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German Chocolate Cupcakes

Premium

1 hr + 10 min

Dessert

Freezer-friendly
These decadent, moist cupcakes are filled with a sticky, sweet coconut and pecan filling, and topped with a crown of rich chocolate frosting. These cupcakes are inspired by the German chocolate layered cake, which is named after the creator of a baking chocolate, Samuel German, and not named after the country of Germany. His sweetened chocolate product was used in the original recipes of this cake, but for our version, we use cocoa powder and dairy-free dark chocolate.

cupcakes

Total

1 hr + 10 min

Prep

30 min

Cook

20 min

Cool

20 min

Contains

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Gluten symbol

gluten

Swap out

Soy symbol

soy

Free from

Peanut symbol

peanut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Ingredients

Cupcakes

Coconut-pecan filling

Chocolate frosting

Optional garnish

Directions

  1. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)*.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes to curdle.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine, then make a well in the centre.
  4. Pour in the milk-vinegar mixture, along with the sugar, espresso, oil, and vanilla. Stir until just combined.
  5. Divide the batter between the muffin wells. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the coconut-pecan filling. In a saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed coconut milk and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  7. Once boiling, cook the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken.
  8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, shredded coconut, and pecans. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
  9. For the frosting, in a large bowl, whip the butter with an electric hand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes.
  10. Add the remaining frosting ingredients and whip again until the frosting is fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  11. Once baked, let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag, and pipe a circle of frosting around the top of the fully cooled cupcake.
  13. Spoon the coconut-pecan mixture in the center of each frosting circle.
  14. Drizzle the cupcakes with melted chocolate, if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

  • †We recommend using either soy or pea milk for this recipe, as the high protein content of these milks are what allows the milk to curdle to create vegan buttermilk.
  • †We use 50 - 60% cocoa chocolate for a balanced sweetness. Darker varieties (70%+) can make the result too bitter.
  • * We used top and bottom heating (not fan-assisted/convection).

Storage

  • Frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze for up to 1 month.
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Nutrition info

Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.

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Claire Whittaker - April 10, 2026, 7:11 p.m.

Made these as an Easter treat for my family and they were very well received! I used less icing sugar on the icing and a darker chocolate as the filling is quite sweet already and it worked well. I don't have tools for piping so did them in a retro butterfly bun style which looked very cute (not sure if this concept has travelled or if its a uk thing but you create a hollow in the middle of the cake saving the bit you scooped out. Then fill the cake hollow and put a layer of butter icing over the top. Then cut the bit of cake you saved in half and position the two halves switched around so they look like butterfly wings. I used an almond in the middle for the body 😋)

PUL small logo PUL Team - April 11, 2026, 1:56 a.m.

Aww thank you for welcoming them into the Easter celebrations, Claire! Love the tweaks you made too, using a darker chocolate and reducing the icing sugar sounds like such a perfect balance. And oh my goodness, the butterfly style?! That sounds so adorable 🥹

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Mar - March 23, 2026, 3:47 p.m.

One swap I tried for the pecan caramel bit was to use pureed dates as the caramel sauce instead of condensed milk, etc… to keep it more whole-food based. Adding a little maldon salt flakes really gives it a buttery depth.

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Em - March 3, 2026, 2:38 a.m.

Made the chocolate cupcake part, but added lots of blueberries to the batter instead of frosting/topping (what I had on hand…). Universal agreement that they are absolutely delicious, and that I should make them often. 😜

PUL small logo PUL Team - March 3, 2026, 2:39 a.m.

Aww love this, Em! So happy to hear that the cupcakes were enjoyed 🤗

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Gabriel - Feb. 28, 2026, 11:42 p.m.

Ein veganer Schokoladen Traum!
💕 Gabriel

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Luciana Veldwijk - Feb. 28, 2026, 5:27 p.m.

Delicious, I could eat a whole tray of them.

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Hanni - Feb. 28, 2026, 1:46 p.m.

Just made this. Delicious! I was a little confused, as my dough was much more liquid than it's supposed to be compared to the pictures, and it resulted in very flat cupcakes (or less cupcakes of normal size). I reread the recipe but can't make out what went wrong. The frosting is beautiful, and it all pairs wonderfully with the coconut mixture. Mine came out a lot more white-looking and pretty solid/crumbly, again, don't understand why.
It tasted lovely though, so I will definitely be making these again!

PUL small logo PUL Team - March 1, 2026, 2:53 a.m.

Hiii there, Hanni! Thanks so much for making them and sharing your experience. I’m so glad you loved the flavour and how everything paired together ☺️

If the batter looked much more liquid than in the photos and the cupcakes baked up flatter, it usually comes down to a measuring difference: either a bit too much milk or not enough flour. Cup measurements can vary quite a lot, so weighing the flour is the most reliable way to get the intended texture. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping from the bag, which can throw the amount off. Milk choice is important too. Soy or pea milk works best because the higher protein helps it curdle properly when mixed with the acid, which improves structure and rise. Using a lower-protein milk (like oat or almond) can sometimes lead to a looser batter and flatter bake. That said, slightly flatter cupcakes are usually perfectly fine, and often easier to frost evenly :)

PUL small logo PUL Team - March 1, 2026, 9:02 p.m.

As for the frosting, if yours turned out lighter and more crumbly, a few things could explain it:
First, the chocolate. (1) The brand and cocoa percentage. A higher percentage makes a noticeably darker frosting, and some dairy-free chocolates are naturally paler too. (2) The cocoa powder. We use Dutch-process cocoa, which is darker. Natural cocoa is usually lighter and can look more reddish. (3) Temperature. If the melted chocolate cooled before mixing, or the butter wasn’t truly room temperature, the frosting can firm up and turn crumbly. Soft butter plus fluid (not hot) chocolate blends smoother and often looks darker. (4) Lastly, powdered sugar. If a bit extra was measured, it can lighten the colour and make it stiffer.

You can always tweak the icing if you’d like, adding a bit more melted chocolate for a deeper colour, or a small splash of plant milk to soften it back up if it feels too stiff or crumbly. I hope this helps for now :)

Hanni - March 3, 2026, 12:07 p.m.

Thank you! I just realized i wrote frosting 🤦🏼‍♀️ I'm so sorry, I meant the pecan-mixture that came out crumbly white and solid. The frosting was perfection!

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