Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

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Everyone loves a classic sweet treat and these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes fit the bill! They are tender, fluffy, and simply irresistible! Make them for parties, potlucks, or when you just want something sweet and simple. They are so easy to whip up and they bake in just 20 minutes!

If you love simplicity and sweets, then these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes might be for you! They are a favorite recipe from my dessert collection and my go-to for celebrations or when someone needs a pick-me-up.

They bring smiles every time! Especially, with a tall cold glass of cashew milk or chocolate hazelnut milk.

You can enjoy them plain, topped with fresh fruit, jam, or your favorite frosting. I topped these with my homemade Vegan Buttercream Frosting but they go well with my Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting or Vegan Chocolate Frosting. They are perfect with vegan sprinkles, too!

️🌟 This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

• Soy Milk - it yields a consistency that is very similar to dairy buttermilk when vinegar is added. You can use any non-dairy milk, just note that it won't thicken much, but the recipe will still work.
• Sugar - any brand that is organic will ensure that it's vegan and not filtered through bone char.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - If you don't have it, you can use fresh lemon juice.
• Canola Oil - I had the fluffiest results with canola, but any neutral-flavored oil will work such as avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, vegetable oil, or refined coconut oil (measure coconut oil in its liquid state).
• Vanilla Extract - pure extract tastes the best, but you can use imitation vanilla.
• Apple Sauce - it yields a tender and moist crumb. You can also use plain non-dairy yogurt. I like the So Delicious brand.
• Vegan Butter - This is used for the frosting of your choice. I highly recommend using stick butter for successful results. The tub variety is softer and contains more moisture.

• Whisk the soy milk and apple cider vinegar together in a medium sized bowl.
• Add the oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and sugar. Whisk to combine well.
• In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine well.
• Now add the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients.
• Whisk gently until just combined.

• Pour mixture into each liner evenly about half way full.
• Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes until lightly golden. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

FAQs

Here is an informative article sharing Expert Tips for Bakers. It explains the difference between materials and color. I prefer to use this high-quality Aluminized Steel Pan for wonderful results.

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Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Everyone loves a classic sweet treat and these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes fit the bill! They're tender, fluffy and simply irresistible! Make them for parties, potlucks or when you just want something sweet and simple. They are so easy to whip up and they bake in just 20 minutes!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 192kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 ¾ cups cake flour (sub all-purpose)
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¾ cup soy milk or preferred milk
• ▢ 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (sub fresh lemon)
• ▢ ⅓ cup canola oil or any neutral-flavored oil (avocado, sunflower, etc.)
• ▢ ¼ cup applesauce , unsweetened
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Frosting (choose your favorite)

• ▢ vegan buttercream frosting
• ▢ vegan cream cheese frosting
• ▢ vegan chocolate frosting

Recommended Equipment

• 1 12-Slot Cupcake Pan
• 12 Cupcake Liners
• 2 Mixing Bowls
• Whisk

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 ° F (177 ° C). Place 12 muffin liners in a standard muffin pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the soy milk and apple cider vinegar together. Set aside about 5-7 minutes to create vegan buttermilk (it will thicken and curdle slightly).
• Now add the oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and sugar to the buttermilk. Whisk to combine well.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine well.
• Now add the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk gently until just combined. Don't overwork the batter or it can cause dense and chewy cupcakes that won't rise well.
• Pour mixture into each liner evenly about ½ the way full (an ice cream scoop works great for this). Don't overfill.
• Place in the oven on the middle rack for 18-22 minutes until lightly golden. To check for doneness, lightly press the surface - It should spring back.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes before touching. Now gently remove the cupcakes and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let completely cool before decorating with frosting.

Notes

• You may have batter leftover for 1-2 more cupcakes. I usually toss the remaining because you can't let it sit for too long due to the vinegar activating in the batter. If you want to bake the leftover, you can use a 6-slot muffin tin and bake at the same time as the larger one.
• If your oven runs too hot/cool, it can yield different results. I highly recommend an oven thermometer to ensure the temp is accurate.
• Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are not expired. Fresh baking agents are important for a successful baking experience
• Measuring Flour: For accurate results, don’t scoop the flour with a measuring cup directly from the flour container. Instead, scoop the flour out of your container with a spoon and then into a measuring cup. Don’t pack or tap the cup. After filling, lightly sweep a butter knife across the top to remove the excess flour.
• Yields 12-14 cupcakes.
• Nutritional info doesn't include frosting. This will vary depending on which one you choose. The information will be on that recipe card. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 238mg | Sugar: 17g

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