Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes – Grain-free

These easy glutenfree Chocolate Cupcakes are fluffy and light yet rich and chocolatey at the same time! Perfect for birthday parties or bridal showers! Gluten-free, grain-free, and made in one bowl!

Doesn’t the look of these vegan chocolate cupcakes make you want to hop in the kitchen and bake a batch? This recipe is one of my favorite things to bake whenever there is a birthday party or a potluck! They are such a crowd pleaser! I mean, who doesn’t like chocolate?

What I love about these cupcakes is that they provide a deep,  rich chocolate flavor while being perfectly light and fluffy in texture. The secret ingredients? Club soda – yes fizzy drinks are my secret baking weapon when it comes to getting that perfect rise for your vegan muffins and cupcakes.

These vegan chocolate cupcakes can be made with just a couple of basic ingredients that you most likely already have at home.

You can just top these with coconut whipped cream or go for any of the vegan frostings I added in the end!

MORE GLUTENFREE CAKES AND BAKES FROM THE BLOG

• GF Cashew Butter Chocolate Marble Cake. 
• Gluten-free Cinnamon Roll Bread yeast-free.
• GF Carrot Banana Bread – Also grain-free.
• Sweet Potato Crumb Cake. GF
• GF Christmas Cake
• Lemon Donuts grainfree
• Pumpkin Bars grainfree

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:

• almond flour makes these super moist.
• potato starch provides tenderness, structure, and binding power.
• cocoa powder adds that rich chocolate flavor and the deep dark color. I use the unsweetened stuff.
• sugar for sweetness. You can use coconut sugar instead if you prefer.
• a blend of baking powder and baking soda makes these rise perfectly.
• I use only a small amount of oil here as the almond flour already adds a lot of moisture to the chocolate cupcake batter.
• club soda is my secret ingredient here – it gives baked goods a little lift. The tiny air bubbles expand in the batter while baking and make for an extra-light texture while keeping the batter from drying out!

Tips & Substitutions:

• You can use any other fizzy drink in lieu of club soda – just steer clear of anything too strongly flavored
• Fill the cupcake liner 2/3 to 3/4 full. Avoid adding too much batter to your liners or the muffins will overflow and cause a mess.
• You can also use an ice cream scoop for measuring out the batter.
• Feel free to take these to the next level of chocolatey deliciousness by adding some chocolate chips.
• Turn these into Mexican chocolate cupcakes by adding 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp chili powder to the batter.

How to make Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients until well mixed.

Press and mix to break any almond flour lumps, and starch lumps so that the mixture is homogenous.

Add the oil, vanilla extract, milk and 1/2 cup Club Soda, or any other carbonated drink you’re using, and mix in. The batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter.

Mix it lightly and let it sit for half a minute and then mix it again to check. Add another 1/2-1 tbsp of Club Soda as needed.

Prep your mini muffin pan by lining it with parchment paper cups, or parchment paper liners. and preheat the oven to 375 F. Drop the batter into the mini muffin pan (see tips), filling up 3/4 of each of the muffin liners.

Bake for 16- 17 minutes. Check with a toothpick at the center and then remove the cupcakes from the oven. Let the vegan chocolate cupcakes cool in the pan for ten minutes, then remove them from the pan. Let them cool completely before frosting. See below for frosting ideas.

Can I turn these into muffins instead of cupcakes?

You can also turn these vegan chocolate cupcakes into muffins by adding some chopped nuts or chocolate chips in the batter as well as on top of the batter before baking. This is a delicate batter, so if you add too much topping, it will tend not to rise as much. Store in a covered container. Cupcakes without frosting can be refrigerated for up to five days.

Frosting ideas;

• Cream Cheese Frosting ( Vegan) 
• Chocolate Frosting
• Coconut Cream Frosting

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

5 from 5 votes

By: Vegan Richa

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Course: Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine: American

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These easy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes are light and fluffy yet rich and chocolatey. They're perfect for birthday parties or bridal showers. No one will guess that they're gluten-free!

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Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup super fine almond flour
• ▢ 1/3 cup potato starch
• ▢ 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1/4 cup oat flour, optional
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
• ▢ 1.5 tablespoon oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon non dairy milk , or non dairy yogurt
• ▢ 1/2 cup club soda, or similar fizzy drink.
• ▢ frosting or chocolate chips , to add to the batter

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• ▢ 1/2 cup coconut cream
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate chips

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

Make the chocolate cupcakes

• In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients until well mixed. Press and mix to break any almond flour and/or starch lumps, so that the mixture is homogenous.
• Add the oil, vanilla extract, milk, and club soda, or any other carbonated drink you're using, and mix in. The batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter. Mix it lightly and let it sit for half a minute and then mix it again.
• Line your regular or mini muffin pan, and preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Drop the batter into the muffin pan, filling up 3/4 of each of the muffin liners.
• Bake 16-19 minutes for regular-sized cupcakes or 11 to 12 minutes for mini cupcakes. Check with a toothpick at the center, then remove from the oven. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for ten minutes, then remove from the pan. Let them cool completely before frosting.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache frosting.

• Melt the coconut cream in a skillet over medium heat. Mix in the sugar, then add the chocolate chips and switch off the heat. Whisk until the chocolate melts. Then, refrigerate the mixture. Check after 30 mins if it’s stiff enough for piping, or continue to chill until desired consistency of the frosting. Then spread or pipe as needed.

Video

Notes

You can also make the cupcakes into muffins by adding in some chopped nuts or chocolate chips in the batter as well as on top of the of the batter before baking. This is a delicate batter, so if you add too much topping, it will tend not to rise as much.

Store in a covered container. Cupcakes without frosting can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

These vegan chocolate chip cupcakes are naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and soy-free.

Nutritional information is for the chocolate cupcakes with the ganache frosting and no mix-ins.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 95mg, Potassium: 132mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 34IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!