Dairy Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ⅓ cup non-dairy milk (recommend oat milk or almond milk)
- ½ tbsp distilled vinegar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup hot water
For the frosting (optional; see notes*):
- ½ cup dairy-free butter, softened (i.e. 1 stick; recommend Country Crock plant butter sticks with avocado oil)
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (can add extra to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 3 tbsp non-dairy milk (enough to achieve preferred consistency)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners (or grease the tin).
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In a mixing bowl, combine the non-dairy milk and vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
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Add the oil, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg. Mix until well combined.
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In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir a few times, then add the hot water and mix again until well combined.
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Portion the batter into the cupcake tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 21 minutes, or until a toothpick pulls clean from the center. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and allow to finish cooling on a cooling rack.
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While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting (or simply use store-bought frosting of your choice). In a large bowl, combine the softened dairy-free butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. Beat using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add additional non-dairy milk if needed to reach the preferred consistency.
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When cupcakes are completely cooled, frost the cupcakes and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- *The frosting proportions here are generally enough for a light layer of frosting on each cupcakes. If piping large swirls on your cupcakes, you may need to double the batch size of the frosting.
- Feel free to use a storebought frosting or another flavor of homemade frosting if you prefer.
- Butter must be softened – not melted, not straight from the fridge – for the frosting, otherwise you will not achieve the desired texture.
Nutrition analysis for cupcake with peanut butter frosting (approximate): 425 calories, 23 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 260 mg sodium, 52.5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 39.5 g sugar, 5 g protein, Vitamin D: 1%, Calcium: 3%, Iron: 7%, Potassium: 3%
Nutrition analysis for cupcake alone (approximate): 235 calories, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 140 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 23.5 g sugar, 2.5 g protein, Vitamin D: 1%, Calcium: 2%, Iron: 6%, Potassium: 2%