My husband absolutely adores chocolate. When we converted to a plant-based lifestyle in late 2018, I searched far and wide for a chocolate dessert recipe that baked well, was not gooey in the middle, and had a frosting that would stand up in a warm setting. In addition, my requirement was that it did not include coconut milk or oil. When you are plant-based, coconut subs in for a lot but I didn’t want a cupcake that tasted like a Mounds bar. So I combined two recipes, fine-tuned the ingredients and created this chocolate black bean vegan cupcake recipe worthy of a special occasion. Like today. I’m sure I can find something to celebrate!
When it comes to a chocolate dessert, the better the ingredients, the better the final product. You may have chocolate products you love. So do I! Although America’s Test Kitchen did not rate Guittard as high as one other brand, I do prefer Guittard bittersweet chocolate chips and chocolate. The chocolate flavor is on the tongue of the taster. To each our own! I also love Valrhona cocoa powder. It is outstanding. I also enjoy a touch of midnight or onyx cocoa that is available online or your local spice shop. As a special note, you do not want to do a 1:1 substitute for midnight or onyx cocoa for Dutch-processed cocoa. Just substitute a tablespoon or so for your cocoa for a darker, richer color and flavor. If you don’t eat a lot of sweets and indulge from time to time, purchase the best chocolate you can. You’ll be glad you did!
Chocolate Black Bean Vegan Cupcakes
Equipment
- food processor
- stand or hand mixer
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup agave syrup
- 1/2 cup Liquid Egg Substitute (Just Egg)
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 TBl vanilla
- 1/2 cup mini bittersweet or semi sweet chips I used Ghirardelli 60%
- 1/2 tsp salt
Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup palm shortening
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cupcake Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- 2. In a food processor, add the rinsed and drained beans and agave syrup. Blend until smooth.
- 3. Add liquid egg substitute, milk and vanilla to a bowl. Stir until well-combined. Add to food processor and pulse until combines.
- 4. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. (flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.) Stir with a whisk until dry ingredients are incorporated. Alternatively, sift all ingredients into a bowl.
- 5. Add to food processor and pulse until just combined. Do not overprocess. You do not want gluten to form.
- 6. If the mixture is a bit thick depending on your weather, flour, etc, add a bit (1-2 TBL) more milk until the mixture looks like a boxed cake mix texture. You don't want lumps or too thin.
- 7. Fill cupcakes molds 3/4 full. 1 2 tsp of chocolate chips to each and gently swirl the chips into the cupcake batter.
- 8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. I check at 15 minutes since I am at altitude. I suggest the same. You don't want dry cupcakes! :-)
Frosting Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a stand mixer and blend on low for 30 seconds. Once the ingredients are blended, increase the speed. Beat until creamy. If you need to add a bit more milk to get the consistency you want, please do so. I err on the side of a thicker frosting to start. It's easier to add liquid than to add enough powdered sugar to correct a too-thin frosting result.
