Vegan Death By Chocolate Cupcakes!

It's been almost a month since I've posted anything!

I've still been making time to bake, but I just haven't been making the time to sit and write about them! Then it was my birthday, and then it was my best mate's birthday, and time just kept on slipping away... A bank holiday though means I've got the perfect opportunity to sit down and get some much needed writing time in!

And something I've been desperate to share with you all are these Vegan Death By Chocolate Cupcakes!


Vegan Death By Chocolate Cupcakes!

At work a couple of weeks ago we had a belated Eid lunch, where we all brought in something homemade to contribute to a buffet. And when I tell you these absolutely stole the show I'm barely exaggerating. Vegan chocolate fudge cake cupcakes, filled with vegan chocolate ganache, and decorated with vegan dark chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream combine to make the perfect celebration cupcakes. The Swiss meringue buttercream takes a little extra effort, but oh my days was this worth it! 

The first step was to make the chocolate fudge cake sponge. I used to think vegan cake was a right faff, but with the absence of butter in the sponge you actually save time not having to cream together butter and sugar. Instead, soya milk is heated gently until it is steaming, but not boiling, and then a little apple cider vinegar is added to curdle the milk. Vegetable and vanilla extract or then added to the cooled curdled milk. The wet ingredients are then added into the dry, and the mixture is hand whisked to create a glossy, lump free batter. Nice and easy! 

The glossy batter (can you tell I 
didn't get many photos of this bake!)?

Whilst the cupcakes were in the oven, it was time to start on the ganache. Again this couldn't be easier. Vegan cream, in this instance Elmlea, is heated in a pan until it just about begins to simmer. Then, the cream is poured over finely chopped dark chocolate, and left to melt. Once the chocolate is all melted, and the cream is fully incorporated, the ganache is whipped to create a wonderfully light ganache that is perfect for filling these cupcakes!

Next up, it was time to make the Swiss meringue buttercream. I've seen a few different methods for vegan Swiss meringue buttercream that differ from the non-vegan versions. For example, I know Freya Cox, the queen of vegan, states in her book that she prefers a "cheats" version, where you basically add aquafaba to a vegan American buttercream and then whisk it up to produce the buttercream (that's an oversimplification, but still). I must admit, I prefer following the regular method, but with vegan substitutes for egg and butter.

The Swiss meringue buttercream
pipes like a dream!

This method is somewhat time consuming, but I cannot stop going on about just how worthwhile it is. To start, aquafaba and light soft brown sugar are whisked together in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whilst constantly whisking by hand, the mixture is heating to 70 degrees C. I've seen some recipes call for the mixture to be heating to 80 degrees C, whilst others call for 65 degrees C. I think the main thing to make sure of is that the sugar has all dissolved into the aquafaba, other than that it should be fine.

Once the sugar is all dissolved, the mixture is transferred to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisked for roughly 20 minutes (much longer than egg whites would be in a non-vegan recipe). Once the bowl has returned to room temperature, and the meringue has formed stiff peaks, the butter is added into the meringue a few cubes at a time. Next comes the melted vegan dark chocolate and cocoa powder, before the mixture is whisked again until a smooth and glossy Swiss meringue buttercream is produced. The buttercream pipes like a dream and would elevate any cake!  

As far as original recipes go I think these are up there with my best! Someone at work asked for the recipe for these cupcakes, which I've since properly edited and typed up. Maybe I need to start posting my actual recipes rather than just methods one day!

Gibby x

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