Vegan chocolate coconut cupcakes are tender, not dry, and easy to make. These dairy-free and egg-free mini chocolate cakes can also be made gluten-free. Spread our vegan chocolate frosting on top and dip them in shredded coconut for a delicious treat. You could also make our vegan chocolate cake if you’re looking for something bigger.
Published August 7, 2014 and updated March 30, 2020.
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
Hi there! We’re Linda and Alex, the mother daughter duo and creators of Veganosity. Thanks for visiting us, we’re so happy you’re here. If you’re looking for Southern inspired vegan comfort food recipes, you’ve come to the right place.
We love vegan comfort food and we’re really good at making it. Take a tour through our site and you’ll find all of the recipes that scream, stretchy pants required!
The good news, they’re all plant-based recipes, so you don’t need to feel guilty eating them. Now sit back, relax, and eat happy. 🙂
Also, in case you didn’t know, we’re published cookbook authors. We’ve written two vegan cookbooks that will help you make amazing vegan BBQ (you don’t even need a grill) and everyday meals, from breakfast to dessert.
Click on the titles to check them out. GREAT VEGAN BBQ WITHOUT A GRILL and THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK
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Sometimes you just need a cupcake, darn it! Or, in my case, several cupcakes.
How could I not, these things are seriously the B.O.M.B. I’ve made them for many neighborhood parties, and they’ve become famous.
According to some people, I need to sell these chocolate coconut dreams.
So, what makes them so good you ask?
A quality organic cocoa powder, full fat coconut milk, and boiling water.
When you buy the best quality, your cupcakes will turn out better. It’s that simple.
Full fat coconut milk lends fat to the batter, which is important for the texture.
Additionally, boiling water is used to bloom the cocoa powder, or bring out the rich flavor of the chocolate.
How Do You Make Dairy-Free and Eggless Cupcakes?
It’s so easy! We substituted dairy milk with plant-based milk, in this case we used coconut milk. If coconut isn't your thing, feel free to use your favorite plant-based milk.
To replace the eggs in this recipe, we used applesauce mixed with baking powder.
The baking powder makes the applesauce lighter and less dense, which gives the cupcakes a nice crumb.
To make these delicious chocolate cupcakes you’ll want to follow these steps:
STEP ONE
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together until they’re fully combined.
Don't skip this part as it's important that the cocoa powder is evenly distributed throughout the flour.
You’ll also want to whisk the applesauce and baking powder together in your stand mixer's mixing bowl.
STEP TWO
Add the sugar and vegetable oil to the mixing bowl with the applesauce and whip on a medium-high setting until the mixture is light and frothy.
Whip in the vanilla extract and then add ⅓ of the flour and cocoa mixture.
Slowly blend the flour into the applesauce mixture and then add ⅓ of the coconut milk and blend.
Continue adding the flour mixture and coconut milk in ⅓ increments until just blended.
STEP THREE
Slowly add the boiling water to the batter while mixing on a slow speed until the batter is thin.
Use an ice cream scooper to carefully fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way full and bake them until they bounce back to the touch, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the cupcakes from the pan 10 minutes after they come out of the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
You’ll want to cool them on a wire rack so that the bottoms get air flow, otherwise the bottoms will be soggy, and nobody wants cupcakes with soggy bottoms.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
This dairy-free chocolate frosting recipe is so thick, smooth, and creamy.
It's so good that we eat it by the spoonful.
STEP ONE
Bring the vegan butter to room temperature.
Make sure that the butter doesn’t get too soft. Because vegan butter is made with oil, it becomes way too soft if it sits out in a warm area.
STEP TWO
In a large mixing bowl, beat (start with a low setting to avoid making a mess, then increase the speed) the vegan butter confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until the frosting is thick and creamy.
Pro Tip: Use a fine mesh strainer to remove lumps in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder before mixing.
Frost the completely cooled cupcakes and then dip them in shredded coconut.
To Make These Gluten-Free
We recommend using an all-purpose gluten-free flour and following the instructions on the package.
Some brands recommend adding xanthan gum to help with the texture.
More Vegan Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Make our vegan chocolate coconut cupcake recipe and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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VEGAN CHOCOLATE COCONUT CUPCAKES
Equipment
- mixer
- Oven
Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground salt
- Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce + 1 teaspoon baking powder- mix well
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup boiling water
- Frosting
- 16 tablespoon vegan butter at room temperature we recommend Miyoko’s or Earth Balance
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176˚C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
- Whisk the 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon ground salt in a medium size bowl until fully combined.
- Whisk the ½ cup applesauce and 1 teaspoon baking powder together in your stand mixers' mixing bowl. The applesauce will expand and become light and bubbly.
- Add the ½ cup melted coconut oil, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and beat until light and frothy.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and blend until the flour is just beginning to combine, then add the ⅓ of the coconut milk to the mixing bowl and beat on a slow speed until just blended. Alternate the flour and milk by thirds until just blended.
- On low speed, slowly add the boiling water until combined. The batter should be thin but not watery.
- Use an ice cream scoop or a ladle to fill the cupcake papers ⅔ of the way full with the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Check the centers with a toothpick to make sure they’re done. The toothpick should come out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan after 10 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- For the Frosting
- For best results, sift the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder to remove lumps.
- Whip the 8 tablespoon vegan butter, 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract on medium high speed until the butter is completely incorporated and the frosting is creamy and fluffy.
- Frost the cupcakes and dip them in the shredded coconut.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for 4-5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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