Life is always about those perfect, small, and sweet moments that are fleeting. It’s about making do with what you have, and transforming lack into something abundant.
I made these cupcakes for the first time back in December. I found the recipe for them on Vegan Huggs. I had everything to make them! Or so I thought. I actually had no applesauce as the original recipe states, but pureed pumpkin should work just as fine. I came home to find out that I had no pumpkin either!
There was no store trip happening for this gal, so I stuck my nose in the pantry for some other substitute. Nothing. I poked my head in the fridge, and to my delight, found some lonely beets just chillin’. I didn’t know if it would work, but deduced that the likelihood was high, so I went for it.
The first batch fluffed up perfectly, and didn’t sink as vegan cupcakes often can. Unfortunately, too much red food coloring in the frosting made them taste less than perfect. Now that the season has changed, I thought elegant, and simple whiskey chocolate cupcakes would be appropriate. St. Patrick’s Day is upon us after all! Enjoy these delightful little pots of chocolate and whiskey gold!
Tools Used
Vegan Whiskey Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 1 Cup Oat Milk Or other plant milk
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 Cup Beets Roasted and cooled
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil Or other neutral oil
- 1 1/2 Cups Organic All Purpose Flour
- 1/3 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Whiskey
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
- 8 Ounces (weight) Dark Chocolate Chips
- 3/4 Cup Coconut Cream (canned)
- 2 Tablespoons Whiskey
WHISKEY BUTTERCREAM
- 1 Cup Vegan Stick Butter Softened
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar Sifted
- 2 Tablespoons Whiskey
Instructions
CUPCAKES
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Make your “buttermilk” by combining the oat milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Stir, set aside, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a stand mixer, add in the sugar, and oil. In another medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together.
- Once the buttermilk has been left to sit for at least 5 minutes, in a small food processor or blender, add the beets, and half of the buttermilk mixture. Blend until well combined and smooth, about 10-20 seconds.
- Add the beet mixture and milk to the stand mixer that has the oil and sugar. Whisk to combine well.
- Using the paddle attachment for your mixer, add in half the flour. Mix until combined. Scrape the bowl down, add in the last half, and mix well again. Using a 1/3 cup scoop, fill the cupcake pan. Bake in the oven for 20 – 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Resist the urge to open the oven door, as this may cause them to sink.
- When the cupcakes are done, remove them from a pan, and set on a wire rack to cool.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
- While the cupcakes are baking, add the coconut cream to a small pot on the stove over medium heat.
- Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl. Once the cream is bubbling along the edges, means that the cream is almost to a boil. Don’t let the cream boil, take it off the heat and add to the chocolate chips.
- Let sit for 2 minutes, and then whisk until smooth. Once smooth, add in the whiskey, and whisk well again. Cover and set aside, allowing it to come to room temperature.
WHISKEY BUTTERCREAM
- Add softened vegan butter sticks to your stand mixer. Mix the butter until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add one cup of the powdered sugar to the butter. Mix until creamy, about 1 minute. Repeat this step two more times, adding one cup of powdered sugar at a time. This should render a fluffy buttercream, as you are continually beating more air into the mixture.
- Add in the whiskey, and blend well again.
- Fit a piping bag with a tip you like, and fill the piping bag with the buttercream. Set aside.
ASSEMBLY
- When the cupcakes have cooled, take the paring knife, angle it from the outside towards the center, and gently saw in a circle until you have an upside-down cone in the top of the cupcake.
- Fill the center of the cupcakes with the ganache. Pipe the buttercream on top of the filled cupcakes, and decorate however you like! I’ve used a sprinkling of gold sugar to resemble a leprechaun’s pot of gold. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
AMAZING! Never thought I could make anything this delicious! That means you have an AMAZING recipe and excellent written directions! LOVE IT!
Thank you so much Amanda! Sorry I’m just now seeing this – this is definitely a go-to recipe in our house!