Vegan Blood Orange Chocolate Cupcakes

I love love LOVE when things are naturally vegan – and this vegan blood orange chocolate cupcake recipe fits the bill. The fudgy, chocolatey and rich cupcake is naturally vegan, but I added a little something extra with an aquafaba whipped topping. Because how could I not? I LOVE BEANS.

But truly, this cupcake is what I love about baking. It’s simple, just the right amount of sweetness, and the blood orange adds just a touch of sophistication. Think of it as a vegan hostess cupcake, but all grown up.

Why blood orange?

Blood oranges are first, gorgeous, but also subtle. I’m not going to lie, the orange flavor in this vegan chocolate cupcake recipe is not overpowering. But it adds a small amount of depth and interest to the chocolate that you wouldn’t get without it. Plus it’s just gorgeous, I mean look at that topping!

The ingredients for this vegan chocolate cupcake

This vegan recipe is straightforward in terms of ingredients, so don’t get intimidated! Here’s everything you’ll need:

• 210 grams all-purpose (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 100 grams white sugar or superfine sugar (about 1/2 cup)
• 21 grams light brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons)
• 40 grams dutch processed cocoa (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon blood orange juice

The ingredients for the aquafaba whipped topping

Aquafaba is so magical because it’s the perfect vegan substitute for egg whites. If you’ve never used it in baking or in cocktails, you’re missing out. But don’t worry, this is your chance! Here’s all you need for the whipped topping:

• 118 grams aquafaba (the liquid from about 1 can of chickpeas, about 1/2 cup)
• 60 grams sugar (a little over 1/4 cup)

How to make this vegan chocolate cupcake batter

This recipe is all a matter of timing. Start the batter first, then finish the aquafaba topping while the cupcakes are baking. If you time everything just right, you’ll be at the cooling stage in under 30 minutes. It’s so simple, and that’s part of the reason I love it.

For the batter, begin like this:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Add the white sugar to a small blender (think Magic Bullet or Nutribullet) and pulse for a few seconds to make superfine sugar. Think of it as the middle ground between white sugar and powdered sugar. You can also just buy superfine sugar from the store, though it can be hard to find.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, superfine sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together the oil, water and orange juice.
• Pour the liquid ingredients in with the dry and use a spatula to mix until smooth.
• Pour the batter into either a greased or lined muffin pan, filling about 3/4 of the way up.

How to bake this vegan cupcake

The baking process is easy. In order to get the domed tops, we aren’t utilizing any tricks. We are just letting the high ratio of flour and liquid do the work for us!

Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes at 350°F, or until they have domed tops and you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

How to make the aquafaba whipped topping

This is my favorite part! But be warned, you might think your whipped topping is done long before it is actually done.

The aquafaba whips up quite quickly, but what you are looking for is a stiff, opaque, glossy aquafaba meringue. This will take a decent amount of time.

So while the cupcakes are baking, begin this process. In a stand mixer, add the aquafaba (chickpea liquid) and mix on medium-high for two minutes.
When it begins to look foamy and fluffy, begin adding sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to whip for another 6-8 minutes or until the aquafaba is stiff and glossy. It will get stiff early, but will still be foamy. Keep whipping to get the desired (glossy) result! Patience is key, and so worth it.

How to bring this vegan blood orange chocolate cupcake together

Now this is the one time that patience will come into play. You want the cupcakes to cool slightly before you add the whipped topping. Otherwise, it’ll be melt-city.

When the cupcakes are finished, let them cool to room temperature, it will take around 15 minutes. And then top with a generous layer of the whipped topping.
It’s optional, but you can add an orange slice for garnish and brûlée the whipped topping with a blowtorch. FUN!

Looking for other vegan baking recipes?

I have a few – here are some reader favorites from the blog!

Why is this vegan chocolate cupcake recipe in grams?

Baking, and vegan baking especially, is a very finicky and exact science. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, and not volume. As much as I wish I could give you multiple ways to measure ingredients, in this recipe measuring by cups might cause some volatility and miss-matched results. I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe fool-proof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this recipe.

And that’s it for this Vegan Blood Orange Chocolate Cupcakes!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3