Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 12 oz Semi-sweet chocolate chips (One package is usually 12 ounces; for the mousse)
• 10 oz Extra-firm silken tofu (Source states 10–12 oz; use the vacuum-packed kind; for the mousse)
• 0.25 cup Plain soy milk (For the mousse)
• 2 tbsp Agave syrup or maple syrup (For the mousse; use either agave syrup or maple syrup)
• 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract (For the mousse)
• 1 cup Unsweetened soy milk (For the cupcakes)
• 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar (For curdling the soy milk)
• 0.75 cup Granulated sugar (For the cupcakes)
• 0.333 cup Canola oil (For the cupcakes)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract (For the cupcakes)
• 0.5 tsp Almond extract, chocolate extract, or additional vanilla extract (Use one of the listed extracts)
• 1 cup All-purpose flour (For the cupcakes)
• 0.333 cup Cocoa powder (Dutch-processed or regular)
• 0.75 tsp Baking soda
• 0.5 tsp Baking powder
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• Cooking spray (For lightly spraying the cupcake liners)
• Chocolate bar (Optional; for shaving over the cupcakes)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the mousse. Crumble the tofu into a blender. Add the plain soy milk, agave or maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract. Purée until completely smooth, then set aside.

2. 2

   Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you do not have one, fill a small saucepan halfway with water and place a small sauté pan on top. Put the chocolate chips in the sauté pan and bring the water to a boil. Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula as it melts.

3. 3

   Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. 4

   Add the melted chocolate to the tofu mixture and blend until well combined, scraping down the sides of the blender with a spatula as needed.

5. 5

   Transfer the mousse to an airtight container or a covered bowl and chill for 1 hour.

6. 6

   Prepare the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

7. 7

   Whisk the soy milk and apple cider vinegar together in a large bowl. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes to curdle.

8. 8

   Add the sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract, chocolate extract, or additional vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture. Beat until foamy.

9. 9

   In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

10. 10

    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches. Beat until no large lumps remain; a few tiny lumps are acceptable.

11. 11

    Lightly spray the paper liners with cooking spray. Pour in the batter, filling each liner about three-quarters full.

12. 12

    Bake for 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

13. 13

    Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

14. 14

    Assemble the cupcakes. Once the mousse is chilled and set and the cupcakes are completely cool, remove the mousse from the refrigerator and stir it with a fork until spreadable.

15. 15

    Fit a pastry bag with a wide decorating tip. Fill the bag with mousse and pipe it onto each cupcake in a spiral, starting from the outside and working inward, or from the center outward.

16. 16

    Add chocolate chips or optional chocolate shavings if desired.

17. 17

    Chill the cupcakes for 30 minutes so the mousse can set again, then serve cold.

Notes

The structured recipe says to chill the mousse for 1 hour and the assembled cupcakes for 30 minutes. The mousse and cupcakes should both be fully chilled or cooled as directed before assembly. The optional chocolate bar is listed for shaving over the finished cupcakes.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• vegan
• dairy-free
• egg-free
• baked
• chocolate
• cupcakes
• make-ahead