Without a doubt the BEST vegan chocolate cupcakes! They are so easy to make and produce a rich, soft and full of flavour cupcake best finished off with a swirl of fudgey vegan chocolate buttercream and a little chocolate ganache.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a muffin tin with 12 patty cases.
In a small bowl combine white vinegar and almond milk. Milk will split which is fine. Set aside.
Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat canola oil, sugar and vanilla until combined.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Slowly add to oil and sugar mixture, alternating with the milk until cupcake batter comes together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Spoon mixture into patty cases ensuring they are only ¾ full before placing them in the oven for 18 minutes or until lightly springy to touch. Let cool completely before frosting.
Make the buttercream. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat dairy-free butter and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Add in 3 cups of the icing sugar and the cocoa powder and beat on medium until combined. As mixture thickens, add in almond milk a tablespoon at a time. If frosting is too thin, add in an extra ½ icing sugar until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. Add a pinch of salt to taste if frosting is too sweet.
Place buttercream into a piping bag with your favourite tip and pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles and chocolate ganache if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Chocolate Ganache: To make chocolate ganache to drizzle over the frosting, chop up ¼ cup of vegan dark chocolate into small pieces (think the size of chocolate chips) and place it in a small bowl. Heat up ¼ cup of coconut milk in the microwave or on the stove until warm (not too hot!). Add to the bowl with the chocolate pieces and let sit for a couple of minutes. The heat from the milk will melt the chocolate. Mix together using a spoon or whisk until glossy and all the chocolate has melted. Let cool before drizzling over the top of the cupcakes.Dairy-free milk. I have used oat milk, almond milk, vanilla almond milk, and soy milk in this recipe and all produce a perfect cupcake.