Rich vegan chocolate cupcakes with a purple lavender buttercream frosting. These delicate floral cakes would make an excellent Mother's Day treat or as part of an afternoon tea.
Firstly, please excuse my non-professional icing skills. It's never been my forte, I'm afraid but I promise it tastes really good!
That's the most important thing, right?
I've also tested her recipe using gluten-free flour and it works very well, I'm pleased to report.
So feel free to use equal amounts of gluten-free flour for these cupcakes if you wish to make them gluten-free.
The cupcakes are rich, despite the chocolate flavour coming from just cocoa powder alone, and fluffy yet gooey. Chocolate cupcake perfection!
You could even serve these as part of a vegan afternoon tea for your mum.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Lavender Cupcakes
Delicate lavender paired with bitter-sweet chocolate makes for a dreamy flavour combination in these pretty vegan cupcakes. This recipe has been tested with gluten-free flour too, if you prefer to make them gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 175 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder + ½ tsp bicarbonate soda
- A pinch of salt
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 225 g light brown sugar
- 275 ml hot water
- 60 ml sunflower oil, or other mild-tasting vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
For the lavender buttercream
- 1 tbsp dried lavender buds + extra for decoration
- 125 g good-tasting dairy-free butter
- 250 g confectioner's sugar
- A small amount of natural violet food dye, optional
Instructions
To make the buttercream frosting
- Heat 2 tbsp of the dairy-free butter in a small saucepan with the lavender buds. Strain and allow the butter to re-solidfy in the fridge or freezer.
- Once the butter has set again, mix it with the rest of the butter in a stand mixer along with the powdered sugar and a small amount of purple food dye until you have a thick, fluffy buttercream. Keep refrigerated until use.
To make the chocolate cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180c. / 350f. and line a muffin tray with 12 cases.
- Mix the first five ingredients together until well combined.
- Stir in the remaining wet ingredients until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
- Divide the mixture equally between the 12 muffin cases and bake for 15 minutes. Use a cake tester or skewer to test the middle of the cupcakes come out clean. If not, bake for a further 5 minutes.
- Leave to cool before frosting.
- Transfer the frosting to a icing bag and pipe on top of the cupcakes. Decorate with dried lavender buds and serve!
Casey says
Sounds so good! But... I don't know how to measure things in grams and milliliters. Do you use a kitchen scale for that? Would you happen to know the conversions in cups? Thank you!
Aimee says
Hi Casey, so sorry for the late response! I'm afraid if it's not in the recipe, then it means I haven't tested the cup measurements. You would have to google the measurements or use a kitchen scale. Sorry I can't be more help and let me know if you make it!
Katie says
These look so good - can't wait to give them a go! :)
Aimee says
Thanks Katie! Please let me know how they turn out :-)
Vicky says
These are so pretty Aimee! I'm not a great lover of lavender in my food but I could be tempted by these cupcakes.
Aimee says
thank you, Vicky!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
This is the most beautiful dainty creation I've seen! One of those times where I'm not sure if I want to eat it or save it because it's so pretty...but of course I would probably end up eating it because chocolate <3 They are perfect Aimee!
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
Appalling icing skills? Are you kidding me? If I could pipe a swirl that good, I would be ecstatic!
The cakes are beautiful and sound delicious! x