Description
Delight in these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes, a scrumptious plant-based treat that’s moist, fluffy, and topped with smooth vegan buttercream frosting. Perfectly sweetened and easy to make, these cupcakes are ideal for any occasion and cater to vegan diets without compromising on taste or texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 236 ml soy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 100 g vegan butter (block butter NOT spreadable margarine, room temperature)
- 85 g vegan Greek-Style yogurt (or unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract (or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste)
Dry Ingredients
- 170 g granulated sugar
- 250 g plain flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For Decoration
- 1 batch vegan buttercream frosting
- Vegan funfetti sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 175°C (347°F). Line 2x 12-hole muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners. If you have only one pan, bake in batches.
- Make vegan buttermilk: Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl or jug. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer or large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the vegan butter and granulated sugar together for about 30 seconds until fluffy. Then add vegan yogurt and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Using a whisk, add the vegan buttermilk and dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter mixture in two increments. Whisk gently after each addition, taking care not to overmix to ensure a light batter.
- Fill cupcake liners: Using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake the cupcakes: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center; it should come out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Prepare vegan buttercream frosting: Make an easy vegan buttercream frosting according to your preferred recipe or the referenced one in the article.
- Frost the cupcakes: Transfer the vegan buttercream to a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle and pipe the frosting atop each cooled cupcake. Optionally, decorate with vegan funfetti sprinkles.
- Storage instructions: Store cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring cupcakes to room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving to soften the frosting.
Notes
- Use block vegan butter, not spreadable margarine, to achieve the best texture in cupcakes.
- Vegan Greek-style yogurt can be substituted with unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep cupcakes soft and fluffy.
- Ensure cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent frosting from melting.
- Vegan buttercream frosting stiffens in the fridge, so bring cupcakes to room temperature before serving.
