Description
These vegan chocolate cupcakes are made with stout beer, filled with whiskey spiked chocolate cream, and topped with a homemade vegan Irish cream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cupcakes:
- 3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
- 3 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 1 cup stout beer (for a list of vegan stouts, click here )
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or non-hydrogerated vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup agave or maple syrup
- 2/3 cup plain non dairy yogurt
- Filling:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp whiskey
- Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups plain vegan cream cheese alternative
- 3 tbsp coconut oil at room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6-7 tbsp vegan "Irish cream" (recipe follows)
- Vegan "Irish Cream" (makes 1 cup):
- 1 cup vanilla non-dairy coconut creamer
- 1/4 cup espresso (equivalent to 2 shots) or strong brewed coffee
- 2 1/2 tbsp whiskey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 18 muffin tins with foil liners and coat them with cooking spray
- To make the vegan Irish Cream:
- Combine the creamer and coffee in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, whisk in the whiskey and vanilla extract and set aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use (it will thicken as it cools). Shake well before using
- To make the cupcakes:
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk and ground flax. Set aside
- Bring the stout and coconut oil to simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt
- Using an electric mixer, beat the flax mixture, non-dairy yogurt and agave at medium speed. Slowly pour in the stout-chocolate mixture and mix until combined
- Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined ( do not overmix!)
- Fill liners about 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake at 350F for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely
- To make the filling:
- Make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a sauce pan, bringing the mixture to a boil and stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and whiskey and mix until smooth and creamy
- To make the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the vegan cream cheese alternative, coconut oil and confectioners' sugar. Carefully, add the cocoa powder and Irish cream, alternating each one, one tablespoon at a time. Refrigerate until ready to use
- To assemble the cupcakes:
- Using a melon baller, cut out the center of the cupcakes (go about 2/3 of the way down, without cutting the bottom), saving the centerpieces
- Fill the cupcakes about 2/3 of the way with chocolate-whiskey filling and top with the reserved center pieces
- Spread or pipe frosting on top and drizzle with leftover chocolate filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve
Notes
Need to make these alcohol free? Here's how:
- For the chocolate cupcake batter, use seltzer water instead of stout
- For the filling, use coffee, water or plant milk instead of whisky
- For the frosting, skip the Irish Cream and use coffee or plant milk instead
- Prep Time: 35 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 353
- Sugar: 34
- Sodium: 193
- Fat: 14.1
- Saturated Fat: 9.1
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 53.2
- Fiber: 3.8
- Protein: 4.4
- Cholesterol: 0