Chocolate-Orange Halloween Cupcakes

Several years ago, I featured Sakura’s Chocolate Orange Halloween Cupcakes. Sakura was a vegan food blogger, but she has since moved onto new things and closed the virtual doors on her blog. However, her Halloween cupcakes recipe lives on, and it seemed like a perfect blast-from-the-past treat to feature once again.

Not only are chocolate and orange a perfect flavor match, but they also suit the colors of the Halloween motif quite nicely (especially with a drop or two of natural orange food coloring for a little hue boost – see my note below). This recipe uses the magic of orange not only in the vegan Halloween cupcakes themselves, but also in the unique frosting. The topping is a swirl of orange and chocolates frostings side by side, almost like soft-serve ice cream, only richer and dairy-free!

If you are concerned that I have sprung this recipe on you a bit too late for your party planning, have no fear. This is the ultimate last minute recipe, using everyday pantry items, and oh yes, it is perfect for your nut-free, egg-free, and soy-free guests too!

Natural Orange Food Coloring Note: Sakura opted to go with a faint orange color in the vegan frosting of her Halloween cupcakes. Using the optional orange zest will also add a little festive orange. For a slightly punchier orange hue, you can use carrot juice instead of orange juice. The flavor will be slightly different, but still sweet and tasty. For a professional touch, forgo the artificial food dyes for natural food coloring brands like India Tree.

Chocolate-Orange Vegan Halloween Cupcakes

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Recipe and photo by Sakura, and originally shared with us from her vegan baking blog.

Author: Sakura

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• ¾ Cup Non-Dairy Milk (rice, soy, coconut, almond, etc. - your choice)
• ¼ Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• ¾ Cup Granulated White Sugar
• ⅓ Cup Canola Oil
• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• ⅓ Cup Cocoa Powder
• ¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Orange Zest

Frosting:

• ⅛ Cup + ¼ Cup Dairy-Free Margarine, divided (try select Earth Balance varieties for soy-free)
• ½ Cup + 1 Cup Powdered Sugar, divided
• ½ Tablespoon Orange Juice
• Orange Zest, optional
• ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
• Non-Dairy Milk, as needed (rice, soy, coconut, almond, etc. - your choice)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350ºF and line cupcake pan.
2. Whisk the non-dairy milk, orange juice and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get good and curdled.
3. Beat together the non-dairy milk mixture, oil, sugar, and orange zest. Sift in the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda and mix until no large lumps remain.
4. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 22-26 minutes.
5. Transfer to a cooling rack.
6. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the two frostings.
7. For the light / orange frosting, beat ⅛ cup margarine until fluffy. Add ½ cup sifted powdered sugar and beat again. Add ½ T orange juice and a little bit orange zest continue beating until fluffy.
8. For the dark/chocolate frosting, beat ¼ cup margarine until fluffy. Add ¼ cup sifted (unsweetened) cocoa powder and beat again. Add about 1 cup sifted powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) and beat again. Add non-dairy milk if necessary.
9. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, put both frositngs in a piping bag, and frost nice swirls of frosting on the cupcakes.

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