Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

21/05/2021 by thebakingexplorer 33 Comments

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These Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes are fluffy, light and delicious! I get a lot of requests for egg free recipes, so I thought a simple vanilla cupcake recipe would be a great one to share. Everyone loves a vanilla cupcake, and it's a great recipe to try if you're new to vegan or egg free baking. I do love how simple and easy vegan cupcakes are to make, but they are very different from regular cupcakes so make sure to read all my tips before you start baking!

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

I've use both oat and almond milk for the cupcakes, but you can use any plant milk that you prefer.
I've found that the best dairy free butter for vegan buttercream is Flora Plant. Stork Baking Block is also very good. Using a block dairy free butter is much better for the buttercream. A margarine or spread style dairy free butter will make the buttercream too loose. I also like to add some vegan shortening, but this is optional.
You can use a different type of oil besides vegetable oil. I'd recommend one that doesn't have a strong flavour, canola and sunflower oil would both work well.
You do need to add the vinegar to this recipe to get a good rise - it reacts with the baking powder to create air bubbles. Cider vinegar is the best vinegar to use, but white vinegar would be a suitable replacement. Balsamic or malt vinegar (the kind you put on your chips) will not work. And don't worry - you can't taste the vinegar in the cupcake!
For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract and not an essence. You can also use a vanilla bean paste. I like to use the brand Nielsen Massey.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

In a mixing bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, dairy free milk, vanilla extract and cider vinegar. In a second mixing bowl, stir together self raising flour, caster sugar and baking powder.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk them together until combined and smooth. It's best to do this by hand with a whisk to avoid over mixing. Then divide the mixture between cupcake cases.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and golden, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. To make the buttercream, mix the dairy free butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until smooth.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is the best dairy free butter to use for the buttercream?

My favourite dairy free butter to use for vegan buttercream is Flora Plant. The Stork baking block is great too. Block style dairy free butters give the vegan buttercream and better texture. Using a spread or margarine style dairy free butter will make the buttercream much looser. If you only have a spread or margarine style dairy free butter, you don't need to add as much or any plant milk to the buttercream.

How can you decorate the vegan cupcakes?

Fresh fruit like strawberries or raspberries would be a lovely way to decorate these cupcakes. As would freeze dried fruit. Sprinkles like I have used are a fun and colourful option. If using sprinkles and serving these cupcakes to vegans, make sure to check the sprinkles are vegan. Many sprinkles use animal products for colour, and confectioners glaze is a common ingredient in sprinkles that is not vegan because it comes from insects.

Who are the cupcakes suitable for?

These cupcakes are dairy free and egg free, they are also suitable for vegans. They can also be adapted to be gluten free.

How long do the cupcakes last and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the appearance of the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cupcake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

Yes, you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additional baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cake if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

More tips for making the Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes:

Always pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients when making these cupcakes. It is the best way to avoid a lumpy batter
To pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes, I used a Wilton 2D piping nozzle
You do not need to use an electric mixer for this recipe, mix by hand with a whisk for the best results

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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