Blackout Cupcakes

Makes 20 cupcakes 

FOR CAKE 

• 2 cups full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

FOR PUDDING 

• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 quart unsweetened almond milk
• 2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips 

Make cupcakes & cake crumb topping:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a large mixing bowl whisk together coconut milk, sugar, canola oil, vinegar, and vanilla. In another bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Fill each cupcake liner until 2/3 full (about 1/4 cup each). Bake 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Place 4 cupcakes in a food processor and whir into crumbs to make crumb topping; set aside.

Meanwhile, make pudding:  In a cup whisk cornstarch with cold water and vanilla until smooth; set slurry aside. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat combine sugar, cocoa powder and salt and gradually add almond milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Heat and stir until gently steaming but do not boil. Reduce heat to very low, add chocolate chips, and stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until chips are fully melted. Stir slurry once more, then, whisking, add it to the pan. Heat on medium-low, whisking continuously, until pudding thickens. Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and allow to cool at room temperature 20 minutes.

Assemble cupcakes:  Place some pudding in a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. Insert tip into the top of a cupcake to about halfway down. Squeeze pudding into cupcake until the top cracks, then pull out the tip and continue squeezing pudding over the top surface for icing. Continue until all cupcakes are filled and iced, refilling bag as needed. Refrigerate unused pudding (about 2 cups) for another use. Top cupcakes with cake crumbs. Refrigerate cupcakes 1 hour before serving.