Description
Delight in these decadent Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cupcakes that are both vegan and gluten-free. Moist chocolate cupcakes baked with rich coffee and topped with luscious dairy-free fudge sauce, creamy pink berry frosting, and chocolate-covered strawberries, perfect for a special treat or celebration.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 120ml plant-based milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 100g light brown sugar
- 80g caster sugar
- 90g thick dairy-free yoghurt
- 60g Natures Charm Sweetened Condensed Oat Milk
- 60ml light olive oil
- 210g plain or gluten-free plain flour
- 30g cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
- 150ml hot coffee
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 12 strawberries
- 80g dark chocolate
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp freeze-dried berry pieces (optional)
Frosting
- 100g dairy-free butter, room temperature
- 300g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp pink berry powder
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Filling
- 12 tbsp Natures Charm Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tray: Preheat your oven to 160ºC fan/180ºC conventional and line a 12-cup muffin tray with cupcake cases.
- Curdle Plant-based Milk: Mix the plant-based milk with apple cider vinegar and leave it for 5 minutes to curdle, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the curdled milk, light brown sugar, caster sugar, dairy-free yoghurt, sweetened condensed oat milk, and light olive oil until combined and smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Coffee: Sift the plain/gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt into the wet mixture. Begin whisking while gradually pouring in hot coffee to form a smooth, runny batter with no lumps.
- Divide Batter: Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to evenly fill each cupcake liner about three-quarters full with batter.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until the cupcakes have risen well and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Remove from the oven, take them out of the tray immediately, and transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Melt dark chocolate with coconut oil in a heatproof bowl using a microwave or over simmering water. Dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate, let excess drip, then place on parchment paper.
- Set Strawberries: Optional: sprinkle freeze-dried berry pieces over the dipped strawberries, then refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.
- Make Frosting: Beat the dairy-free butter in a freestanding mixer until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar, pink berry powder, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract, beating continuously.
- Fluff Frosting: Continue beating for 1-2 minutes after all ingredients are combined to achieve a light, fluffy texture.
- Prepare Piping Bag: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle for decorating.
- Core Cupcakes and Fill: Remove cores from the cooled cupcakes and fill each cavity with 1 tbsp of chocolate fudge sauce. Replace the tops back on the cupcakes.
- Decorate: Pipe frosting generously over each cupcake and finish by placing a chocolate-covered strawberry on top.
- Serve or Store: Enjoy immediately or store in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Best served at room temperature. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 1 month and thawed before decorating.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour to ensure the cupcakes are gluten-free.
- Plant-based milk can be almond, soy, oat, or any preferred non-dairy milk.
- Freeze-dried berry pieces are optional for extra texture and visual appeal.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a plastic sandwich bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the frosting.
- Allow cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving if refrigerated to enhance flavor and texture.
- These cupcakes can be made a day ahead; store frosting separately if possible to keep it fresh.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
