Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Craving rich, chocolatey cupcakes but need a recipe without eggs? These eggless chocolate cupcakes are just as moist, fluffy, and decadent as traditional ones, making them perfect for those with egg allergies or if you simply run out of eggs.
These moist eggless chocolate cupcakes are made with simple pantry staples you likely already have on hand. It’s a foolproof recipe that comes together quickly. This recipe pairs well with my Mocha Buttercream Frosting or even a store-bought frosting if you prefer something a little more simple.
If you’re looking for more baking recipes, check out my Gingerbread Cake, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, or my Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies.
There are plenty of alternatives to using eggs in baking, like applesauce, yogurt, or mashed bananas, that can mimic the eggs function and still give you a soft, fluffy crumb. However, in this recipe, I didn’t use any of those alternative methods.
After much trial and error, I’ve finally perfected what I (humbly, of course!) think is the absolute best eggless chocolate cupcakes recipe. Even my sister-in-law who proclaims to “hate cake” thought they were great!
How Do You Make Cupcakes Without Eggs?
Even though eggs are traditionally used in cupcakes to add structure, lift, moisture, and tenderness, it’s absolutely possible to bake soft, fluffy, and flavorful cupcakes without them. This recipe works because the ingredients are intentionally balanced to replace everything eggs normally do.
First, the white vinegar and milk create a quick buttermilk-style mixture. This adds moisture and tenderness, but more importantly, it reacts with the baking soda to create bubbles that help the cupcakes rise—mimicking the lift eggs would normally provide.
The brewed coffee adds extra moisture and enhances the chocolate flavor, making it deeper and richer.
Using unsweetened cocoa powder combined with an acid like vinegar or buttermilk, a chemical reaction occurs that helps the baked goods to rise and creates a lighter, more tender crumb.
Then, a neutral oil like vegetable or melted coconut oil, plays a major role in keeping the cupcakes moist.
Ingredients
- Flour- You will need all-purpose flour for this recipe. Make sure when you measure, that you spoon the flour into the measuring and then level it for the most accurate measurements. I’ve also included the measurements in grams, if you’d like to weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale.
- Baking Soda- Baking soda is a leavening agent used to make the cupcakes rise.
- Sugar- Granulated white sugar. This recipe hasn’t been tested with other sugars.
- Salt- Kosher table salt or fine sea salt will work.
- Cocoa Powder- You want to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder. I wouldn’t recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa powder with this recipe. Because this recipe uses baking soda, it could mess up the chemistry and cause it to fail.
- Coffee- Leftover coffee or freshly brewed coffee works. I’ve also tested this recipe using instant coffee granules mixed with water. While the brewed coffee is preferable, either works. You could also omit the coffee altogether and just use water, but the flavor of the cupcake won’t be as rich.
- Oil- I used vegetable oil. Melted coconut oil would be a great alternative.
- Vanilla- Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla.
- Milk- Whole milk is best but use whatever milk that you have on hand.
- Vinegar- White distilled vinegar. The vinegar is needed to help the baking soda react and for the batter to rise.
Tools & Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Scale- if measuring in grams.
- Whisk- A whisk is all that’s needed for mixing the cupcake batter. No need for an electric mixer.
- Cupcake Liners
- Cupcake Tin- as stated, this recipe will make about 18 cupcakes. If you have 2 cupcake tins, you can cook them all at the same time. If not, just fill the tin up and then add the remaining batter after the first batch has cooked and cooled enough to remove.
- Mixing Bowls- You will need a large bowl and a medium-sized mixing bowl for making the cupcakes, and another large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer for making the frosting.
For Frosting the Cupcakes
- Electric Mixer- Either a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer for whipping the frosting.
- Piping bags and Tip or a Frosting Spreader- I use a Wilton 1M tip to pipe the frosting on.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make eggless chocolate cupcakes. For the printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two cupcake tins by lining them with 18 cupcake wrappers.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the whole milk and white vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Whisk together to combine.
- In the bowl with milk and vinegar, add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and brewed coffee. Mix to combine.
- Gradually add in the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each one a little over halfway full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
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Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two cupcake tins by lining them with 18 cupcake wrappers.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the whole milk and white vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Whisk together to combine.
- In the bowl with milk and vinegar, add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and brewed coffee. Mix to combine.
- Gradually add in the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk together until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each one a little over halfway full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
Notes
This recipe will make 18 cupcakes by filling the liners a little over halfway full. You can fill 12 liners a little fuller, but they will dome over and not be as easy to frost.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Storage Instructions
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
These cupcakes freeze well! Simply place them in an airtight container (unfrosted) or freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before frosting/serving.
F.A.Q’s
Yes, you can make the cupcakes a day or two ahead of time. Just store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh!
You can substitute lemon juice or buttermilk, but some acidity is needed to react with baking soda for proper rise.
Yes! Replace the milk with almond milk, oat milk, or even coconut milk.
Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour mixture that has xanthan gum added in. I like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur gluten-free flour.
