These Vegan Blackberry Chocolate Cupcakes are rich, tender, moist, chocolaty, and easy to make. They are topped with blackberry frosting made with homemade blackberry jam. Dairy-free, egg-free.

THESE BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES ARE

vegan
dairy-free
egg-free
rich
chocolaty
light
fluffy
moist
tender
easy to make
naturally colored
topped with blackberry frosting
delicious vegan dessert

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

You need the following ingredients to make these vegan blackberry chocolate cupcakes (the exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

Unsweetened almond milk – In combination with apple cider vinegar, it creates vegan buttermilk, which improves the texture of cupcakes. Use any plant-based milk of your choice, such as oat, soy, or cashew milk. Make sure it has room temperature.
Apple cider vinegar – helps to activate the baking soda. You can also use lemon juice.
All-purpose flour – keeps the cupcakes light and fluffy because of its fine texture. Sift the flour to avoid lumps in the batter.
Cocoa powder – Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
Cornstarch – improves the texture.
Baking powder and baking soda – leaven the cake batter.
Sea salt – balances the sweetness.
Granulated sugar
Sunflower oil – improves the texture and makes the cupcakes moist. You can also use canola oil or any oil neural in flavor.
Vegan yogurt – adds moisture to a batter and makes the cupcakes super moist. Use plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt. Make sure the yogurt has room temperature. Apple sauce should work as well instead of vegan yogurt.
Frozen blackberries – or use fresh blackberries for the jam.
Lemon juice – adds acid to the jam.
Unsalted vegan butter – Use vegan butter that has around 75-80% fat. Let the butter soften at room temperature before making the frosting.
Powdered sugar – Sift the sugar to avoid lumps in the frosting.
Blue spirulina powder – for more purple color. Optional ingredient.

Equipment you need:

Cupcake (muffin) pan
12 cupcake liners
Medium size bowl
Two large bowls
Whisk
Silicon spatula
Cooling rack
Saucepan
Fine mesh sieve
Hand mixer (or stand mixer) – to make the frosting
Piping bag and piping star tip

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

You will find the instructions and ingredients list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Step: Preheat the oven and prepare the pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. Step: Make vegan buttermilk

To unsweetened almond milk, add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice). Mix and set aside.

3. Step: Combine dry ingredients

In a medium-size bowl, using a whisk, combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of sea salt. Set aside.

4. Step: Make cupcake batter

To a large bowl, add granulated sugar, sunflower oil, and vegan yogurt, and whisk to combine. Add in vegan buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Sift in dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

5. Step: Bake the cupcakes

Divide the batter evenly into 12 cupcake liners. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If it looks wet, bake for about 5 minutes longer.

Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting. If the cupcakes are still warm, the frosting will melt.

6. Step: Make blackberry jam

To a saucepan, add frozen blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice and bring it to boil over medium heat. You can mash the blackberries with a spoon. Boil and stir for about 8 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

Press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (you should end up with about 3 tablespoons of jam). Place in the fridge to chill.

7. Step: Make blackberry frosting

Add soft vegan butter to a large bowl (alternatively, add the vegan butter to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) and cream with a hand mixer on high speed until fluffy and lighter in color for about 2-3 minutes. Sift in powdered sugar, and mix until incorporated. Add in blueberry jam and mix until fully combined. If desired, add blue spirulina powder to make the frosting more purple.

8. Step: Assemble the cupcakes

Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe a swirl of blackberry frosting onto each cupcake. Top with fresh blackberries.

Serve immediately or store them in the fridge in an airtight container.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

HOW TO STORE BLACKBERRY CUPCAKES?

Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge.

HOW LONG DO VEGAN BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES LAST?

Blackberry cupcakes will last for about 4-5 days in the airtight container in the fridge.

CAN YOU FREEZE BLACKBERRY CUPCAKES?

To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, place than in an airtight container or plastic zip-lock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, let them thaw at room temperature. Then frost the cupcakes.

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING:

If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment below, as well as giving a rating so that others may find this recipe. Also, share your photo on Instagram and tag @plantifulbakery.

Happy baking!

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes:

180 ml unsweetened almond milk, room temperature, (or any plant-based milk)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
180 g all-purpose flour
40 g cocoa powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
135 g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
120 ml (1/2 cup) sunflower oil , (or canola oil)
60 g (¼ cup) plain vegan yogurt, unsweetened

Blackberry Jam:

230 g (2 cups) frozen blackberries
3 tbsp (40g) sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Blackberry Frosting:

350 g unsalted vegan butter, softened *
160 g powdered sugar
3 tbsp blackberry jam
¾ tsp blue spirulina powder, optional

Decoration (optional):

fresh blackberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven and prepare the pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.

Make vegan buttermilk

To unsweetened almond milk, add apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice). Mix and set aside.

Make cupcake batter

In a medium-size bowl, using a whisk, combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of sea salt. Set aside.
To a large bowl, add granulated sugar, sunflower oil, and vegan yogurt, and whisk to combine. Add in vegan buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Sift in dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Bake the cupcakes

Divide the batter evenly into 12 cupcake liners. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If it looks wet, bake for about 5 minutes longer.
Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Make blackberry jam

To a saucepan, add frozen blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice and bring it to boil over medium heat. You can mash the blackberries with a spoon. Boil and stir for about 8 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
Press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (you should end up with about 3 tablespoons of jam). Place in the fridge to chill.

Make blackberry frosting

Add soft vegan butter to a large bowl (alternatively, add the vegan butter to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) and cream with a hand mixer on high speed until fluffy and lighter in color for about 2-3 minutes. Sift in powdered sugar, and mix until incorporated. Add in blueberry jam and mix until fully combined. If desired, add blue spirulina powder to make the frosting more purple.

Assemble the cupcakes

Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe a swirl of blackberry frosting onto each cupcake. Top with fresh blackberries.
Serve immediately or store them in the fridge in an airtight container.

Notes

* Vegan butter: Use vegan butter that has around 75-80% fat. Let the butter soften at room temperature before making the frosting.

Make sure ingredients such as vegan yogurt and almond milk are at room temperature.

Storing:

Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months.

Please read my blog post above for tips and helpful information.

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcal

Did you make this recipe?Tag @plantifulbakery on Instagram and hashtag it #plantifulbakery!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 cupcake / Calories: 442kcal / Total Fat: 30,0g / Saturated Fat: 11,3g / Cholesterol: 0mg / Total Carbohydrate: 43,7g / Fiber: 2,2g / Sugar: 28,8g / Protein: 2,6g / Sodium: 274mg / Iron: 1,4mg