These might be eggless but, you won't be able to tell the difference! These Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes are super moist and topped with a generous swirl of creamy chocolate buttercream frosting.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes shown with sprinkles on a cake plate

I like to call these my go-to-inclusive-bake because so many people have egg allergies! My sister is one of them, so these delicious cupcakes are great to make as an alternative to classic chocolate cupcake recipes for a special occasion when you want everyone to be able to enjoy them!

If you are looking for alternatives to this chocolate buttercream, try making these eggless cupcakes with this Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese Frosting or with this recipe for Raspberry Buttercream.

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Ingredients
Instructions for cupcakes
Instructions for frosting
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top tips for the perfect cupcake
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

To make these cupcakes you will need the below simple ingredients. Make sure you are using room temperature dairy; this is especially important for the buttercream frosting!

Sunflower oil
Granulated white sugar
Self-raising flour
Baking soda
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Salt
Full cream milk
Strong brewed coffee
White vinegar
Vanilla extract
Icing sugar
Unsalted butter

Cocoa powder - this recipe doesn't use any milk chocolate in the cake or in the buttercream. So, this means that you must make sure you are using a good quality cocoa powder to get a great-tasting cupcake and frosting.

Strong brewed coffee - for this recipe I use ground espresso beans and a French press to make a strong pot of coffee that I then use with the other wet ingredients. Make sure you are doing the same and using quality real coffee, as this enhances the chocolate flavor.

White vinegar - since this recipe doesn't include eggs, vinegar together with the baking soda is used to create tiny air bubbles which help the cupcake batter rise. For this recipe, I prefer using white vinegar but apple cider vinegar can also be used.

Find the quantities in the recipe card below

Instructions for cupcakes

These cupcakes are easy to make and this cupcake batter can be made in 15 minutes! Be sure to see my tips below on how to make sure you're baking the perfect cupcakes.

STEP 1: Beat oil and sugar. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment add the sugar and oil. Beat at medium speed until well combined.

STEP 2: Add the dry ingredients (except baking soda). Sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Add this to the oil and sugar mixture and beat until just combined.

STEP 3: Add the liquid ingredients. In a jug combine the milk, brewed coffee, and vanilla. Slowly pour this into the cupcake batter the with motor running at low speed. Once all of the wet ingredients have been added, switch off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.

STEP 4: Add the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the baking soda and vinegar together and fold this through the cupcake batter.

STEP 5: Fill and bake. Fill each cupcake case ¾ of the way up with cupcake batter, using an ice cream scoop to help you. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center of each cupcake. If it comes out clean the cupcakes are done baking.

Instructions for frosting

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting them. Be sure the butter is at room temperature before you start making the frosting recipe.

STEP 1: Beat butter, icing sugar, and cocoa powder. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and softened butter to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at medium-low speed until combined.

STEP 2: Add the milk and vanilla. In a jug combine the vanilla and milk together. With the motor of the mixer running at low speed slowly add the milk mixture to the icing sugar mixture. Continue beating until all of the milk has been added.

STEP 3: Beat until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the frosting again for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag with the frosting and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake.

Substitutions

These cupcakes can easily be made vegan, by following the below substitutions for the full cream milk and unsalted butter.

Full cream milk: This can be replaced with any milk alternatives, such as unsweetened soya milk or oat milk.

Unsalted butter: Plant butter can be used instead of unsalted butter. Choose not to add the milk to the buttercream frosting before properly whipping the plant butter and icing sugar together. If the frosting is still a little dry add a tablespoon of plant milk at a time to get the right consistency.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes shown on a counter top

Variations

These moist chocolate cupcakes are great with any of the buttercream frostings on the blog. You can try a Classic Vanilla Buttercream or even a Salted Caramel Frosting. Both work really well with these eggless cupcakes.

Equipment

You do not need any fancy equipment for this recipe; however, an electric mixer is ideal to whip the frosting. A stand mixer or a hand mixer, both work well.

You will also need two 12-hole cupcake trays and 20 cupcake liners.

Storage

Cupcakes cool pretty quickly so frost them the same day that they are baked. This help prevents them from drying out on the top. If you don't have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day as baking them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays in plastic wrap until the next day.

Once the cupcakes are frosted keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days out of direct sunlight. If the weather is particularly hot, choose to store them in the fridge and bring them to room temperature before eating them.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes shown close up

Top tips for the perfect cupcake

Be sure to test the true temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer
Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake
Always use room temperature ingredients.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them.
Make sure the buttercream frosting has beaten enough before decorating.

I hope you give this eggless cupcake recipe a try, I love this recipe because these cupcakes have a strong chocolate flavor and are simple to make! If you are looking for other eggless recipes try these Oreo Cupcakes or these Dark Chocolate Date Balls.

Let me know what you think of this wonderful recipe by commenting below and giving it a star rating. And don't forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram, I would love to see how your Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes came out!

Happy Baking

With Love,

Kitty

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes