From time to time, we have a craving for all things chocolate and during these phases, my simple and delectable vegan chocolate ganache cupcakes are perfect for you. Filled generously with smooth, homemade ganache and topped with a thick and creamy hazelnut chocolate frosting which can be swirled together deliciously, these cupcakes are what you need in your life.
Once you have prepared the cupcake batter, these chocolatey treats take less than 20 minutes to bake inside the oven. While they're baking and cooling, make the quick & easy ganache and frosting, then serve.
The cupcakes are super fluffy and soft due to the special ingredient (boiling water or boiling coffee) which really gives them a stellar texture.
For more chocolate cake inspiration, see my vegan chocolate mud cake, vegan mascarpone chocolate sheet cake bars and eggless lemon cake loaf with chocolate buttercream recipes which are all so tasty in their own ways!
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Why You Will Love These Cupcakes
- Wonderful Topping & Filling - This cupcake recipe is chocolate heaven. Both the ganache filling and chocolate hazelnut frosting are both so chocolatey and creamy and it is honestly such an upgrade on plain and simple chocolate cupcakes. The textures of the ganache and frosting also compliment each other greatly.
- Delicious Texture - They're so soft and possibly softer than any chocolate cake I've ever made before. My vegan chocolate bundt cake and vegan cherry chocolate cake are incredibly moist and mouth-watering but these treats take it to a whole new level of softness for sure.
- Easy to Make - Making these chocolate cupcakes is so simple. Once the cupcakes are baked, all you need to do is prepare the ganache filling and frosting (which are both quick) and then you can apply them both to the cooled cakes.
- Allergy Friendly & Plant Based - This vegan chocolate ganache filled cupcakes recipe is completely vegan and dairy free.
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan double (whipping) cream - I love using this dairy-free cream for the ganache, as it makes the chocolate ganache filling smoother and creamier.
- High-quality dark baking chocolate - Using a good-quality baking-specific dark chocolate bar is always great when you have a recipe where the chocolate needs to be melted. It melts so much easier than chocolate chips or lower quality vegan chocolate which can become clumpy instead of smooth. It will also burn easily.
- Apple cider vinegar - When this is stirred into the soy milk, it will create a vegan 'buttermilk' mixture.
- Hot coffee or boiling water - I love to use coffee as it deepens the flavors of the cupcakes. Boiling water is also great and has the same effect if you don't want to use coffee. I also used it in my vegan double chocolate mousse cake recipe and the texture turned out to be so light and fluffy.
- Vegan cream cheese - I used the Oatly one as it's thick and it worked great. It gives the frosting a even creamier consistency when you use a dairy free cream cheese.
- Hazelnut butter - This will be used for the frosting. My vegan ferrero rocher truffles also use this amazing ingredient as it gives super strong hazelnut flavors compared to other hazelnut flavoring.
See recipe card for full information on individual ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- By leaving out the hazelnut butter in this recipe, you can make these cupcakes nut free which means that more people are able to try them in all their glory. It won't make too much difference to the texture of the frosting but of course, the taste of it will be significantly different.
- Swapping out the regular cocoa powder and using a high quality cocoa powder instead can make a big difference to both the cake itself and the frosting as they will taste richer. This is definitely the case for my vegan double chocolate pudding pie and vegan double fudge brownies recipes, both of which I often opt for this. I choose to do this sometimes if I'm trying to impress, but it is totally your choice.
How To Make Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
For the full method, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Line cupcake trays with cupcake liners.
2. Make the vegan 'buttermilk'.
3. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Add the wet ingredients. Form a chocolate batter.
5. Pour the mixture into the liners.
6. Make the chocolate ganache filling.
7. Now, make the chocolate hazelnut frosting.
8. Assemble the cupcakes and serve.
Expert Tips
You don't need to pipe the frosting - For this recipe I love to use a palette knife to spread the frosting onto the filled cupcakes, as opposed to piping. It is easy to do as the frosting has a nice, thick consistency.
Core out the centers of the cupcakes carefully - I like to use a cupcake or apple corer to core out the cupcakes. They can break if you aren't gentle. Core down the middle of each cupcake until you get to about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way down.
