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These vegan chocolate cupcakes are really easy to make with no unusual ingredients. They're moist, fluffy and decadently chocolaty.
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These vegan chocolate cupcakes are really easy to make with no unusual ingredients. They're moist, fluffy and decadently chocolaty.
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Home » Recipes » Vegan Desserts

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Published: Feb 7, 2018 · Modified: May 23, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · 47 Comments

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These vegan chocolate cupcakes are really easy to make with no unusual ingredients. They're moist, fluffy and decadently chocolaty.

These easy vegan chocolate cupcakes don't require any unusual ingredients! They're quick, easy and so moist and delicious that nobody would guess they're vegan!

cupcakes with white icing and colourful sprinkles on a cooling rack

Vegan Cupcakes

People are often worried about baking vegan desserts.

They seem to think that you'll need unusual ingredients (like chia and flax) or that the results will be inferior.

WRONG!

These vegan cupcakes show that you can very easily whip up a batch of vegan cupcakes and they'll taste every bit as delicious.

They're moist, fluffy and full of decadent chocolate flavour.

I've topped them with vegan vanilla frosting and pretty vegan sprinkles!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - Reader Reviews

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I made these for a vegan party. They were better than any cupcake I’ve had, and so simple to make." - Simon
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "These turned out to be amazing. They were fluffy, moist, with just the right amount sweetness and chocolate flavour. And they were so simple to make! Everyone enjoyed them." - Olivia
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I made these for a friends birthday and I can’t believe how delicious they are! This was the 3rd recipe I tried (the others were SO unsuccessful) and I’m really pleased with how these ones came out." - Niki
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "These are delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I didn’t even have to go out and buy the ingredients. I had it all in my cupboard/fridge." - Jade
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I tried these vegan chocolate cupcakes over the weekend for a family member who is vegan and everyone loved them. Great recipe, I would recommend this to anyone!" - Robbie

 

cupcake with a bit out of it.

Vegan Cupcakes

Rather than use chia or flax in these cupcakes, I've used store cupboard ingredients.

They make moist and chocolaty cupcakes that taste absolutely delicious.

Ingredients for the vegan chocolate cupcakes

  • Dairy-free milk (soy, almond, rice, oat etc...)
  • Lemon juice (or white or apple cider vinegar)
  • Vanilla
  • Dairy-free butter
  • Sugar
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Cocoa powder

Close up of an easy vegan chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting

Ingredients for the icing

  • Vegan butter
  • Powdered icing sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Vegan milk (soy, almond, rice, oat etc...)

Tools:

  • Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Sieve
  • Muffin tray
  • Cupcake papers

 

step by step tutorial

These vegan cupcakes really are super easy to make. Just follow this step by step picture tutorial. 

Then scroll down to the recipe card below for the full recipe!

How to Make Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - Step 1

1 - Whisk the melted butter and sugar together, then whisk in the milk (with lemon juice in it to sour)

 

How to Make Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - Step 2

2 - Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder

 

How to Make Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes - Step 3

3 - Mix to combine but don't over mix. 

 

How to make vegan chocolate cupcakes recipe - spoon batter into paper cases
4: Spoon into the prepared muffin tray and bake for 15-20 minutes. 

 

A cooling tray of easy vegan chocolate cupcakes being frosted with vanilla frosting
5: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. 

Vegan Desserts

If you're looking for other easy vegan dessert recipes, you must try my vegan chocolate cake - SOOOO many of you have made it and loved it.

I love looking at your recreations on Instagram and other social media.

My vanilla vegan birthday cake is also hugely popular with you lovely readers!

You'll also love my vegan Victoria Sponge and Vegan Lemon Cake. 

"I made this yesterday and it was amazing! I can’t believe how well and fluffy it turned out. Best of all you can’t tell it’s any different to a non vegan sponge!! - Hannah

More Vegan Cupcakes

If you love these chocolate vegan cupcakes, you'll love these other flavors too!

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

A chocolate vegan cupcake on a golden cupcake stand with vanilla icing and sprinkles. Get the easy vegan chocolate cupcakes recipe now!

Get the Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

💚Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes and cakes.💚

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes, vegan cake and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x

📖 Recipe

Easy vegan chocolate cupcakes with white icing and colourful sprinkles on a cooling rack

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
You don't need any unusual ingredients for these easy vegan chocolate cupcakes. They're moist, fluffy and full of decadent chocolate flavour. 
4.97 from 27 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, International, Vegan
Servings 12
Calories 243 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • ⅔ cup (150ml) dairy-free milk (soy, almond, rice, oat etc...)
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice or white or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup (75g) dairy-free butter , melted and cooled
  • ½ cup (100ml) sugar
  • 1 cup (125ml) plain (all purpose) flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

For the icing

  • ⅓ cup (75g) dairy free butter
  • 1 ¾ cups (225g) icing sugar (confectioner's)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoon dairy free milk (soy, almond, rice, oat etc...)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180C / 350F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners.
  • Stir the lemon juice into the milk to sour it and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until well combined. Stir in the milk mixture and the vanilla.
  • Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa and mix to combine.
  • Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tray to ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • Meanwhile, for the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and and 1 tablespoon of milk until thick and smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it’s too thin, add more icing sugar.
  • Spoon the icing into a piping bag and decorate the completely cooled cupcakes as desired.

