Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

I can't believe these are eggless chocolate cupcakes! That's what you'll say when you taste one. I promise. They're rich, moist, and decadent. You won't miss the egg one bit.

It's been our go-to vegan cupcake recipe since we found out our daughter was allergic to eggs and dairy many years ago. Since then, this easy recipe has made lots of "wacky" cupcakes (and cakes).

It's the birthday cake everyone requests, even if they don't have dietary restrictions. We dress it up with sprinkles for holidays, like Valentine's Day, July 4th, and Christmas. We even make egg-free, dairy-free Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes that are perfect for fall.

These chocolaty cupcakes have a light, spongy texture. They absolutely don't require frosting. Simply top them with chocolate chips or powdered sugar. But you'll find our go-to chocolate frosting recipe below for those occasions when you're ready to impress.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Directions
• Top Tips
• Ways to Decorate Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes
• Make-Ahead and Storage
• More Eggless Treats
• 📋 Recipe

Ingredients

This eggless chocolate cupcake recipe originated during the depression era, which is why you won't find eggs or dairy. But here's what you will need:

• Flour - We opt for unbleached flour or white whole wheat flour. All-purpose flour will work just fine too.
• Sugar - We used granulated sugar for the cupcakes pictured. Occasionally, I substitute half the sugar for a sweetener alternative, like a Stevia blend. They are still tasty but don't seem to rise quite as much.
• Unsweetened cocoa - For a super chocolaty cupcake, use dark chocolate cocoa. If you splurge for a high-end brand like Ghiradelli or Valrhona, you won't regret it. However, we usually make this with Hershey's cocoa powder.
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Water
• Canola oil or vegetable oil - We have used mild olive oil and avocado oil too.
• Vanilla extract - Substitute with other extracts, like peppermint or orange, for a different flavor profile.
• Vinegar - White distilled vinegar reacts with the baking soda and makes these cupcakes rise beautifully. Apple cider vinegar can be used instead.

Directions

Below are the simple instructions to make the best egg-free chocolate cupcakes:

1. Mix the dry ingredients together.
2. Next, add the wet ingredients and stir to combine. The batter should be smooth, thin, and runny. There's no need to use beaters. Just stir with a whisk until well-blended.
3. Spritz paper cupcake inserts with cooking spray and fill each one about ⅔ full.
4. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is firm but still spongy. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin pan for several minutes, and then remove them to a wire rack to completely cool.

Top Tips

Over the course of making these eggless cupcakes thousands of times, we have come up with a few top tips:

• Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and then leveling the top with a knife. If the flour is packed from scooping, you end up with too much flour, and the cupcakes are dense.
• Shake the cocoa powder through a sifter when adding it so there are no little clumps in the dry ingredients. This makes it much easier to achieve a smooth batter once the wet ingredients are added.
• Let the cupcakes cool for about 30 minutes before eating or decorating. I'll admit we often violate this suggestion. When we do, the cupcakes are not fully firmed-up. So, wait!

Ways to Decorate Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

These eggless chocolate cupcakes are a bit unique in that no frosting is necessary. They are truly that delicious. But, decorating them is fun and will turn this recipe into a show-stopping dessert.

I hope you are inspired by these photos and ideas.

Chocolate chips

Sprinkle a few over the top of the batter in the muffin tin. We used egg-free, dairy-free chocolate chips for the cupcake pictured. White chocolate or peanut butter chips would be nice too.

Sometimes, I submerge a chunk of chocolate or diced strawberry into the batter of a cupcake...for a happy surprise. 🙂

Powdered Sugar

Sprinkle powdered sugar on just before serving; otherwise, it melts into the chocolate...which I'm not so sure is a bad thing.

Dairy-free Frosting and Sprinkles

We made Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting using plant-based butter sticks and dairy-free milk to frost these cupcakes. However, several commercially made frostings are egg and dairy free, including many made by Pillsbury.

Take your pick from all the gorgeous sprinkles you will find at the store. They are generally vegan too.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Once you fall in love with these eggless chocolate cupcakes, you will want to have the dry mix on hand.

• Make-Ahead - Add the dry ingredients to jars, containers, or sealing bags while you have everything out.
• Room Temperature - Unfrosted cupcakes stay fresh for about 2 days in an airtight container. Frosted cupcakes should be refrigerated or frozen.
• Refrigerator - Cupcakes tend to dry out in the fridge, but can be stored in an airtight container for about a week. The better option is to wait and frost them just before they are served.
• Freezer - Store cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. They freeze beautifully and will defrost on the counter in about an hour.

More Eggless Treats

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📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on December 12, 2013 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.