Healthy Mini Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes {Small Batch Recipe!}

 
I’m partnering with Silk^® to bring you today’s recipe! I’m a huge fan of their products, especially their non-dairy milks and non-dairy yogurt alternatives. With many lactose-intolerant family members, Silk’s products are always a staple in my fridge!

One day last fall, I bumped into one of my neighbors on my way back from the mailbox, and we started talking as she unbuckled her almost three-year-old daughter from the backseat. With Halloween right around the corner, the little girl shyly showed me her tall black boots she planned to wear as part of her pop star costume. So cute!  
 

 
As her daughter danced around the garage, practicing her moves for Halloween, the mom and I continued chatting. She mentioned she recently decided to switch from a vegetarian to a vegan diet, and she was trying to find a good yogurt substitute.

Somehow, my conversations with people always seem to meander their way to the topic of food…
 

 
“I’ve seen almondmilk-based yogurts in grocery stores in my hometown,” I shared. “I haven’t gotten a chance to explore places much since I moved, but it might be worth checking out!”

A few days later, she knocked on my door while holding a single-serving cup of Silk’s vanilla almondmilk yogurt alternative. “You were right!” she exclaimed. “I bought one for you to try, too!”

I have the sweetest neighbors!
 

 
So a couple weeks ago, when that same neighbor mentioned her spouse was stressed over finishing report cards before the school’s Spring Break, I wanted to make something sweet for them to enjoy… And since her young daughter is a huge chocoholic, just like I am, I thought these small-batch Healthy Mini Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes would be perfect!

These cupcakes are moist and tender, and they’re full of decadent chocolate flavor… But they contain no eggs, dairy, or refined flour — and they’re just 46 calories, including the fudgy chocolate frosting!
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Let’s go over how to make these low-calorie chocolate cupcakes! They start with white whole wheat flour (like this!) and cocoa powder (like this!) White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), and it has a lighter taste and texture than regular whole wheat flour, which comes from heartier red wheat. This makes white whole wheat flour perfect for these cupcakes because it lets the chocolate flavor really shine!

As for cocoa powder, you just need the regular unsweetened kind! Do not use dutched or special dark cocoa powder. Those actually have a different acidity level, which can affect the texture of your mini chocolate cupcakes. They also have a more muted flavor and don’t taste nearly as rich or chocolaty in this recipe.

Remember to measure the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale! (← That’s the one I have!) Too much of either will dry out your cupcake batter, and too much cocoa powder will also make your cupcakes taste bitter, rather than rich and decadent.
 

 
With just 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, the majority of these cupcakes’ tender texture comes from Silk’s vanilla almondmilk yogurt alternative! My neighbor and her daughter love eating it plain (or with some fresh fruit on top!), and I’ve found it works amazingly well in my baking recipes. And when we used Silk’s store locator, we realized lots of grocery stores near us stock it — a total win-win situation!

Instead of eggs, you’ll use a special baking trick… You’ll mix in a tiny bit of vinegar! It reacts with the baking soda to help these cupcakes rise and give them a really tender texture. It completely fooled my neighbors — they were totally shocked these chocolate cupcakes were eggless!
 

 
Before putting your batter in the mini muffin pan, you’ll use a second special baking trick of mine… You’ll coat the cupcake liners with cooking spray! Low-fat batters (like this one!) tend to stick to liners like superglue, but misting them with cooking spray first allows the liners to peel away much more easily.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, it’s time to top them with the fudgy chocolate frosting! I’m not a big frosting fan… But I’ll actually eat this one straight from the bowl with a spoon. That’s how much I love it! 😉

This chocolate frosting is so easy to make! You just stir together more cocoa powder (like this!), Silk’s unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a hint of vanilla extract, and some liquid stevia (like this!) for sweetness. That’s it! No butter or powdered sugar in this chocolate frosting, and no mixer required. Super simple!
 

 
I dropped off these cupcakes shortly before dinner, and although my neighbors tried to wait… Nobody could resist! All three of them sampled a chocolate cupcake before I left, and their eyes immediately lit up with their first bite. Everyone absolutely loved them!

And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your vegan chocolate cupcakes!

Healthy Mini Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 15 mini cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 17 minutes mins

Inactive Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 12 minutes mins

These cupcakes are perfect for any chocoholic! They taste really rich and decadent, similar to 72% dark chocolate, even with no butter, eggs, or refined flour! Leftover cupcakes will keep for at least 2 days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This small-batch recipe is easily doubled too!

5 from 8 votes

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Ingredients 

for the cupcakes

• ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• 6 tbsp (45g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 tsp coconut oil (melted)
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 2 tbsp (28g) Silk vanilla almondmilk yogurt alternative (room temperature)
• 5 tbsp (75mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
• ¼ cup (60mL) Silk unsweetened vanilla almondmilk (room temperature)

for the frosting

• 6 tbsp (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• ¼ cup (60mL) Silk unsweetened vanilla almondmilk
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste)

Instructions

• To prepare the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 15 mini muffin cups with paper liners, and coat the liners with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir in the Silk vanilla almondmilk yogurt alternative. Stir in the maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the almondmilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
• Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners. Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes or until the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting. Add the cocoa powder, almondmilk, vanilla extract, and vanilla stevia to a bowl. Stir until smooth and creamy. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, spread the chocolate frosting on top just before serving.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE: Make sure you measure the cocoa powder and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much will dry out your cupcakes and make them taste bitter.

 

GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS: For the gluten-free flour, use the following blend: ¼ cup (30g) millet flour, 1 tablespoon (7g) tapioca flour, 1 tablespoon (7g) brown rice flour, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this!) should work as well, if measured like this.

 

FLOUR SUBSTITUTIONS: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

 

IMPORTANT VINEGAR NOTE: Don’t skip the vinegar! It reacts with the baking soda to replace the eggs, make the cupcakes rise, and give them their really tender texture.

 

STEVIA NOTE: If you prefer not to use the liquid stevia in the frosting, then substitute ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup AND eliminate the unsweetened vanilla almondmilk.

 

TO MAKE STANDARD-SIZED CUPCAKES: Line 6 standard-sized muffin cups with paper liners, and coat the liners with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 20-22 minutes or until the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs attached.

 

For more substitutions, see the Nutrition Facts below.

 

{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points

This post was sponsored by Silk. As always, all text, photographs, recipe, and opinions are my own. Get a coupon for Silk’s dairy-free yogurt alternatives here, and visit their store locator here to find their products near you! (You can find all of their dairy-free yogurt alternative flavors here!)
 
 
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