Video

Notes

 
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is created with online calculators. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 91mgPotassium: 128mgSugar: 26gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 0.9mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.97 from 27 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Angela

    November 02, 2023 at 2:31 pm

    4 stars
    I did enjoy these cupcakes but felt there was too much baking powder. It is recommended to only have 1tsp per 100g of plain flour, therefore next time I will use 1.25tsp of baking powder instead of 2tsp. The icing was delish!

    Reply
  2. Verity Q Rushton

    March 04, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    Hi,
    Thank you for this recipe. I've made it four times now. Love it.

    Reply
  3. Ruth

    August 04, 2022 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe, easy to follow. I have left over icing, can this be frozen?

    Reply
  4. Catherine

    September 20, 2021 at 9:02 am

    What’s the best way to store these cupcakes. Light and fluffy nice texture

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      September 20, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Hi, just store them in a container on the counter. I'm glad you like them!

      Reply
  5. Leslie

    April 15, 2020 at 5:37 am

    5 stars
    fluffy, decadent, fool proof!! What a lovely recipe!

    Reply
  6. Rose C.

    December 08, 2019 at 2:26 am

    Hi. I was wondering if the the the soy or almond milk needs to be sweetened or unsweetened? I want to make
    This for a holiday party. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      December 10, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      Hi, I use unsweetened. But if you only have sweetened it would be fine, too. Just a very slightly sweeter cake.

      Reply
  7. Rachael

    November 21, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    5 stars
    Hi these are super fluffy and very tasty thank you! My questions is.. any idea why mine over risen in the oven? I had to chop the tops off to get an even surface for the frosting. Thanks

    Reply
  8. Danielle

    August 16, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    Hello!!

    Can I use any dairy free spread (like sunflower spread or soya spread) instead vegan butter??

    thank you

    Danielle

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      August 19, 2019 at 10:55 am

      Hi, absolutely. Any of those will work.

      Reply
      • Danielle

        September 12, 2019 at 9:47 pm

        Thank you so much!
        i did it, that is an amazing recipe!
        I loved!

        Reply
  9. Lucy Castlle

    August 11, 2019 at 12:14 am

    5 stars
    Great taste and incredibly easy to make!!

    Reply
  10. Sian Jospe

    July 24, 2019 at 6:07 am

    Hello!
    These look delicious 🙂
    I was wondering what sugar you use for the cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      July 30, 2019 at 7:07 pm

      Hi, just normal granulated sugar. If you're in the USA you'll need to choose organic sugar so that it's vegan. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  11. Belinda

    May 04, 2019 at 10:30 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely brilliant and so easy! Was helped by my three year old granddaughter. Thank you for a really great recipe!

    Reply
  12. Denise

    March 09, 2019 at 9:59 am

    5 stars
    Wow these were so easy and tasted amazing. Thanks for the recipe ☺

    Reply
  13. simon telfer

    February 04, 2019 at 2:03 am

    5 stars
    I made these for a vegan party. They were better than any cupcake I’ve had, and so simple to make.

    Reply
  14. Rebecca Walker

    January 30, 2019 at 9:24 pm

    What kind of “dairy-free milk” can be used?

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      January 30, 2019 at 9:31 pm

      Hi, you can use soy, almond, oat, rice etc... I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!

      Reply
  15. Olivia

    January 05, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you soo much for this recipe!! I made some for my friends 21st, and doubled the recipe.
    I admit I was doubtful that the recipe would work for me, as the last vegan cupcakes recipe I tried did not work so well. However, I decided to give this one a go, as I’ve tried your red lentil Dahl and loved it (it’s now a staple in my home!) These turned out to be amazing. They were fluffy, moist, with just the right amount sweetness and chocolate flavour. And they were so simple to make! Everyone enjoyed them. Cheers!

    Reply
  16. Niki

    October 21, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    5 stars
    I made these for a friends birthday and I can’t believe how delicious they are! This was the 3rd recipe I tried (the others were SO unsuccessful) and I’m really pleased with how they came out.

    Reply
  17. Georgie Tinkler

    October 01, 2018 at 6:36 pm

    Can these cupcakes be frozen? 🙂

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      October 01, 2018 at 7:18 pm

      Hi Georgie
      Yes, it's fine to freeze them (un-frosted)!

      Reply
  18. Jennifer

    September 23, 2018 at 9:09 am

    Love these! Can they be made ahead and frozen, ready to do the icing on the day? x

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      September 23, 2018 at 9:44 am

      Absolutely! They freeze well. 🙂

      Reply
  19. Isabel

    August 31, 2018 at 11:30 am

    Can you use Apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice? I completely forgot the lemon juice!!

