Perfect for birthdays and other occasions, these chocolate cupcakes with meringue and funfetti are nondairy and super easy to make! To make it more festive, I added some funfetti on top, but you can decorate with chopped nuts, chocolate chips and even cookie crumble.
Photo: Benny Gam Zo Letova
Chocolate Cupcakes with Meringue and Funfetti
For chocolate cupcakes:
- 70 ml. (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 150 ml. (1/2 cup + 3 tbsp.) soy milk
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 25 grams (2 tbsp.) cocoa powder
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 50 grams dark chocolate chips
For chocolate ganache:
- 100 grams coconut cream (at least 17% fat)
- 100 grams dark chocolate (chopped)
For the meringue:
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 125 grams sugar
- 30 ml. water
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Sprinkles for decoration
- Preheat oven to 170c degrees and arrange paper crowns in a muffin pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil, egg, soy milk, sugar, salt and vanilla until mixture is smooth.
- Sift in cocoa, flour and baking powder and beat just until assimilated in the mixture.
- Transfer the batter into the pan and fill about 2/3 of each mold.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over each cupcake.
- Bake for about 15-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cupcake comes out with moist crumbs.
- Cool slightly at room temperature.
- Chocolate ganache: in a small bowl put coconut cream and chopped dark chocolate and melt in the microwave or over double-boiler, until the chocolate melts and mixture is shiny and smooth.
- Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache and cool completely in the refrigerator.
- Meringue: put egg whites and salt in the bowl of a mixer with a whipping-attachment.
- In a small saucepan cook sugar and water and bring to a boil.
- Cook over high heat and when the syrup reaches a temperature of 105c degrees begin to whip the egg whites on medium speed. If you do not have a thermometer you can tell the syrup reached the correct temperature when big bubbles in the liquid become a bit smaller.
- Continue to cook the syrup until it reaches a temperature of 115-117c degrees and remove from heat.
- Increase the whipping speed to high and pour in the syrup in a thin stream while whipping.
- Whip for about 10 minutes until you get a stable glossy meringue. Towards the end of whipping add vanilla extract.
- Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with 1-2 cm round piping tip and drizzle mounds of meringue over the cupcakes.
- Decorate with sprinkles and serve.
- Keep the cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a closed box, but serve at room temperature.
Photo: Benny Gam Zo Letova