Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (2024)

Healthy Pies and Cakes

by Chocolate Covered Katie

4.98 from 164 votes

Deep, dark, rich, fudgy vegan chocolate cupcakes – with no dairy and no eggs required!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (2)

Chocolate Cupcakes Without Eggs

What’s the secret to making cupcakes rise without eggs?

It’s something you probably already have in your kitchen!

This basic chocolate cupcake recipe uses vinegar and baking soda to create an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles to form and thus the cupcakes to rise as they bake.

(Remember that famous volcano experiment from elementary school???)

The simple vegan chocolate cupcakes can be made with just a few basic ingredients you might already have at home – NO tofu, NO black beans, NO avocado, and NO flax eggs!

Also try this Vegan Brownies Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (4)

These classic chocolate cupcakes will take you right back to childhood.

Irresistibly light and fluffy, they hold their own against any box of Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker cake mix, with none of the unhealthy corn syrup or artificial ingredients.

And even if you aren’t vegan, it’s a good idea for everyone to have a go-to vegan cupcake recipe, because you never know when you’ll need it!

For example, have you ever been asked to make a last-minute dessert when you didn’t have any eggs on hand?

Or needed a recipe suitable for a child with dairy allergies or a guest who’s a vegan?

Or maybe you just want a foolproof basic cupcake recipe that’s super quick, easy to make, and turns out perfectly every single time.

Trending now: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (5)

This has been my go-to cupcake recipe for over three years now, and it’s incredibly versatile.

Every time I serve the cupcakes, they are always completely devoured, by vegans and meat eaters alike!

You can easily turn the basic chocolate cupcake into new flavors by using different extracts, fillings, or frostings.

Top them with your favorite vegan frosting, nut butter, or Coconut Whipped Cream.

If you want to be fancy, you can even pipe the frosting through a pastry bag fitted with a 1M star tip, as seen in the photos, effortlessly turning the cupcakes into a culinary work of art.

And if you can find Dutch cocoa, I like to include a few tablespoons in the recipe, because it really heightens the chocolate flavor and gives these cupcakes a classic straight-from-the-bakery taste.

*For the cupcakes in the photos, I used my favorite Basic Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

Above – Watch the video how to make vegan cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (6)

The recipe was adapted from this classicVegan Chocolate Cake Recipe.

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Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

The best easy vegan chocolate cupcake recipe, with no eggs or dairy!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (7)

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Yield 9 – 10 cupcakes

5 from 164 votes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup applesauce or nondairy yogurt
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp white or cider vinegar
  • 1 cup spelt, white, or bob’s gf flour (Low carb option: Keto Cupcakes)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder or additional unsweetened
  • 3/4 cup sugar, unrefined if desired
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
  • 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Instructions

  • *If you want to frost them, I mentioned a few of my favorite frosting recipes earlier in this post, or use your own favorite frosting. For the additional 2 tbsp cocoa, you can use either Dutch or regular. I highly recommend Dutch for heightened chocolate flavor. To find Dutch cocoa, just look for the word “alkali” in the ingredients. Be sure to use regular unsweetened (not Dutch) for the initial 1/4 cup.

    To make the vegan cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners. In a large bowl, whisk first 5 ingredients. Do not forget the vinegar. Let sit at least 10 minutes, and sift all remaining ingredients in a separate bowl while you wait. Pour wet into dry, stir just until evenly mixed, and smooth into liners. Only fill up 2/3 of the way at most, because they rise a lot and you don’t want them to burst and then sink in the middles (although if it happens, just hide it with frosting!). Bake 20 minutes on the center rack. Let cool. These taste even better the next day, and the liners will peel off easily after a day.

    View Nutrition Facts

Notes

For a vanilla version, try these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes.

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (8)

More Vegan Chocolate Recipes

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Deep Dish Cookie Pie

Black Bean Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

Chocolate Truffles

Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - the SECRET recipe with NO eggs or dairy! (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in just desserts vegan chocolate cupcakes? ›

Ingredients: vegan granulated sugar, vegan powdered sugar, unbleached flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, floic acid), water, canola oil, soy milk (filtered water, soybeans, salt, natural flavor, gellan gum, sunflower lecithin, gellan gum, natural flavor), unsweetened ...

