I’m a sucker for a chocolate cake and so it seemed the perfect place for me to dive into Robin’s newest book. This one caught my eye for another reason as well — it is vegan. No, I’m not a vegan, but I’ve been looking for this very recipe since the day my brother and his girlfriend announced to the family that they were. I’d been experimenting with vegan cakes to serve them, but honestly I hadn’t gotten very far. I’m too wedded to butter, eggs and cream. Robin came to the rescue. I gave the recipe a test run for Katherine’s (the aforementioned girlfriend of my brother) Birthday. Truth be told I never actually gave them to Katherine, not for lack of desire, but because they are in Copenhagen at the Climate Change March, where they are preparing to display their artwork to affect change in the world. What a memorable birthday she will have and I will gladly make these cupcakes again once she returns. A perfect way to celebrate.
Robin manages to achieve a rich chocolate cake with a moist (but not dense) crumb without the benefit of eggs or dairy. Mystifying! The filling is remarkably reminiscent of mocha pastry cream and the ganache is chocolaty and glossy. It all defies classic baking and yet it works wonderfully.
How to Make Vegan Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Here is the step by step process and you will find the full recipe card below.
Puree the tofu in a food processor,
until perfectly smooth. You will need to scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula.
Add the melted chocolate mixture to the tofu and
process until smooth and thick. It will look like chocolate pudding. Set aside while you bake the cake.
To bake the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tins with papers.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Melt the chocolate and oil in a medium sized bowl over a double boiler until perfectly smooth. Whisk the agave into the chocolate mixture. In a third bowl whisk together the soy milk, vanilla, vinegar and Kahlua, then stir it into the chocolate mixture. gently whisk the wet mixture into the dry. Divide the batter into the muffin cups and bake for about 18 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
Cool them for 15 minutes before removing from pan.
Using a paring knife cut out a portion of the cupcake,
to make a space for the filling. Don’t cut too much away or the cupcake may not have enough structure and fall apart.
Use a pastry bag with a round tip to fill the cupcakes with the mocha filling.
Spread it smooth.
To make the ganache:
Melt the chocolate and soy milk over a double boiler until smooth. Gently stir in the Kahlua.
Spoon the ganache over the top of the cupcakes.
Spread it smooth.
Using a chef’s knife, scrape the smooth side of a bar of bittersweet chocolate to create the shavings.
sprinkle the shavings over the top of the cupcakes.
Happy Birthday Katherine!
For another recipe by Robin check out this amazing apple pumpkin cake I made from her first book The New Whole Grain Cookbook: Terrific Recipes Using Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley, and Many Other Delicious and Nutritious Grains
Ingredients
Mocha Filling
- 5 ½ oz silken tofu, drained
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup agave nectar
- 1 tsp instant coffee powder
Ganache
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 tbsp soy or coconut milk
- 3 tbsp Kahlua
Cake
- 1 ¼ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ½ cup agave nectar
- 1 cup soy or coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Kahlua
- Chocolate for shaving garnish
Instructions
Mocha Filling
- Melt the chocolate, agave and coffee powder over a double boiler until perfectly smooth. Set aside.
- Puree the tofu in a food processor, until perfectly smooth. You will need to scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula.
- Add the melted chocolate mixture to the tofu and process until smooth and thick. It will look like chocolate pudding. Set aside while you bake the cake.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tins with papers.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Melt the chocolate and oil in a medium sized bowl over a double boiler until perfectly smooth. Whisk the agave into the chocolate mixture. In a third bowl whisk together the soy milk, vanilla, vinegar and Kahlua, then stir it into the chocolate mixture. gently whisk the wet mixture into the dry. Divide the batter into the muffin cups and bake for about 18 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
- Cool them for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Using a paring knife cut out a portion of the cupcake, to make a space for the filling. Don’t cut too much away or the cupcake may not have enough structure and fall apart.
- Use a pastry bag with a round tip to fill the cupcakes with the mocha filling. Spread it smooth.
Ganache
- Melt the chocolate and soy milk over a double boiler until smooth. Gently stir in the Kahlua.
- Spoon the ganache over the top of the cupcakes. Spread it smooth.
