Description
Delightfully spooky Vegan Halloween Cupcakes that are moist, rich in chocolate flavor, and topped with a luscious swirl of blackberry and chocolate vegan Swiss meringue buttercream. These cupcakes feature a hidden blackberry coulis center and optional chocolate skull decorations, perfect for a festive and vegan-friendly Halloween treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water)
- ⅓ cup apple puree
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain flour
- ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup caster sugar (superfine)
- ¼ cup light muscovado sugar
Blackberry Coulis
- 12.3 oz blackberries
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- ¼ cup water
Buttercream and Toppings
- 1 batch vegan Swiss meringue buttercream
- 4 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 10.6 oz dark chocolate (for skull molds)
- ½ cup fresh blackberries (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prep Chocolate Skulls: Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler and pour it into skull molds. Refrigerate until set. Repeat as needed depending on the number of molds you have.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tin: Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
- Make Vegan Buttermilk: Combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes to curdle slightly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the instant coffee mixture (coffee granules mixed with boiling water), apple puree, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the vegan buttermilk. Stir well and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, caster sugar, and muscovado sugar for even distribution.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Avoid over-mixing for a tender crumb.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Distribute batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife; it should come out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely (30-40 minutes).
- Prepare Blackberry Coulis: In a saucepan, combine blackberries, caster sugar, and water. Simmer over medium heat for 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Cool to room temperature, reserve 2 tbsp for frosting, and refrigerate the rest.
- Core Cupcakes and Fill: Use a cupcake or apple corer to remove centers from the cooled cupcakes. Fill each hole with blackberry coulis. Replace the removed cupcake pieces on top.
- Make Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Prepare the vegan Swiss meringue buttercream as per recipe or pre-made batch.
- Divide and Flavor Buttercream: Split buttercream into two portions. To one portion, add 2 tbsp of cooled blackberry coulis and mix thoroughly. To the other, add 4 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder and blend well.
- Pipe Frosting: Fill a piping bag with alternating spoonfuls of blackberry and chocolate buttercream using an open star nozzle to create a swirled effect. Pipe onto each cupcake.
- Decorate and Serve: Top cupcakes with the chocolate skulls and fresh blackberries.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature if serving within a couple of days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving to soften the buttercream.
Notes
- If making chocolate skulls, prepare them ahead of time to allow proper setting.
- Do not over-mix the batter to maintain cupcake tenderness.
- The vegan ‘buttermilk’ substitute is key for cupcake moisture and texture.
- Allow buttercream to soften at room temperature after refrigerating for optimal flavor and texture.
- The blackberry coulis can be made in advance and stored refrigerated.
- Use an open star nozzle to create a beautiful swirled frosting effect.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
