Light, moist, and very chocolatey, these easy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes are dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan. They'll improve any day that needs a special treat!
Why this recipe works
- Light, moist, and fluffy chocolate cupcakes made in one bowl, and you don't need a mixer
- These cupcakes are egg-free and dairy-free, so they're suitable for those on a vegan diet
- Serve them plain (dusted with powdered sugar), or dress them up with frosting
Oil & Vinegar Cake. That's what my family calls Eggless Chocolate Cake.
That's because it's...uhm...a chocolate cake made with vinegar and oil (and other good stuff, I assure you!). With no eggs or butter required (and no mixer), this recipe for chocolate cake is so easy to throw together that I make it on a weekday when I want to treat the family.
Another great thing about this one-bowl chocolate cake recipe is that it's easily scalable. And since right now there's only two of us at home, I figured that making six cupcakes instead of a full cake would be better, portion-control-wise. Plus, cupcakes are fun!
So I present to you One-Bowl Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes.
By the way, this same eggless chocolate cake recipe (scaled down by four) is how you make a quick Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake. That's right, a single serving cake cooked in the microwave in 2 minutes. How cool is that!
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What you need
This eggless cupcake recipe uses basic ingredients that are probably in your pantry right now. You'll need the standards: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda (not baking powder!), canola oil, vanilla, and salt.
However, there's an ingredient you may not expect: white vinegar. This is what reacts with the baking soda to leaven the cupcakes. And you'll notice that this is a cupcake recipe without eggs. Because the vinegar lightens the batter and the canola oil adds moisture, you don't need eggs in these cupcakes.
You can use regular cocoa powder like I did. But if you want a more intense chocolate flavor, try using dark chocolate cocoa powder and one teaspoon of espresso powder instead.
How to make egg-free cupcakes
This chocolate cupcake recipe is so easy to make, you need only one bowl and no mixer.
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt (photo 1). For best results, use a sifter to remove the lumps from the flour and cocoa powder.
Step 2: Stir in the wet ingredients
Add the canola oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour in the boiling water and stir until the batter is smooth (photo 2).
Step 3: Bake the cupcakes
Using a large cookie scoop, portion about ¼ cup of the batter into the wells of a standard muffin pan sprayed with baking spray or lined with cupcake liners, filling each well ⅔ full. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to shake out any bubbles.
Bake at 350˚F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean (photo 3). Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions that you might have...
No! The flavor is dominated by the chocolate. Using dark chocolate cocoa powder and espresso powder will intensify this flavor even more.
Sure! You can experiment with flavors for the oil, keeping in mind the effect will be subtle. Different vinegars will have different acidities, so while the flavor may or may not be altered much, the amount the cupcakes rise can be affected.
Yes! See my Eggless Chocolate Cake recipe for complete instructions.
Pro Tip: Make your cupcakes extra special
What if you have a special celebration in mind? Top the cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting! The cupcakes will no longer be dairy-free if you frost them using this recipe, so be aware.
Have your butter softening on the counter while you make the cupcake batter, then whip up the frosting while they're in the oven. Once they're completely cooled and frosted, you've got chocolate cupcakes perfect for any party. And if it is a party, don't forget the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!
These cupcakes are light, moist, and fluffy, and are so much better than any boxed mix. Remember, any day can be a celebration, especially when there's chocolate cupcakes around!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
When you pair cake and frosting, the results are magical. Try these fun ideas for cake!
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Recipe
One-Bowl Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted, see Recipe Notes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar, or cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup water, boiling
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a standard muffin pan with baking spray or line with cupcake liners, and set aside. For best results, use a sifter to remove the lumps from the flour and cocoa powder.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the canola oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour in the boiling water and stir until the batter is smooth.
- Using a large cookie scoop, portion about ¼ cup of the batter into the wells of the prepared cupcake pan, filling each well ⅔ full. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to shake out any bubbles.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving, or frost with chocolate buttercream frosting.
- You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes by putting them on a tray until firm, then in a ziplock container. They'll keep for about 3 months.
- This recipe is easily halved to make six cupcakes.
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