Vegan Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange & Ginger

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

there’s a secret I’ve been fostering for quite some time now. I love vegan cupcakes — even more than “regular” cupcakes. Their flavor is intense, pure, and did I mention there’s none of that creaming and beating nonsense? They’re literally as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups water or cold freshly brewed coffee
1 cup neutral oil, such as canola
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
4 tablespoons zested orange peel
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 cup vegan margarine, softened and at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two standard cupcake tins with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the water, oil, vanilla, orange juice, ginger, and orange peel. Stir to combine. Add the vinegar and stir quickly. The batter will be slightly foamy and lighter in color as you mix in the vinegar. The batter will turn darker again; this is the sign that all the vinegar has been incorporated.
Fill the prepared cupcake tins 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top of a cupcake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes and place on wire rack until completely cool. Frost only after the cupcakes are cool.
To make the frosting, whip the margarine with a hand or stand mixer until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually whip in the soy milk, then the vanilla, orange juice, and salt and mix on high speed until lightened and creamy.
Frost the cupcakes. Refrigerate any unused frosting for up to a week.