Chocolate Sea Salted Popcorn Cupcakes

Calling all chocolate lovers! These classic vegan chocolate cupcakes are fluffy, mega-chocolatey, and topped with the smoothest, silkiest vegan chocolate buttercream. Topped with our Dark Chocolate + Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn, you get the perfect mix of salty and sweet.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup of crushed LesserEvil Dark Chocolate + Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn
•   ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•   ¼ teaspoon salt
•   ½ teaspoon baking soda
•   ½ teaspoon baking powder
•   1 cup granulated sugar
•   ⅓ cup canola oil
•   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•   2 ½ tsp. ground flaxseeds
•   5 tbsp warm water
•   ½ cup milk (regular or vegan)

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS:

•   ¾ cup butter (regular or vegan), softened
•   ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon vegetable shortening
•   ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•   2½-2¾ cup powdered sugar SEE NOTES
•   ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
•   ½-1 tablespoon milk (regular or vegan), if needed* SEE NOTES

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake/muffin tin with 12 liners. Line a second one with 3 more and set aside. 
2. In a small bowl, combine ground flaxseeds and warm water and set aside for 5 min to form a vegan “egg”.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground popcorn, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and granulated sugar. Wicks in flaxseed egg, vanilla extract, and then add milk.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until they are just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each ⅔ full.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave them in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter and vegetable shortening together.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time. Start with 21/2 cups, then add in the cocoa powder. If the buttercream is too thin, you can add in more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add in ½ tablespoon of milk until desired consistency is reached.
3. Fill a piping bag with frosting and use a large tip to frost each cupcake. Top with more LesserEvil Dark Chocolate Popcorn & Himalayan Pink Salt. Enjoy!