Vegan Candy Cane Cupcakes
Light and fluffy chocolate sponge cakes topped with dairy-free peppermint buttercream.
Ingredients
- 280 ml Soy milk (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 Teaspoon Apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 200 g Self-raising flour (1 + ½ cups)
- ½ Teaspoon Baking soda
- 4 Tablespoons Cocoa powder
- 200 g Caster / superfine sugar (1 cup)
- 6 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract
- ½ Teaspoon Peppermint extract (more if you want a stronger flavour)
For the peppermint frosting:
- 450 g Powdered sugar (3 + ½ cups)
- 120 g Vegan butter (½ cup)
- 1 Tablespoon Plant-based milk of choice
- ½ - 1 Teaspoon Peppermint extract (depending on how strong you want it)
- ½ Teaspoon Vegan pink or red food colouring (optional)
To top:
- A few Crushed candy canes
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C/325°F if using a fan or convection oven) and prepare a cupcake tin with 12 paper cases.
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Mix the soy milk and the apple cider vinegar together and set it aside for 5 minutes to thicken a little. This will be your vegan buttermilk.
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In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and sugar.
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Now add in your vegan buttermilk along with the oil, vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Mix together until smooth.
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Spoon the cake batter evenly into your cases and bake for 18-20 minutes. Check that they're cooked all the way through by inserting a toothpick through the centre of the cakes. If it comes out dry- they're done.
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Allow the cakes to cool while you prepare your buttercream.
For the peppermint frosting:
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Add the powdered sugar, vegan butter and plant-based milk to a large bowl and mix together using a wooden spoon or electric mixer until you have a smooth and fluffy buttercream. Start off gentle and gradually increase the speed to avoid getting powdered sugar everywhere!
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Add in your peppermint extract to your preferred taste.
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Spoon half of the buttercream into a separate bowl and add your food colouring so you have 1 bowl of white buttercream and 1 bowl of pink/red. Transfer the buttercream into a dual piping bag with a large star nozzle.
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Pipe the frosting onto your cooled cupcakes and decorate with crushed candy cane pieces!
Recipe Notes
- Will last for around 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container.