Fluffy Hazel-Nutty Mini Cupcakes
These chocolate ganache cupcakes are filled generously and topped with a thick and creamy hazelnut chocolate frosting which can be swirled into the ganache.
The cupcakes themselves are super fluffy and soft. Who wants one?
For more chocolate cake inspiration, see my vegan double chocolate mousse cake.
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Ingredients For This Recipe
- Vegan double (whipping) cream - makes the chocolate ganache filling smoother and creamier.
- High-quality dark baking chocolate
- Salt
- Soy milk
- Apple cider vinegar - this is mixed into the soy milk to create vegan 'buttermilk'.
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Canola oil - this is the same thing as rapeseed oil.
- Vanilla extract
- Hot coffee or boiling water - I love to use coffee as it deepens the flavours of the cupcakes.
- Vegan cream cheese - I used the Oatly one as it's thick and it worked great.
- Vegan butter block
- Hazelnut butter - for the frosting.
- Powdered sugar
How To Make Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
Step-By-Step Instructions
For the full method and ingredient amounts, 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.
Tips For Making Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
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. It is easy as the frosting has a nice, thick consistency.
Core Out The Centres Carefully
The cupcakes 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 Ganache & Frosting
- For the ganache filling, the type of chocolate you use will determine the consistency. Please use a high-quality dark chocolate as this will make a huge difference to the smoothness.
- In addition to that, avoid using chocolate chips at all costs. They will give you a lumpy texture when mixed into the dairy-free cream.
- 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 spread and a good quality vegan cream cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 flavour.
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.
How To Store Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
Store these cupcakes inside the fridge for up to 2-3 days. This will keep the filling and topping in great shape.
More Chocolate Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Almond Bars
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Vegan Chocolate Ganache Filled Cupcakes with Hazelnut Frosting
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 18 cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These light and fluffy chocolate ganache cupcakes are topped with a creamy chocolate hazelnut buttercream. You need to try these.
Ingredients
For the cupcake batter:
- 240ml soy milk
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 240g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 50g cocoa powder
- 250g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 80ml canola oil (rapeseed)
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 200ml hot coffee or boiling water
For the ganache:
- 150g vegan double (whipping) cream
- 150g high-quality dark baking chocolate
- Pinch of salt
For the hazelnut chocolate frosting:
- 200g vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
- 60g vegan butter block (room temperature)
- 60g vegan dark baking chocolate (melted)
- 50g cocoa powder
- 2.5 teaspoon hazelnut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250g 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 centre 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 centre 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.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 347
- Sugar: 31.7 g
- Sodium: 1316.6 mg
- Fat: 17.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.6 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
- Cholesterol: 22.6 mg
Keywords: vegan cupcakes, cupcake recipe, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate ganache, vegan desserts, vegan cake
Chloe says
So much chocolatey goodness in these cupcakes. They were some of the best I’ve tried and really easy to make.
★★★★★