Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cupcakes (Vegan Gluten-Free)
These Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cupcakes are super moist and tender, with a chocolatey batter, a chocolate fudge sauce middle, strawberry buttercream all topped with a chocolate covered strawberry (naturally vegan and easily gluten-free).
It’s the season of love and nothing says I love you quite like chocolate covered strawberries. I wanted to take this chocolatey treat one step further by making it the inspiration behind these rich and decadent cupcakes. The batter is made in one bowl and you won’t need any eggs or dairy, plus they can be made gluten-free, too. Strawberry buttercream is the perfect way to top these cupcakes as well as the classic chocolate covered strawberry – the ideal Valentines Day dessert.
Why will I love these?
These cupcakes are amazing:
- Rich, moist and tender
- Fudgy and decadent like brownies
- Super light and fluffy too
- Filled with dairy-free chocolate fudge sauce
- Topped with strawberry buttercream (naturally pink!)
- Finished off with chocolate covered strawberries
- Oozes with chocolate
- Natural egg-free, dairy-free and vegan
- Easily gluten-free and nut-free
- Ideal to make for loved ones
- Delicious all year round
- Made with healthier ingredients
- Can be frosted with yoghurt
- Everyone will love them
If you already love the sound of these cupcakes, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the cupcake batter:
- Plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar: allow the mix to curdle, to form a dairy-free buttermilk and helpto bind the batter.
- Light brown and caster sugar: the brown sugar adds richness and a caramel-like flavour and deeper colour while the caster sugar is lighter, making the perfect balance.
- Thick dairy-free yoghurt: make sure it’s thick and creamy for the best and moistest cupcake. I use NUSH or Cocos Organic yoghurts.
- Sweetened condensed oat milk: this is from Natures Charm and makes the cupcake batter so moist and fudgy. It also adds sweetness, so the sugar is reduced in this recipe. If you don’t have any, use another dairy-free sweetened condensed milk or use more plant-based milk.
- Light olive oil: for the “buttery” softness.
- Plain or GF plain flour: this keeps the cupcakes nice and light. If using gluten-free flour make sure it has xanthan gum, or add ½ tsp of your own to the mix.
- Cocoa powder: to make them really chocolatey. Go for a 100% unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Raising agents: make sure your baking powder and bicarbonate of soda are in date.
- Salt: for flavour.
- Hot coffee: this allows the cocoa powder to bloom creating a really rich chocolatey flavour. You can also use decaf coffee as the flavour/caffeine isn’t the main goal here. If not, use more plant-based milk at the start.
And for the filling and frosting:
- Chocolate fudge sauce: I use the Natures Charm chocolate fudge sauce which sis so dreamy and chocolatey. You can use another dairy-free option or use vegan chocolate spread or a chocolate nut/seed butter.
- Strawberries: make sure you fresh ones!
- Dark chocolate: use your favourite bar, chips or buttons of dairy-free chocolate to make the strawberries on top.
- Coconut oil: to allow the chocolate to set more quickly and also so it’s less likely to crack (it’s also easier to dip into the chocolate with it).
- Freeze-dried berries: I use freeze-dried berry pieces or powder to add colour and flavour to the frosting and also to decorate the strawberries. You can find this online or in health food shops.
- Vegan butter: allow the butter to soften to room temperature before beating it so that the frosting is smoother and fluffier.
- Icing sugar: to make the frosting sweet and fluffy.
- Vanilla extract: to add some subtle vanilla flavour to the frosting.
Why do I need sweetened condensed dairy-free milk?
I love the Natures Charm oat and coconut-based sweetened condensed milk range and in this cupcake recipe, it serves to act as a binder in place of eggs, add more sweetness (reducing the sugar added) and creates a fudgy texture as it’s thick and sticky. If you don’t have any, use all plant-based milk from the start.
Are these gluten-free and nut-free?
These are easily gluten-free, as long as your use gluten-free flour and add ½ tsp xanthan gum if your mix doesn’t have any. These are naturally nut-free, just check that all of your ingredients do not contain nuts (like chocolate, dairy-free milk and butter).
How do I make them?
These cupcakes are ready to eat in a few steps:
- Combine the wet ingredients: for cupcake batter.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and start to whisk.
- Pour in the hot coffee: and whisk to a smooth batter.
- Scoop into cupcake cases: filling ¾ full.
- Bake for 18 minutes: until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool fully: on a wire rack.
- Make the chocolate strawberries: by melting chocolate and dipping the strawberries in.
- Prepare the buttercream: beat the butter than gradually beat in the berry powder, icing sugar, milk and vanilla.
- Core the cupcakes and fill with fudge sauce: and replace the top of the cupcake.
- Pipe on the buttercream: using a star-shaped (or other) nozzle).
- Top with a chocolate strawberry: and a sprinkle of freeze-dried berries.
- Enjoy the cupcakes: or keep for later.
How long will they last?
These cupcakes will keep for 2-3 days in a sealed container (in the fridge overnight) and best enjoy at room temperature. You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for 1 month, and allow to defrost before decorating.
What other recipes can I try?
For more Valentines cakes and bakes:
- Red Velvet Protein Cupcakes
- Chocolate Raspberry Fluffy Rolls
- Chocolate Berry Dessert Pizza
- Salted Caramel Pistachio Raspberry Cups
- Chocolate Raspberry Fudge Brownies
Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cupcakes (Vegan Gluten-Free)
These Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cupcakes are super moist and tender, with a chocolatey batter, a chocolate fudge sauce middle, strawberry buttercream all topped with a chocolate covered strawberry (naturally vegan and easily gluten-free).
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 120ml plant-based milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 100g light brown sugar
- 80g caster sugar
- 90g thick dairy-free yoghurt
- 60g Natures Charm Sweetened Condensed Oat Milk
- 60ml light olive oil
- 210g plain or GF plain flour*
- 30g cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
- 150ml hot coffee
For the Chocolate Strawberries:
- 12 strawberries
- 80g dark chocolate
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp freeze-dried berry pieces, optional
For the Filling and Frosting:
- 100g dairy-free butter, room temperature
- 300g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp pink berry powder
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 12 tbsp Natures Charm Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line a muffin tray with 12 cases.
- Combine the milk and vinegar and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the milk mix, both sugars, yoghurt, sweetened condensed oat milk, olive oil and whisk until combined.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and add the salt. Start to whisk and pour in the coffee. Then continue to whisk to a runny, smooth batter with no specks of flour.
- Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter equally between the cases, filling about ¾ full.
- Bake in the oven for 18 minutes, until well-risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Remove immediately from the tin and cool fully on a wire rack.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the chocolate covered strawberries. Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a heatproof bowl and warm until melted (in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water). Dip each strawberry in the chocolate, allow the excess to drip off and plate on a parchment lined plate.
- Sprinkle over the freeze-dried berries, if using, and place in the fridge to set for 10 minutes.
- For the frosting, add the butter to the bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, pink powder, milk and vanilla extract.
- Continue to beat for 1-2 minutes more, once combined, to make it really fluffy.
- Spoon into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle.
- Core the cupcakes and fill with the chocolate fudge sauce and place the top of cake back on top.
- Pipe on the frosting and place on a chocolate strawberry.
- Enjoy straight away or keep for 2-3 days in a sealed container (in the fridge overnight) and best enjoy at room temperature. You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for 1 month, and allow to defrost before decorating.
Notes
*If using gluten-free flour, make sure the blend contains xanthan gum, or add 1/2 tsp of your own to the flour.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Strawberry Fudge Cupcakes so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With chocolate strawberry love x
p.s. this recipe was first made with Natures Charm who I love and this blog post is not sponsored.
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