What was the missing ingredient in Izzy's cupcakes? ›

Izzie had trouble remembering the secret ingredient to her mother's cupcake recipe -- in fact, she needed a psychic to help her remember, if you recall. But now that she remembers what it is (coconut extract!), you should have trouble making the cupcakes yourself."

What is the difference between a vegan cupcake and a regular cupcake? ›

Vegan cupcakes are animal product and dairy free. This means they contain no egg, butter, or dairy products. However, they do contain ingredients that are familiar to the baker such as flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, and vanilla.

Why are vegan cupcakes so dense? ›

DENSE RESULT

This can be caused by not using the right egg replacer. Over mixing batter is another reason which causes over development of the gluten and a dense result. If your oven isn't heated to the correct temperature before you put your cake in, it can cause it to not bake properly.

What ingredients are used in vegan baking? ›

Plant-based substitutes: Vegan baking often involves using ingredients like plant-based milk (e.g., almond milk, soy milk, oat milk), vegetable oils, nut butters, applesauce, mashed bananas, or tofu as replacements for dairy and eggs. These substitutes provide moisture, fat, and binding properties necessary in baking.

Why are my vegan cupcakes not rising? ›

YOUR CAKE IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE OR NOT RISING

You may not have used enough raising agents. I do recommend experimenting with double action baking powders. Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you're converting a recipe to gluten free. b.

Why are vegan cakes so dry? ›

Lack of Eggs: Eggs provide structure, moisture, and leavening in traditional cakes. Vegan cakes typically replace eggs with alternatives like flax eggs, applesauce, or mashed bananas, which may not provide the same lightness and binding properties.

Do vegan cupcakes go bad? ›

Vegan cakes tend to have a shorter shelf life than non-vegan ones. This isn't usually a problem as they are so scrummy they are eaten straight away! However, if you want to keep your cakes for a few days, unless the recipe says otherwise, store everything at room temperature.

What is the GREY stuff cupcake? ›

It is the delicious icing on top of the chocolate cupcake you can get for dessert at Be Our Guest restaurant in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. It's grey because it's a perfectly smooth blend of cookies and cream (but there appears to be quite a bit of food coloring in there too). Disney World's "Grey Stuff" recipe!!

Why is cupcake called fairy cake? ›

And of course, the big misunderstanding is that foreign countries think fairy cakes look like fairies. These delicious treats go by this name because of their size, which is small enough for a fairy to eat.

Do vegan cupcakes need refrigeration? ›

These cupcakes keep very well in a covered container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. They can also be frozen (frosted or unfrosted, but don't add any fresh strawberry decoration if you're freezing them) for up to 3 months.

Do you refrigerate vegan cupcakes? ›

Yes! I do recommend that you store any uneaten cupcakes or cake in an air tight container, and in the refrigerator. You can take them out for up to 30 minutes prior to consumption, if you don't want to eat them cold.

Are vegan cupcakes healthier? ›

In truth, vegan cakes might not even contain fewer calories than non-vegan ones. While they lack butter and other dairy products, it is not a given that they contain less saturated fats. In fact, some vegan substitutes for butter, like cocoa butter or coconut oil, can have similar amounts of saturated fats.

What are vegan desserts made of? ›

Forgoing milk and butter, but never sacrificing flavor, these vegan sweets are plant-based by design. Some rely on plant-based dairy products, like our favorite vegan butters and nondairy milks. Others showcase powerhouse ingredients—dates for caramelly sweetness, avocado or silken tofu for creaminess.

Do vegan cupcakes contain milk? ›

How to make vegan cupcakes in 1 bowl. In a measuring cup, combine soy milk (or another non-dairy milk) and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle (this is vegan buttermilk). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Are just desserts cupcakes dairy free? ›

Just Desserts is meeting the challenge of producing premium quality, delicious Vegan baked goods by using a combination of premium, nut-free, plant-based ingredients, featuring a rich, sweet oat milk base that contains fiber, protein, and iron.

Are vegan cupcakes good for you? ›

Are vegan cakes healthier than non-vegan cakes, you may ask? For the most part, not really; while the removal of butter can mean less saturated fat, the vegan friendly replacement, often cocoa butter, can be similar in saturated fat levels.

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