- Using a chef’s knife, scrape the smooth side of a bar of bittersweet chocolate to create the shavings. Sprinkle the shavings over the top of the cupcakes.
My future daughter in-law is vegetarian and I feel like I’m learning to cook all over again. I must admit it is fun. I would love to win this book and try some recipes that would light up her eyes.
Vegan and Agave, I am sold! I will have to try these for my grandfather’s birthday this weekend.
These look delicious. Thanks!
Hi Zoe, thanks for the answer.. I will try to make them with manuka honey tonight.. I hope it turns out well for the picnic tomorrow morning!
I was skeptical when I saw the tofu because I’d much rather fill them with cream cheese, but the finished product looks so good and the flavors sound wonderful together.
Curious as to what you did with the cake portions you cut out?
Zoe,
I love your website and all your creations. You are so talented. I have been eliminating animal products from my diet which is very challenging because I already have Celiac disease and cook gluten-free. This cookbook looks appealing to me. Today I bought your Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I was so thrilled to find a chapter on gluten-free baking. Yesterday I was searching for a gluten-free brioche recipe and was shocked to find yours. You eliminated some trial and error for me. Question. In your previous book you state that brioche should only be made with butter, never oil. I agree. However, in the gf recipe you used oil. Why? Did you test it with butter? Thank you for your attention to our gluten-free needs.
Hi Ellie,
Thanks for straightening me out on the honey! Makes sense now that you point it out! I added a disclaimer to the post so people know not to use it if making for vegans.
Thanks again! Zoë
I can’t wait to make these for my Nephew who is a vegetarian.
I have some great soup and stew recipes but not many desserts.
Thanks Zoe.
I’m not a vegan but I do incorporate lots of vegetarian meals in our diet. I would be thrilled to win the book give-away. I have been a big fan of your Devil’s Food Cupcakes and would love to try these. I already have the necessary ingredients in my cupboard.
As a dairy-loving pastry chef, I’m always skeptical of vegan desserts, but these actually look good. I’d really love to know what’s on the cover of the book – it looks beautiful!
Thanks for all the great blogging, Zoe!
Vegan or not, I am a sucker for anything with chocolate, especially cupcakes
Zoe. Honey is nit vegan. Many vegans hold that honey is as much a stolen prodect as milk. Im sure it’ll work in the recipe but don’t make the mistake of telling vegans it is vegan if you substitute.
Oh your cupcakes look really good and I would luv to win a copy of the cookbook…what a nice giveaway!
Enjoy!
the nine lives of tofu! amazing. these look yummmmy.
My boyfriend loves chocolate but is lactose-intolerant; I can’t wait to surprise him with these!! Thank You!
Those are beautiful! And I bet they’re amazing with all the agave nectar (my fav sweetener ever).
Yummmm…love vegan baking…gotta try these!
Hi Zoe!
I am so excited because I will be receiving you new book HBin5 in just a few days! I came upon your book by accident and your wonderful blog too. I can’t wait to try the bread recipes, I’m intimidated by bread making for some reason…I love to bake cakes, cookies, pies, and all sorts of yummy goodies, but I admit bread making scares me. So, I’ll try making these beautiful chocolate cupcakes this week while I await your book to arrive in the mail.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday! 🙂
Oh Yippy! Finally a vegan chocolate dake that is delicious. We’ve been trying to be vegan as my toddler is severly allergic to eggs and dairy (it took 2 years and 23 doctors to figure out why he was so sick). Being vegan has changed our lives and we miss all our favorites. I can’t wait to try good tasting and good textured vegan baked goods.
I recently turned vegan but am a passionate baker! I am having trouble resisting my own creations so I love finding tried and true vegan recipes. Thanks for posting this! Also, I hope the cutout of the cupcake doesn’t go to waste!
Oh my, that makes my mouth water!
These look beautiful. I have gone to cooking classes taught by Robin and find her ideas to be creative and very tasty. Thanks for sharing this recipe here.
Count me in!
These look delicious! Do you think the recipe would work as a layer cake too?
Those look great. I’m always looking for chocolate desert recipes that don’t use dairy since I’m lactose intolerant.