Easy Chocolate Cupcakes (dairy-free)

These rich, moist, chocolate cupcakes are incredibly easy to make. These are naturally dairy-free (but no one would ever know by tasting them!).

These chocolate cupcakes are as easy as it gets. I've been asked for years if my naturally dairy-free easy chocolate cake can be made into cupcakes, so I took the recipe into the kitchen to find out! The answer is yes, but they needed a few small tweaks to create light, fluffy, cupcakes in the recipe below.

As promised, these require no eggs, no dairy, no apple cider vinegar, and no almond milk or soy milk. All you need are a few simple pantry ingredients, and one bowl to make a batch of these gorgeous cupcakes that are guaranteed to be the star of your next party. 

What are vegan cupcakes?

Vegan cupcakes are cupcakes made without any animal products. This means that no eggs or dairy are used to make these tasty little cakes. Even if you don’t strictly follow a vegan diet, vegan cupcakes are a great choice for those who are lactose sensitive, or have an egg allergy.

How to make the easiest chocolate cupcakes

1. Prep the muffin tin. Place cupcake liners in tin and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the wet ingredients. To the bowl of dry ingredients, add oil, water, and vanilla extract, and stir. 
4. Bake. Pour the batter into the muffin tin and bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes. 
5. Make the frosting. Cream the vegan butter until smooth, then add the maple syrup, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and water. Mix until combined. 
6. Frost the cupcakes. Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before frosting. 

Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour - Good old fashioned all-purpose flour gives the cupcakes their structure.
• Sugar - Unsweetened cocoa powder lacks the distinct chocolate bar sweetness, so sugar is needed to sweeten things up.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, rather than Dutch-processed cocoa. Unsweetened natural cocoa produces a deep, rich, chocolate flavor in the cupcakes. 
• Baking Soda - The leavening agent that works with the cocoa to produce full, fluffy cupcakes. 
• Kosher Salt - To enhance the delicious fudginess.
• Cooking Oil - Use a neutral oil like avocado for the best results. 
• Water - For just the right batter consistency.
• Pure Vanilla Extract - Chocolate and vanilla go hand-in-hand.

Make ahead

Chocolate cupcakes can be made 1 day in advance. A good rule of thumb is to frost the cupcakes when you’re ready to serve them, unless you have a cupcake container that will prevent the frosting from being squashed by the lid.

How to store them

Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze the cupcakes for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve, thaw at room temperature for about 12 hours. 

Tips

• Don’t rush frosting the cupcakes. If the cupcakes aren't totally, 100% cool, all of the delicious chocolate frosting will melt.
• Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way full, to prevent the batter from overflowing.

Variations

• Try a different frosting - When you work with chocolate, the flavor combinations are endless. Try vegan coconut frosting or vegan vanilla buttercream frosting.
• Add toppings - Top the cupcakes with chopped nuts, vegan-friendly sprinkles, shaved chocolate, or toasted coconut. 

FAQs

More Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Recipes

• Air Fryer Falafel
• Vegetable and Rice Stuffed Peppers
• Lentil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Mango Chia Breakfast Bowls
• Sesame Noodle Salad

📖 Recipe