Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit, and prep a cupcake pan with liners.
2. Combine non-dairy milk, and apple cider vinegar. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes, this will be your buttermilk, it will curdle and thicken.
3. In a large bowl, sift your flour, sugar, instant espresso/coffee (if using), dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together to combine.
4. To your buttermilk, add in vanilla extract, oil, maple syrup and whisk until fully emulsified.
5. Combine wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and with a spatula gently fold it together. Careful not to over mix. You should have a slightly thick batter. If it’s too runny and smooth, you could risk the cupcakes falling flat, and sinking in the middle.
6. Fill your cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. Tap the tin to release some air bubbles, and quickly place them in the oven. 
7. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes. Do not open the oven at this stage, let it fully bake before checking.
8. To check if your cupcakes are done, use a toothpick or a wooden skewer and poke the center of the cupcake. It should come out clean with a couple of crumbs. If there is still wet batter, bake it for 2 minute increments until it is ready.
9. Remove cupcakes from the oven, and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes. After, remove from the tin and let them fully cool on a cooling rack. 

Pudding filling:

1. To a bowl, add ¼ cup of the dry instant pudding mix and add 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk at a time. Mix until you reach a pudding consistency, then add in the red food coloring and continue to mix until well combined. Set aside.

Chocolate Horns:

1. Prepare a piping bag by draping the bag over a tall cup or jar. Then preparing a small baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Next, place the roughly chopped chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl. Heat up the chocolate in 15 second increments, while stirring in between. See notes
3. When you get half melted chocolate and half whole chocolate pieces, do not heat it any further. 
4. Continue to mix the chocolate until all the pieces are fully melted in. 
5. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared piping bag and cut a tiny hole at the tip.
6. On the parchment paper draw the outline of the horns first, fill it in with more chocolate.
7. Use a toothpick and fill in any gaps where the chocolate did not cover. Pipe at least 15 pairs of horns, just in case one of them breaks. 
8. Place them in the fridge to harden.

Frosting:

1. Place the softened butter in a large bowl. Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, whip butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
2. On low, beat in the powdered sugar in batches until fully incorporated. Then add in the vanilla extract and food coloring.
3. With a spatula scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, and then continue to whip the buttercream. Sometimes there will be parts of the frosting where it has not been mixed in properly.
4. Continue to beat on high until you get a nice smooth and fluffy consistency and everything is well incorporated. About 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Assembly:

1. Working with one cupcake at a time, core the center of the cupcake with an apple corer, small cookie cutter, or even a knife. Save the core of the cake, you will use it as a topper.
2. Carefully spoon in enough pudding into the center of the cupcake. Take the core of the cupcake and place it over the pudding to act as a “cover” for the filling. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes.
3. Next, fit your favorite piping tip into a large piping bag. To make things easier, drape the piping bag over a tall cup or jar. Scoop the frosting into the piping bag, enough to fill the size of the bag. Pipe a nice swirl over the cupcake. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes.
4. Remove the horns from the fridge and stick them into the frosting. Serve and enjoy!