These delicious vegan chocolate cupcakes are topped with fluffy vegan peppermint frosting. They are easy to make and festive for the holidays.
I absolutely love mint and chocolate together. There’s something about cooling mint paired with rich chocolate - it’s a perfect combination!
I used to love Andes mints and York Peppermint Patties before I went vegan. Now instead of the old candies, I love baking with these favorite flavors.
For more mint chocolate recipes, try my black bean mint brownies vegan mint chocolate chip cookies, and vegan double chocolate peppermint cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chocolate plus mint: This is one of the best flavor combinations!
- Great for the holidays: If you choose to dye the frosting green, these cupcakes will look great for both Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day.
For another green recipe, try my vegan spinach muffins.
Ingredient Notes
- Non-dairy milk: I always bake with unsweetened soy milk. But you can use any kind of non-dairy milk you like except for coconut milk which will give too much coconut flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can also substitute with white vinegar.
- Peppermint extract: Make sure you are using peppermint extract, not mint extract, for best flavor.
- Oil: Use any neutral oil like canola, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
- Vegan butter: My favorite brand of vegan butter is Country Crock Plant Butter.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
Variations
- Add in some non-dairy chocolate chips to the batter for more chocolate flavor.
- Decorate with finely chopped chocolate, sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
For more cupcake recipes, try my vegan gingerbread cupcakes, vegan Oreo cupcakes, and my vegan strawberry chocolate chip cupcakes.
How To Make Vegan Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake wrappers.
Step 2: Stir the apple cider vinegar into your non-dairy milk and set aside. This will make a vegan buttermilk.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 4: Whisk in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract and milk/vinegar mixture until there are no large lumps of flour.
Step 5: Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan until it's ⅔ full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until done.
Step 6: Let the baked cupcakes rest in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: While the cupcakes are cooling, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the slightly softened butter and ¾ cup of powdered sugar. Start on low and then turn up to high for about 30 seconds.
Step 8: Add 2 teaspoon of milk and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined and then mix on high for 30 seconds.
Again, add 2 teaspoon of milk and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined and then mix on high for 30 seconds. Mix in the peppermint extract. Optionally, you can add some green food coloring.
Step 9: Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost the cupcakes and add any toppings you'd like.
Expert Tips
- Don't overmix the batter to make sure you get fluffy cupcakes.
- If you have extra cupcake batter, don't just overfill the cupcake pan. You can make a couple extra cupcakes instead.
Recipe and Storage FAQs
Make sure these cupcakes are stored at room temperature in an airtight container. These are best eaten within 3-4 days.
No, unfortunately that won’t work. Coconut oil is only solid at cooler temperatures and is liquid at room temperature. It will not work for frosting unless it's kept refrigerated at all times.
Definitely not! Especially if you're trying to stay away from dyes. But I just love the look of green minty frosting.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes With Peppermint Frosting Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Vegan Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- ½ cup vegan butter, slightly softened
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract or a little more for extra mint flavor
- green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Make the cupcakes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake wrappers.
- Stir the apple cider vinegar into your non-dairy milk and set aside. This will make a vegan buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract and milk/vinegar mixture until there are no large lumps of flour.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan until it's ⅔ full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until done.
- Let the baked cupcakes rest in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the slightly softened butter and ¾ cup of powdered sugar. Start on low and then turn up to high for about 30 seconds.
- Add 2 teaspoon of milk and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined and then mix on high for 30 seconds.
- Again, add 2 teaspoon of milk and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined and then mix on high for 30 seconds. Mix in the peppermint extract. Optionally, you can add some green food coloring.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost the cupcakes and add any extra toppings. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Don't overmix the batter to make sure you get fluffy cupcakes.
- For extra chocolate flavor, add some non-dairy chocolate chips to the cake batter.
- If you have extra cupcake batter, don't just overfill the cupcake pan. You can make a couple extra cupcakes.
- Feel free to add some fun toppings like sprinkles, finely chopped chocolate, or crushed candy canes.
Jen says
We’re making these for Christmas and topping with crushed candy canes! Everyone loves these!