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Home » Dairy Free » Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting (Vegan, Gluten Free).

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting (Vegan, Gluten Free).

Sep 29, 2014 · Modified: Oct 2, 2017 by Kelly Roenicke · 42 Comments

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Easy and delicious vegan chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting. These are simple to make and perfec for a party!

Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting are the perfect treat for any birthday party! These are vegan and gluten free and so decadent!

Perfect chocolate cupcakes wtih vanilla bean frosting. What could be better than that? Gluten free and vegan recipe.

Oh my word.

It happened. Something I thought would happen eventually with two boys. We had our first broken bone this weekend. :(

Poor Baby Bee ran down the hallway, his brother started after him, and boom, down Baby Bee went and from the way he screamed, I knew something was really wrong. Once we got him to calm down a bit, he tried to stand, and he said, “I can’t! I can’t stand!” and crumpled to the ground. Ugh! It was awful. Off to the ER we went, and the doctor suspects a break in the growth plate in his lower leg. So he has a HUGE hard cast on his little leg – all the way up to the hip. My poor baby!

So now we have to follow up next week with the orthopedic doctor and then we’ll find out how long the cast will be on. There is a possibility that it’s not as bad is it seems, and the cast won’t have to be on for as long, so we are praying for that!

I hope that your weekend was better than mine! And if not, maybe some chocolate cupcakes will cheer you up?

These classic chocolate cupcakes are so easy to whip up. I’ve made them with regular flour and with gluten free flour, and they work very well both ways. I’ve made these with King Arthur Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour, as well as Namaste Perfect Flour blend and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Blends.

This buttercream frosting is made a little bit more special with the addition of vanilla bean. If you don’t have a vanilla bean on hand, you could substitute a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. But I do like seeing the tiny little flecks of vanilla bean in the frosting. It makes me happy.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Perfect chocolate cupcakes wtih vanilla bean frosting. What could be better than that? Gluten free and vegan recipe.
4 from 2 votes
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Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting.

Easy gluten free vegan chocolate cupcakes with creamy vanilla bean frosting.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, vegan.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 358 kcal
Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend all purpose flour works well if you are not Gluten Free
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar or regular sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • â…“ cup organic canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup water

For the vanilla bean frosting:

  • 3 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread
  • 2-3 Tablespoons non-dairy milk
  • 4 cups powdered sugar I prefer the corn free kind from Whole Foods
  • ½ vanilla bean pod inside scraped out to get the seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Add the oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
  4. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about â…” full.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
  6. Cool in pan, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the vegan buttery spread and the vanilla bean on medium speed. Add one cup of the powdered sugar and continue to beat. Add a little of the non-dairy milk, then more powdered sugar, and keep alternating until all the powdered sugar is in the mixing bowl. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more non-dairy milk.
  8. Frost cooled cupcakes. Store the frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting.
Amount per Serving
Calories
358
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Sodium
 
215
mg
9
%
Potassium
 
62
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
69
g
23
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
56
g
62
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
 
140
IU
3
%
Calcium
 
20
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1.1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Batter adapted from here.

These vegan chocolate cupcakes are:

  • perfect for a birthday party
  • a delicious treat to bake with your kids
  • a decadent dessert that’s free of the top allergens

Easy and delicious vegan chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting. These are simple to make and perfect for a party! #vegan #glutenfree #cupcakes

So how was your weekend? Did you do any baking? Any ER trips? (I hope not!)

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Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, food, Nut Free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegan Tagged With: chocolate, Dairy Free, easy recipe, Egg Free, Fish Free, Garlic Free, Gluten Free, Legume Free, Mustard Free, Nightshade Free, Onion Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kelly Roenicke
Kelly Roenicke
Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
Kelly Roenicke
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Madison

    April 26, 2016 at 12:44 am

    I found this recipe while desperately searching for a gf vegan cupcake recipe (had woken up this morning craving cupcakes & I had no choice but to satisfy that craving. You know how it goes!) and I have got to tell you: this recipe may have actually changed my life. Literally the BEST dessert I’ve had in a year, and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out! I recently developed IBS, gluten & lactose intolerances, which gradually progressed into a meat intolerance as well. And girl, lemme tell ya: desserts on that sort of diet can be royally disappointing. But hot damn, these cupcakes were PHENOMENAL. I’m so impressed that I had to retrace my steps back to your blog and leave a very excited comment. Thanks for posting this recipe! I’ll likely invite you to all of my major life events now; it’s only fair. Seriously, thank you!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      May 04, 2016 at 10:22 am

      Oh, I’m so glad to hear that these were a big hit! Thank you for your comment, you made my day! :)

      Reply
  2. susan

    July 06, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    just made the frosting…used flax milk (my son has nut allergies) instead of almond milk. it was delicious!!! so thank you. i have a question about storage…have you ever frozen the frosting for future use? or does that change the consistency? also, how long does it usually last in the fridge? my son has multiple food allergies, so i usually have a stash of cupcake in the freezer i can pull out and frost whenever there’s a birthday party he is going to. thanks in advance for your reply.

    susan :)

    Reply
    • Kelly

      July 07, 2015 at 9:18 pm

      So glad you liked the frosting! I have actually frozen frosted cupcakes before for a couple months and they were just fine! I don’t usually keep it in the fridge longer than 5 days. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Kaitlin @ TheGardenGrazer

    December 09, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    Hi Kelly! I just made these for my mom’s birthday and they were a hit :) Thank you so much for the recipe!!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      December 14, 2014 at 12:23 am

      Awesome! Thank you for letting me know!