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      August 31, 2018 at 3:19 pm

      Yes! It will work fine with vinegar too. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes Isabel!

      Reply
      • Belinda

        May 04, 2019 at 10:33 pm

        5 stars
        I used white vinegar which was all I had and the recipe worked beautifully!

        Reply
  20. Jade Obler

    August 26, 2018 at 3:30 pm

    5 stars
    These are delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I didn’t even have to go out and buy the ingredients. I had it all in my cupboard/fridge. I also love that you put the U.K. measures too. Much love.

    Reply
    • Christine

      February 08, 2024 at 1:00 pm

      Dear Kate, have tried so many recipes for chocolate cakes. This one looks really easy, and you have great reviews. I live in the Canary Islands, so I don't always have the brands you use in the States For baking cakes and cupcakes here, I've always used a teaspoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of Bi-carb. Some recipes I've seen from the States use three seasons of baking soda. The make of my baking powder is 'Royal' been famous since 1948, red packet with sachets inside. There is another brand sold here that people use and the recipes on the box call for the whole sachet to be used, which is a lot to me. I would also like your help to tell me how much liquid I should use instead of the sugar. I never touch sugar, brown, white,or sky blue pink it's all sugar. Which is a big no no for me.
      I am going to subscribe now. My husband and I look forward to see all your recipes. Thanks for any help you can provide. Have a lovely day

      Reply
  21. Claire ray

    August 06, 2018 at 7:23 am

    Can you use coconut oil instead of dairy free butter?! (Hiya!) xxx

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      August 06, 2018 at 8:01 am

      Hi Claire!

      I haven't tested it, but it should work fine. Just solidify the coconut oil in the fridge before measuring so it's an equal quantity to what the butter calls for. Then melt and go! 🙂

      Reply
  22. Freya

    March 13, 2018 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely love your images! These look delicious 😀

    Reply
  23. Kaz | Ickle Pickles Life and Travels

    February 26, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    These look so delicious, even better that they are vegan!
    Kaz

    Reply
  24. Elizabeth

    February 25, 2018 at 7:45 am

    5 stars
    These have got to be the lightest, fluffiest vegan chocolate cupcakes I've ever seen! They're gorgeous!

    Reply
  25. Jess @ Living on Leaves

    February 23, 2018 at 8:19 am

    Yum!! It surprised me so much when I first went vegan to discover how baking is completely possible without the things you think are essential for it! Love the colour of the sprinkles against the chocolate cake and white topping 🙂

    Reply
  26. Robbie

    February 20, 2018 at 9:43 am

    5 stars
    A great recipe. I tried this over the weekend for a family member who is vegan and everyone loved the buns I made. Great recipe, I would recommend this to anyone!

    Reply
  27. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    February 18, 2018 at 9:05 am

    5 stars
    These look so delicious and so easy to make! Will definitely have to make these with the kids one day

    Reply
  28. Katie

    February 08, 2018 at 8:29 am

    They are so cute, love how they don't have any hard to find ingredients in them. That's often such an off-putting aspect of vegan baking.

    Katie xoxo

    Reply
  29. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy

    February 07, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    5 stars
    Chocolate cupcakes are always a hit. I love those sprinkles. I actually just saw them in a store here....great cause I thought you could only order them online. Hubby would love these little treats with his tea for sure.

    Reply
  30. Traci

    February 07, 2018 at 4:12 pm

    5 stars
    Kate, these are gorgeous and I can tell by the recipe (and photo) that they’re moist and delicious. I bet no one even knows they’re vegan. Nice job…thanks for the recipe! I’ll be sharing this everywhere ????

    Reply
  31. Tanya

    February 07, 2018 at 4:05 pm

    5 stars
    Oooh yes! Thanks for making a recipe for vegan cupcakes without chia or flax! I know they're healthy but they're so costly and give cakes a sorta weird texture.

    Reply
  32. Teri Stephens

    February 07, 2018 at 3:58 pm

    5 stars
    These chocolate cupcakes look perfectly moist. (And thank you for using common ingredients, this is a keeper recipe for sure.)

    Reply
    • Lucy

      May 03, 2019 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      The cupcake were so nice! Incredibly moist!

      Reply
  33. Pam Greer

    February 07, 2018 at 3:43 pm

    5 stars
    I am craving some chocolate cupcakes! I love how you made these vegan!

    Reply
  34. sue | theviewfromgreatisland

    February 07, 2018 at 3:35 pm

    These are so elegant without the sprinkles, and so much fun with them ~ what a versatile dessert!

    Reply

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These vegan chocolate cupcakes are really easy to make with no unusual ingredients. They're moist, fluffy and decadently chocolaty.
Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. Here you'll find vegetarian recipes and vegan recipes celebrating vegetables, from dinner to dessert! If you love vegetables, you've come to the right place. About Me

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These vegan chocolate cupcakes are really easy to make with no unusual ingredients. They're moist, fluffy and decadently chocolaty.

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