Vegan chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting are soft, sweet chocolate cakes, topped with a generous heap of rich, creamy frosting! Made with just 7 healthy ingredients, gluten free, and naturally sweet.
The only way to improve chocolate cake…make lots of mini cakes so you’ve got one (or four) all to yourself.
I’ve said many times that chocolate cake is my favorite when it comes to any and all sweets. Ever since I finally nailed my favorite chocolate cake recipe, I’ve become even more determined to come up with simple and healthy recipes for classic treats. After the chocolate cake came this vanilla version, and of course, cupcakes were the natural next step.
Perfect for parties but also for a random Thursday night when you want some cupcakes, these chocolate gems won’t disappoint. Like the single layer cake, they’re moist, sweet, and full of chocolate flavor. Top that with a little swirl of creamy, rich frosting, and you’ll be in chocolate heaven.
Ingredients for vegan chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting
- Rolled oats: you’ll blend the oats into flour, which gives the cupcakes their dense, satisfying texture.
- Almond flour:Â a bit of almond flour helps keep the cupcakes from being too dense.
- Cocoa powder: cocoa gives the cupcakes and the frosting rich chocolate flavor.
- Medjool dates: you’ll blend the dates with hot water to make a paste, which naturally sweetens the cupcakes. You’ll also sweeten the frosting with dates.
- Applesauce:Â unsweetened applesauce adds moisture and softness.
- Nondairy milk:Â a bit of milk brings the cupcake batter and the frosting together. I use unsweetened almond milk for neutral flavor, but any nondairy milk should work.
- Chickpeas: chickpeas are the base of the frosting, which gives it a super fudgy, gooey texture.
Tips for making vegan chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting
- Measure the rolled oats before blending into flour. I always list the amount of oats used BEFORE they’re blended for flour. So in this case, you’ll measure out 1 1/2 cups of whole, rolled oats, then put those 1 1/2 cups into your blender to make flour.
- Use silicone liners for easy removal. I use these silicone liners and HIGHLY recommend something similar to avoid the cupcakes sticking to the pan.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before you add the frosting. After baking, let the cupcakes cool in the pan before carefully turning them out to cool completely while you make the frosting.
These vegan chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting are soft, sweet, and full of rich chocolate flavor. The dense, moist, soft cakes are the best combination with the light and creamy frosting, and I highly recommend a few chocolate chips on top for a bit of crunch. And because, of course, you can never go wrong with more chocolate.
I’m SO happy to finally have a staple, healthy, easy, classic chocolate cupcake recipe. Hope you love these cuties as much as I do!
Xo,
Sara
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups whole grain oats, blended to flour consistency
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup date paste – blend 15 pitted medjool dates with 1 cup hot water, then measure out 1 cup paste
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup nondairy milk – I use unsweetened almond milk
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
- 8 pitted medjool dates
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup nondairy milk – I use unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix the oat flour, almond flour, and cocoa powder.
- Add the date paste, applesauce, and nondairy milk, and stir into a thick batter.
- Portion 1/3 cup of batter into each lined cup – they'll be pretty full! And if you have a bit of leftover batter, just portion it evenly amongst the cupcakes (or eat it, I'm not judging).
- Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes.
- While the cupcakes are baking/cooling, make the frosting by adding the chickpeas, dates, cocoa powder, and nondairy milk to a food processor.
- Blend the frosting ingredients until smooth, stopping a couple times to scrape down the sides and make sure everything is totally incorporated.
- Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