      Reply
  4. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    October 14, 2014 at 1:57 am

    Kelly these cupcakes look incredible! I try to eat vegan and create vegan recipes as much as possible.. but I have never made a vegan cupcake before. You definitely have inspired me to recreate the recipe. Thanks for sharing it – I love the vanilla bean and almond milk frosting especially.

    Reply
    • Kelly

      October 14, 2014 at 11:00 am

      Thanks, Thalia! I hope you love them if you give them a try!

      Reply
  5. Megan | Allergy Free Alaska

    October 02, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    Awe! So sorry to hear about your little guy! :( Praying he has a speedy recovery and that it heals perfectly.
    Hugs!
    Megan

    Reply
  6. genevieve y

    September 30, 2014 at 10:07 am

    I hope your son feels better soon! I’m sure these cupcakes managed to cheer him up a bit :)

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 10:54 pm

      Thanks, Genevieve!

      Reply
  7. Sarah@wholeandheavenlyoven

    September 30, 2014 at 7:49 am

    Oh, NO!! So sorry to hear that about your little guy! Praying for a smooth and easy recovery for him!
    And these cupcakes are totally gorgeous! Love how soft and moist they look and I kinda want to eat that bee-yotiful frosting with a spoon. :)

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:29 am

      Thank you, Sarah! It was rough! His attitude is so good, though, I’m so proud of him!

      Reply
  8. Arman @ thebigmansworld

    September 30, 2014 at 5:11 am

    Argh- that’s rough, Kelly! Hope he’s on the mend!

    ….I kind of want to dance with that frosting.

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:29 am

      Thanks, Arman! :)

      Reply
  9. Valya @ Valya's Taste of Home says

    September 29, 2014 at 8:14 pm

    Ran into your blog…. I’m sorry to hear that. Poor baby. How old is he? I have kids of my own. I really feel for you. I hope recovery goes good and fast!!! Cupcakes look lovely!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:31 am

      He’s two and a half, so I wasn’t expecting any broken bones so soon! Too young. He’s been scooting around on his bottom, which is really cute. Glad you found my blog! Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  10. PumpkinnSpice

    September 29, 2014 at 4:06 pm

    These cupcakes look incredible, Kelly! Such a classic flavor that is so delicious. I’m loving that vanilla bean frosting too, only the best, in my opinion! :)

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:31 am

      Thank you! :)

      Reply
  11. Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits

    September 29, 2014 at 12:44 pm

    I hope your son gets well soon!

    These cupcakes look great!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:32 am

      Thank you, Lisa!

      Reply
  12. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely

    September 29, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    Oh no! Your poor little boy! And the cast goes all the way up to his hip? Yikes! That’s going to make walking around very tricky. Hope he heals quickly.

    I bet these cupcakes helped to cheer him up. They look delicious!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:32 am

      Thanks, Natalie! He’s been scooting around on his bottom. He is actually surprisingly fast!

      Reply
  13. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    September 29, 2014 at 11:35 am

    Oh no! Sorry to hear about your son.

    This frosting sounds amazing. I want to put it on everything.

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:33 am

      Thanks, Dannii! :)

      Reply
  14. Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen

    September 29, 2014 at 9:20 am

    Oh no! I hope your little one is better soon and doesn’t have to wear that cast for long! That must be so, so hard. I bet one of these cupcakes would cheer him up. :) And those little flecks of vanilla bean make me happy too!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:36 am

      Thanks, Kristine! I hope the cast isn’t on long, it’s definitely awkward. Poor guy.

      Reply
  15. Julia

    September 29, 2014 at 8:59 am

    Oh nooooo! I’m so sorry to hear about the accident! Sounds like a painful one for all parties involved. Broken bones are definitely no fun, but it sounds like your son has so much care, love, and support to get him back to normal soon. In the meantime, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind being doted on with your tasty chocolate cupcakes!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      September 30, 2014 at 8:37 am

      Thanks, Julia! It wasn’t a fun day, that’s for sure! Ugh.

      Reply
  16. Shannon Y-I-V

    September 29, 2014 at 8:43 am

    Sorry to hear about your son’s broken bone… hope he has a speedy recovery! I do not have kids of my own so I can only imagine how hard it is to see your little one in pain. On the plus side, these cupcakes look amazing! And I’m with you – I love seeing little flecks of vanilla bean in things. :)

    Reply
Newer Comments »

Trackbacks

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