I’ve never had consistently good luck with eggless baking, apart from a few occasional wins (like that Chocolate Banana Cake). So, I’ll admit, I approached these cupcakes with a bit of apprehension. I’ve been a long-time Facebook fan and Twitter follower of Chef Chloe Coscarelli and her vegan recipes (yes, that Chloe Coscarelli of Cupcake Wars fame). When her new book, Chloe’s Kitchen, was released last week, I couldn’t resist buying it. I downloaded the Kindle version on my iPad over the weekend and quickly found myself hooked, just browsing through the beautifully varied and thoughtfully put-together recipes.
When I chose this recipe to test on Nikhil and his friend yesterday (let’s be honest — day two of Spring Break means bored, hungry kids who are surprisingly willing to help as long as there’s a reward at the end), I had no idea this was the recipe that made Chloe famous and won her the Cupcake Wars title.
And I have to say — this was hands down the best eggless cupcake or muffin I’ve ever made. Even better, they’re completely vegan. I almost renamed them “I Can’t Believe These Are Vegan” Cupcakes.
I didn’t use the frosting suggested in the book. Instead, I made my own “healthier” version using Greek yogurt and agave nectar. It turned out really well, though it was a touch runnier than I would have preferred. My only real disappointment was not being able to take better photos of the finished cupcakes — especially frosted ones. Let’s just say they disappeared before I had the chance.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (canned or freshly cooked)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk, well mixed
- 1/2 cup canola oil
(I used Smart Balance oil — a soy, canola, and olive oil blend) - 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, spices, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients: pumpkin purée, oil, coconut milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with the batter.
7. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
This frosting is adapted from my friend Mona’s recipe.
Whip together:
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp plain cream cheese
- Agave syrup, to taste
- A splash of vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, to taste
Beat until light and fluffy. Spread or pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
If you want, I can also:
- Convert this into a printable vegan cupcake recipe card
- Suggest a firmer vegan frosting alternative
- Adjust sweetness or spice levels
- Rewrite this into a shorter, recipe-only post
Just tell me how you’d like to proceed.
