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Recipes

How to Make Chocolate Orange and Ginger Cupcakes

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at St Andrews chapter.

When your housemates “can’t believe it’s vegan,” you know you are onto a killer chocolate cupcake that pretty much everyone will eat (sorry gluten free folk…). It’s not too gooey, but the pairing of chocolate with a hint of that orange zest is a divine way to kickstart the dreaded revision period before finals with a high and satisfy sweet cravings everywhere.

I mean, I’m all for healthy vegan baking, but when I want cake it’s not to be healthy and this easy bake ticks all of the required boxes- regardless of whether you add the icing (aka eat it from the bowl) or not.

Vegan Chocolate Orange and Ginger Cupcakes

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 30 minutesTotal time: 20 minutesServings:12 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line cupcake tins with cases.

  2. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Grate the ginger.

  3. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Zest the oranges (enough for 2 tablespoons) and then squeeze the juice into a bowl.

    #SpoonTip- Don’t own a zester? Use a grater.

  4. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Whisk together the flour, sugar, 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

  5. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Add the coffee, oil, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, 1/2 tablespoon of orange juice, the ginger, and the zested orange. Stir.

  6. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Add the cider vinegar and quickly stir in.

    #SpoonTip- the mixture will turn lighter, mix until it darkens again.

  7. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Fill cupcake cases to 2/3 fill and bake for 25 minutes.

  8. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

  9. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Icing if desired:

    Whip the margarine (by mixer or hand) until creamy. Add powdered sugar and the remaining cocoa powder. Whip in the soy milk, then the rest of the vanilla, 1/2 tablespoon of the orange juice. Mix until creamy and decorate.

    #SpoonTip- try grating more orange peel or chocolate on top of the icing

  10. Photo by Emily Stamp

    Alternatively double up the mixture and place into 2 round cake tins, sandwiched with the frosting for a large cake.

    (recipie adapted from thekitchn.com)

Emily Stamp

St Andrews '18

When not baking vegan delights or trying to run around grabbing coffee with everyone, Emily enjoys curling up in bed with a mug of green tea, blankets and pretends Scotland isn't freezing or raining most of the year.