Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cupcakes with Chocolate “Buttercream”

I have quite a few vegan friends. I love, love, love, the challenge of cooking delicious meals for them. Baking is probably one of the biggest challenges for someone who follows a vegan lifestyle, as most baking incorporates eggs and butter. So when a couple of my best girls came over for supper, I wanted to make them a special treat.

I found this recipe for vegan cupcakes, and with a couple modifications to it and to my chocolate buttercream icing recipe, created the yummiest “you-wouldn’t-even-know-these-were-vegan” chocolate cupcakes.

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
1 cup hot coffee
1 1/2 oz. dark vegan chocolate, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and coffee. Mix together until smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate.

3. Ladle batter into prepared muffin tin and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool and decorate with chocolate “buttercream” icing (below).

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate “Buttercream” Icing:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup vegan margarine
2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Cream icing sugar, cocoa, and margarine. Beat in coconut milk and vanilla. Add small amounts of hot water or coffee until desired consistency is reached.