use the thick hard cream and not the clear liquid)
- 1 cup quality semi-sweet chips or chopped up bar (Can also use milk or dark chocolate. Use dairy-free chocolate if needed)
For Writing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3–5 tablespoons milk or water.
OR
- 1/3 cup white chocolate, melted
Optional Filling:
- 1–2 cans coconut cream, refrigerated overnight (can also use cans of full-fat coconut milk, if you can’t find coconut cream)
- 2–4 tablespoons maple syrup or powdered sugar, use more or less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For The Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place paper cupcake holders into 12 cups of a muffin pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir well before adding the milk, coffee and melted coconut oil. Mix until combined. Add egg and continue to mix until the batter is smooth. Use a rubber scrapper to scrape the sides and bottom of bowl to make sure all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Use a 1/4 cup to scoop batter into each paper liner, filling two-thirds full. You should have enough for about a dozen cupcakes, give or take.
- Place pan into the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cupcakes are puffed and center is set (should spring back when gently pressed.) Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Carefully remove cupcakes from the pan and continue to let cool thoroughly before frosting.
Optional Filling:
- To make coconut whipped cream, open the can of coconut cream and scoop firm coconut out into a mixing bowl; reserve any liquid in the can for thinning the cream. You may only need 1 can, depending on how much cream is in it.
- Begin beating cream with a mixer. If cream is too firm and thick, a liquid maple syrup can be used to help thin it out. Can also use a little reserved water left in can.
- If coconut cream is really soft, I would suggest using powdered sugar or a granulated sugar over a liquid sweetener which may make it too runny.
- Add vanilla and continue to beat until fluffy and smooth. Place whipped cream in a piping bag or sandwich baggie and cut about an inch-wide opening.
- Gently push cut corner of bag into the center of each cupcake and squeeze a small dollop of cream into the center of each cupcake. Don’t squeeze too much or cupcakes can split open.
- When cupcakes are filled, place a spoonful of ganache onto each cupcake and smooth with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula.
For Writing:
- Powdered Sugar icing: Place powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Add vanilla and start with 2 tablespoons of milk, stirring until smooth. Add more milk, a little at a time, just until the icing is thin enough to pipe. Do not add too much liquid or the icing will spread and not hold its shape. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin until you get the right consistency. Place into a piping bag
fitted with a small round tip or into a plastic baggie with a tiny cut in the corner of the bag. Write or decorate on the top of each chocolate covered cupcake.
- Melted White Chocolate: Melt the white chocolate and place into a piping bag
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 12-14 cupcakes.
fitted with a small round tip or into a plastic baggie with a tiny cut in the corner of the bag. Write or decorate on the top of each chocolate covered cupcake.To Make The Ganache:
- Combine chocolate and coconut milk in a heat-safe bowl and place over a small pot of boiling water. Stir mixture continuously until chocolate is melted and smooth. Turn off the heat and cover to keep chocolate warm until needed.
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert, Vegan, Gluten-Free
You may also enjoy these similar recipes:
Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache
Double Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
Hello!
Do you know more or less how much calories does a Vegan Hostess Cup Cake has?
An also the nutrition values?
Thanks!
Hi Emmanuel, I’m not sure of the nutritional details, but there are free nutritional calculators out there that you can use if you like to keep up with those figures. I don’t always find them to be very accurate, which is why I don’t like to use them. Let me know if I can help with anything else though!
Hi!
I’d love to make these cupcakes yet I’m a bit confused with the filling. How do I make the white filling for the centre and at what stage do I put it in? It’s just a bit confusing to me where the white cream comes into the recipe. If you could help answer my question it would be appreciated, thank you!
Hi Juliana! I updated the recipe with the instructions! Let me know if you have any other questions!! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi! I’ve tried out the recipes
Its very delicious, thank to you
But i just wonder if it tastes a little bit wet or im wrong?
I mean, because after i poured down the chocolate ganache to the baked muffin, im afraid thet the ganache will stay melted if i put it outside, so i put it in fridge, is it right way?
Thank you again
Hi Mels! Thank you, I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed the recipes you’ve tried! As far as the ganache frosting goes, I believe it does stay pretty wet whether you refrigerate it or not, meaning it doesn’t get hard like melted chocolate alone would since it’s blended with coconut milk. If you’d like a frosting that firms up, just add less coconut milk to the chocolate and it will firm up a bit more. (Like this recipe: http://www.wifemamafoodie.com/salted-chocolate-mocha-cupcakes/)
That being said, you don’t have to refrigerate the cupcakes unless you want to, especially if you’re serving them right away. But I would think it’d be a good idea to refrigerate the leftover cupcakes so they stay fresh longer. Hope that answered your question! Enjoy!!
These look amazing! I was wondering though where can I find vegan white chocolate? Thanks!
Hi Jahnavi, I get mine from Whole Foods, but I’ve seen it on Amazon as well. This one has really high ratings: https://goo.gl/zWG56n
Wonderful article, it was incredibly useful! I essentially started in this and I’m winding up more familiar with it better! Cheers, continue doing magnificent!
I am little confused how o impress my boyfriend but know I have a great idea for valentine day.Thanks for the lovely post.
Thank you Anna!
These are adorable! I don’t think I could ever get the writing to come out so neat.
I was wondering how you get that super dark dark color! I love it!! These are so cute! I was not a fan of twinkies but my husband loves them! These cupcakes would make Valentines day so special 🙂
What a gorgeous looking cupcake! Cupcakes are my favorite things to bake. I need to try this one soon!!
Abby of Life in the Fash Lane
These cupcakes are so adorable and I love your coconut whipped cream filling! xo
how adorable are these! I doubt mine would look anywhere this great, but I might just try it!
These look amazing! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
For one; I live the idea of chocolate cupcakes. I love how you individualized them. Such a great idea.
I can’t believe how amazing these look! I make a lot of muffins and cupcakes, but I never though of this. I will save this recipe for my birthday party.
These are SO cute! I love the simplicity of them, and they look delicious too!
http://theblondechiffon.com
These look sinfully delicious!!! Love them!! xoxo
Super cute, and they look delicious!
Wow these look delicious! I absolutely love that you added cream filling in the cupcakes! Thanks for sharing!
So precious. They look so decadent…perfect for Valentine’s Day!!