Making the frosting - The chocolate hazelnut frosting is easier to make as you simply add all the ingredients to a stand mixer. The most important things with the frosting are that you use a vegan butter block instead of margarine spread and a good quality vegan cream cheese.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe gives you two options. Either boiling water or coffee. The outcome will be very similar. I love using coffee as it really strengthens and enhances the flavor.
Store these cupcakes inside the fridge for up to 2-3 days. This will keep the filling and topping in great shape.
If you're making them in advance you may want to freeze. Freeze the cupcakes first and then decorate after they have defrosted as the ganache doesn't freeze too well. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let them thaw fully at room temperature before decorating.
I haven't tested making them gluten free but you can try swapping out the all-purpose flour for a gluten free all-purpose flour blend which is 1:1.
More Vegan Chocolate Recipes That You Will Love
If you tried this Vegan Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Vegan Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes with Hazelnut Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcake batter:
- 240 ml soy milk
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 240 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 80 ml canola oil rapeseed
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 200 ml hot coffee or boiling water
For the ganache:
- 150 g vegan double cream whipping
- 150 g high-quality dark baking chocolate
- Pinch of salt
For the hazelnut chocolate frosting:
- 200 g vegan cream cheese room temperature
- 60 g vegan butter block room temperature
- 60 g vegan dark baking chocolate melted
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 2.5 teaspoon hazelnut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 g powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 177 Celsius (350F).
- Line two 9-hole cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Mix together the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk. This will create your vegan buttermilk. Set aside to curdle 7 minutes.
Make your chocolate cupcake batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
- Next, pour in the curdled soy milk, canola oil and vanilla. Fold the batter well until smooth, then pour in the coffee or boiling water. The batter should now be runny.
- Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners equally. They should be around ¾ full.
Bake the cupcakes:
- Bake for the chocolate cupcakes in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. As this recipe yields 18 cupcakes you will most likely need to do this in 2 batches. A skewer will come out clean when they’re ready.
Make your ganache:
- While the cupcakes bake, quickly make the ganache filling. Melt the chocolate using the double-boiling (bain-marie) method until smooth.
- Stir in the vegan double cream over a medium-high heat, then add the salt. Once again make sure that all the ingredients are combined, and that the chocolate ganache is smooth. If you feel that the chocolate is burning a little, lower the heat.
- Continue to stir for another minute or so, then pour the chocolate into a bowl and leave at room temperature. Set aside. It will thicken a little. Stir every so often if you need to.
Cool the cupcakes:
- Let the baked chocolate cupcakes cool in the cupcake tins for 10-15 minutes then transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool fully.
Make the frosting:
- While the cupcakes cool, make the hazelnut chocolate frosting, which is incredibly easy. Beat all the frosting ingredients inside a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 5 minutes until it is nice and thick. Add some extra powdered sugar if you’d like it even thicker. Set aside.
Fill and decorate the cupcakes:
- Once the cupcakes have cooled on the cooling rack, fill them. Use a cupcake corer or a small, circular cutter to remove the center of each cupcake. Make sure that you only core roughly ¾ (three-quarters) of the way down each cupcake.
- Pour the chocolate ganache filling into each of the cupcakes so that it is slightly overflowing.
- Finally, spoon on some of the chocolate hazelnut frosting onto the top of the cupcakes, covering the ganache. I like to use a palette knife. Use the palette knife or a small spoon to swirl the overflowing ganache into the frosting.
Video
Notes
- For this recipe I love to use a palette knife to spread the frosting onto the filled cupcakes, as opposed to piping. It is easy to do as the frosting has a nice, thick consistency.
- I like to use a cupcake or apple corer to core out the cupcakes. They can break if you aren't gentle. Core down the middle of each cupcake until you get to about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way down.
- The chocolate hazelnut frosting is easier to make as you simply add all the ingredients to a stand mixer. The most important things with the frosting are that you use a vegan butter block instead of margarine spread and a good quality vegan cream cheese.
Chloe says
So much chocolatey goodness in these cupcakes. They were some of the best I’ve tried and really easy to make.