Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Olive Oil Cupcakes
Moist chocolate olive oil cupcakes scented with fresh blood orange zest and topped with a bright, citrusy blood orange frosting. A rich yet light vegan cupcake that celebrates winter citrus.
Servings 10
Ingredients
Chocolate Olive Oil Cupcakes:
- 120g (1 c) All Purpose Flour
- 30g (⅓ c) Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 70g (⅓ c) Olive Oil*
- 150g (¾ c) Vegan Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Blood Orange Zest
- 177g (¾ c) Almond or Soy Milk
- 60g (¼ c) Blood Orange Juice
- 5g (1 tsp) Vanilla Extract
Blood Orange Frosting:
- 225g (1 c) Vegan Butter block or sticks
- 420g (3 ½ c) Powdered Sugar sifted
- 5g (1 tsp) Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tbs Blood Orange Zest
- 2-4 Tbs Almond or Soy Milk as needed
- Blood Orange wedges for decoration
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Olive Oil Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line cupcake pan with 10 paper liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine the vegan granulated sugar and blood orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar to help release the citrus oils. Set aside.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together vegan milk and blood orange juice.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the blood orange milk mixture to the blood orange sugar. Next pour in the olive oil and vanilla extract. Mix on low-med with the paddle attachment until combined.
- In two additions, add in the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix until just combined and completely incorporated.
- Scoop batter evenly into 10 cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to racks to finish cooling completely.
Make the Blood Orange Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or large bowl with hand mixer, beat vegan butter until creamy.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar in three additions, beating well in between each addition. After last addition beat for about 4 more minutes.
- Add in the blood orange zest, vanilla extract and 2 Tbs of almond milk. Beat for another 4 minutes until fluffy.
- If the frosting is too stiff, add 1 Tbs of almond milk. If the frosting is too soft, add up to 30g (1/4 c) more sifted powdered sugar, 1 Tbs at a time. Or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Assembly:
- Once cupcakes have completely cooled, frost cupcakes with blood orange frosting. Fill a piping bag with a star tip (or whatever tip you'd like) pipe swirls and finish with a blood orange wedge.
Notes
*Olive Oil can be substituted for Canola or Vegetable Oil, if preferred.
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