Avocado Chocolate Cupcakes

Oh avocados, what can’t you do? Aside from putting avocado on sandwiches, salads, and lunch bowls, I’ve also used it in soft pretzels, key lime pie, and potstickers. But probably my all-time favorite avocado trick is substituting them for oil or margarine in cupcakes! Today I’m sharing my avocado chocolate cupcakes recipe.

These are my favorite vegan chocolate cupcakes, period. They are nice and moist and just a bit fudgy, and they’re sooooorta healthy. Sorta. So it’s the best of both worlds!

You can even make these cupcakes completely oil-free if you fancy – though, I do recommend adding just a touch of oil for the best possible texture. I’ve prepared them both ways with successful results. They’re also whole grain and modern wheat-free thanks to the use of spelt flour. (That does NOT mean they are gluten-free, but some people have a sensitivity specifically to wheat so these may be appropriate for those folks). You can use all-purpose flour instead if you want.

To top them off I sprinkled more vegan chocolate chips – I cannot get enough of the Enjoy Life chocolate chips. I feel like I steal a few from the bag to munch on every time I walk past the kitchen… and I also frosted the cupcakes with a peanut butter chocolate ganache that I’ve been playing with. If you really want an airy topping then I would stick with your favorite vegan frosting/buttercream recipe, but I am more than happy with a layer of rich, peanut buttery chocolate.

I actually shared this recipe back in the dark early days of my blog, aka 2013. I’ve come a long way since then, in many aspects of blogging ranging from photography to recipe writing. But seriously, those pictures though.. *Shudder*. I have disappeared them from the internet forever and don’t regret my decision. These days I still find chocolate exceedingly difficult to photograph nicely. The updated pictures were a still struggle, BUT, at least now (unlike in that old post) you can get a basic sense of the appearance and texture of the cupcakes.

Over time I have also made a few more tweaks to the recipe, including reducing the baking powder, measuring the volume of the avocado, specifying temperatures of certain things, and changing the way the batter is mixed. These things lead to a slightly more delicious avocado chocolate cupcake than ever before, which is saying a lot because I already loved them.

5 from 1 vote

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Avocado Chocolate Cupcakes

Moist, fudgy avocado chocolate cupcakes, with avocado replacing the butter or oil. Easy vegan recipe.

Course Dessert

Cuisine oil-free, vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Total Yield 12 cupcakes

Calories Per Serving 117 kcal

Ingredients

Wet ingredients:

• 3/4 cups plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy milk is preferred)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee room temperature
• 3/4 cup cane sugar (I used Florida Crystals brand)
• 1/3 cup avocado puree or very well-mashed avocado room temperature (about 1/2 large or 1 medium avocado)
• 1 and 1/2 tbsp neutral oil (or substitute applesauce or additional avocado; I used sunflower seed oil)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

Dry ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp spelt flour (or substitute all-purpose flour)
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Other ingredients:

• frosting or icing of choice (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line or grease a cupcake tin.
2. Stir together the nondairy milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit while you mix the dry ingredients.
3. Sift together all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until fully combined.
4. In a blender, combine the milk and vinegar with the rest of the wet ingredients and blend until smooth. Alternately, mix the ingredients together with a fork or whisk until very smooth.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms.
6. Fill the cupcake slots most of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before frosting them.

Nutrition Facts

Avocado Chocolate Cupcakes

Amount Per Serving (1 cupcake)

Calories 117 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 133mg 6%

Potassium 84mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 13g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin C 1%

Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Avocado chocolate cupcakes adapted from my previous recipe and Isa’s basic chocolate cake.

Have a great weekend!