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–+ servings

The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Amazing 1-bowl chocolate cupcakes that are undetectably vegan and gluten-free. Fudgy, moist, insanely chocolaty, and topped with sinful chocolate ganache frosting.
Author Minimalist Baker
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Partially eaten Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcake on a pink wrapper
4.79 from 155 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 11 (cupcakes)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 2-3 Weeks (unfrosted)
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

CUPCAKES

  • 1/2 scant cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
  • 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
  • 5 Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/3 cup cane or granulated sugar
  • 1/3 scant cup maple syrup or agave nectar (sub honey if not vegan)
  • 1 cup beet puree (or sub butternut squash, applesauce, or another hearty fruit puree with varied results)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if clumpy, sift)
  • 1/2 cup almond meal (finely ground)
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend*

FROSTING:

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • FOR BEETS: To roast beets, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C), drizzle 2 large beets (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) with oil of choice, and wrap in foil. Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour or until a knife slides through easily. Peel away skins by rubbing foil around and it should shed off easily. Add beets to a food processor or blender and add 1/4 cup liquid of choice (I like a mix of water and orange juice // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Blend until creamy, smooth and pourable, scraping down sides as needed. Otherwise, sub another fruit puree, such as applesauce, with varied results.
  • FOR CUPCAKES: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line 11 muffins (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) with paper liners, or lightly grease. Also measure out almond milk and add vinegar. Stir and let curdle while moving onto the next step.
  • Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Add baking soda to the almond milk vinegar mixture and stir. It should fizz.
  • Add the sugar, maple syrup, and almond milk mixture to the flax egg and beat to combine. Then add beet puree, melted coconut oil, salt, and vanilla (optional) and mix.
  • Add cocoa powder, almond meal, oat flour, and gluten-free flour blend and beat to combine. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk, but it should be perfect. If too thin, add a little more gluten-free flour blend + cocoa powder. It should resemble a thin batter that’s pourable.
  • Divide batter evenly between muffin tins, filling 3/4 full.
  • Bake for 29-34 minutes or until puffy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let rest in the tin for 10-15 minutes. Then remove and let cool COMPLETELY on a cooling rack. Don’t try to sample early because they need to fully cool or they tend to stick to the wrappers.
  • FOR FROSTING: Add almond milk to your rinsed out mixing bowl from earlier and microwave for 1 minute. (Alternatively, heat in a saucepan until just simmering and then transfer back to mixing bowl.)
  • Immediately add chocolate to warm milk but don’t touch for 2 minutes so it can melt.
  • Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then add softened butter and cover. Let rest untouched for another 10 minutes to meddle.
  • Use your mixer to beat the mixture together. Then add 1 cup powdered sugar (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), mix again, and place in fridge to set for 20-30 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you tip it and it’s slow to move.
  • Remove from fridge and beat again. If it’s still too thin, add another 1/4 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and beat until light and fluffy. I found that chilling for a total of 20 minutes and adding 1 3/4 cups total powdered sugar was perfect (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Frost cupcakes generously. You’ll likely have leftover frosting (unless you’re like me). Sprinkles, mint leaves, or fresh raspberries would make the perfect garnish.
  • Will keep well-covered at room temperature for several days, though best when fresh.

Video

Notes

*I tried this recipe with both the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Blend and my go-to gluten-free blend and while both worked well, the Bob’s 1:1 blend yielded a narrowly superior cupcake.
*Adapted from / inspired by my Vegan Double Chocolate Beet Muffins.
*Frosting inspiration from Eats Well with Others
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with a generous amount of frosting per cupcake.

Nutrition (1 of 11 servings)

Serving: 1 cupcakes Calories: 412 Carbohydrates: 54.7 g Protein: 4.1 g Fat: 22.8 g Saturated Fat: 11.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 159 mg Fiber: 5 g Sugar: 38.7 g