Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

chocolate cupcakes with raspberries on pedestal

4.25 from 20 votes

Chocolate vegan cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, weddings, holidays, and any other special occasion you can think of. Believe it or not, they can even be made refined sugar-free if you choose!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 236kcal

Author: Terri Edwards

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup pure cane sugar (or maple sugar)
3/4 cup cooked sweet potato, peeled
3/4 cup plant milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Frosting

1 cup cooked & peeled sweet potatoes packed tightly
1/2 cup almond butter or cashew butter
1 cup maple syrup (or1 cup pitted dates + 1/2 cup plant milk)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cake

Cook your sweet potatoes first and allow them to cool. You will need 3/4 cup for the cupcakes + 1 cup for the frosting. If you have leftover baked sweet potatoes, this is a great way to use them.
I like the take the easy way out and cook mine quickly by poking a few holes in them with a knife, wrapping them in a wet paper towel, and placing in the microwave for about 5-6 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place all of the wet ingredients– cooked sweet potato, plant milk, vanilla, vinegar– in your blender and puree until smooth. Because it's such a small amount, I have found that using a Nutribullet or Magic Bullet works well. You might also use a whisk and bowl, if needed.
If you are using dates, replace the granulated sugar with 1 cup dates + 2/3 cups water. This equals approximately 8-9 pitted mejool dates. Blend well with the other wet ingredients.
Place all of the dry ingredients–flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, sugar–in a large mixing bowl and whisk together well
If you're using a less refined granular sugar, add it in this step. Some good options are pure cane sugar, maple sugar, and sucanat. Using glandular sugar is my preference. For those avoiding sugar, I have also used date paste in this recipe.
Next, pour the sweet potato puree into the large bowl with the dry ingredients, add the chocolate chips, and combine them together well.
Pour the cake batter into silicone baking muffin cups (or line regular muffin cups with paper muffin cups to prevent sticking) and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
Oven temperatures vary, so around the 20-minute mark, remove the cupcakes from the oven and test for doneness. To do this, insert a toothpick into the highest center point. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done. Otherwise, place back into the oven and test again in 5 minutes.
Once the cupcakes are done, remove from oven and allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting

This frosting is so easy, it doesn't even require a bowl! While the cake is cooking is the perfect time to make the frosting.
You are going to use the rest of the cooked sweet potato which should be 1 cup.
Simply place all the frosting ingredients in a blender or food processor, and mix until smooth. If needed, add a tablespoon of plant milk to keep the blender moving. You might need to stop, scrape the sides down, and continue to blend until smooth.
If using dates for the icing, replace the maple syrup with 1 cup pitted dates + 1/2 cup plant milk.
When the cupcakes have cooled, frost and serve!

Video

Notes

Tips & Suggestions:

UPDATED: February 2026

I have included step-by-step photos and directions above to ensure your first attempt will be successful.

Scoop it- When making this into cupcakes, an ice cream scoop with a trigger is perfect for scooping into muffin cups without having to scrape a spoon or fingers.

How to make without refined sugar:

Use dates– Instead of using granular sugar in the batter, replace it with 1 cup dates + 2/3 cups water. This equals approximately 8-9 pitted mejool dates.
Adjust moisture- You’ll need to adjust the moisture by reducing the plant milk from 2/3 cup to only 2 tablespoons + add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
Increase cooking time- When using dates, increase the cooking time from 20 minutes to approximately 25-30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come out clean without wet batter sticking to it.

Make it gluten-free- Minimalist Baker has a great GF Baking Guide that can help convert these cupcakes. The frosting is already gluten-free.

Sweetener options- When I first made this recipe, I did it with date paste and no refined sugar, and that is still a good option for those avoiding refined sugar. I have found over time that I prefer using granular cane sugar because the texture of the cake is better. Below, I give instructions for both methods.

Nut butter- The recipe calls for almond butter, but you can substitute other nut butters such as peanut butter, cashew butter, and even sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.

Add nuts- Sometimes, I like to add walnuts or pecans to the batter before baking for a delicious crunch!

Storage- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. It freezes well too.

Nutrition