It’s National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

It’s National Chocolate Cupcake Day today. As if you needed more excuses to indulge this weekend. Enjoy a few vegan cupcake recipes on us.

These beautiful guides are from The Vegan Society, BBC Food and Crowded Kitchen.

1. The Vegan Society’s basic choccy cupcake

Ingredients

• 8 fl oz (230ml) soya milk
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 5 oz (140g) caster sugar
• 3 fl oz (90ml) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz (125g) plain flour
• 1 1/2 oz (45g) cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C/gas mark 4 and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Whisk together soya milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add sugar, oil and vanilla extract and beat until foamy.
3. In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
4. Pour into liners, filling three quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Transfer to cooling rack. Eat while still warm or allow to cool completely and ice with chocolate ‘buttercream’.

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2. Crowded Kitchen Classic Chocolate

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp vegan butter, softened
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cane sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1  1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups almond milk
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour blend*
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp beetroot powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup melted vegan chocolate chips

Method

Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 2 tsp almond milk or dairy free creamer
• Pinch of salt

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 335 F. Line a muffin/cupcake tin with liners.
2. In a stand mixer or a mixing bowl + hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until well incorporated.
3. Add in applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla and continue mixing at a medium-low speed.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
5. Slowly incorporate about half of the dry mixture into the wet, then slowly stream in almond milk.
6. Add remaining dry ingredients and melted chocolate. Beat until smooth and creamy.
7. Let batter sit for 20 minutes, and then use a cookie scoop to evenly portion batter into cupcake liners.
8. Bake for 26-28 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

1. Make sure butter is completely softened. If you need to do this quickly, microwave in 7 second intervals until soft, but not melted.
2. Cream butter in stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with hand mixer.
3. When light and fluffy, slowly incorporate powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup at a time).
4. When fully incorporated, add remaining ingredients and continue mixing until light and fluffy.
5. To frost cupcakes, use a piping bag or simply use a knife or spatula.
6. Optional: sprinkle frosting with chocolate shavings.

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3. BBC Food’s finest chocolate cups