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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cake

    Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

    Published: Jun 24, 2019 · Modified: Jan 29, 2021 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    Pinnable image for vegan vanilla cupcakes recipe

    This Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes recipe is so light and fluffy that nobody would guess that they're eggless and dairy free! It's a super easy 1-bowl recipe that's light, moist and delicious. You only need 7 ingredients and 20 minutes.

    Cupcake with a bite taken out. With a spoonful of sprinkles in front.

    Ever since I made my vegan chocolate cake a few years ago and it turned out AMAZING, I've been obsessed with creating the best vegan cake recipes.

    But as much as I love cake, I love cupcakes too! 

    These vegan vanilla cupcakes are light, moist, fluffy, soft and sooo easy to make!

    You only need 7 ingredients and 20 minutes!

    It's an easy one-bowl recipe that never ever fails me.

    I've made these babies many many times and they're always a HUGE hit.

    I've decorated these ones with an easy vegan vanilla frosting and some sprinkles!

    They're perfect for a birthday, party or treat.

    Side shot of a vegan vanilla cupcakes. Covered in vegan frosting and sprinkles.

    Vegan Cupcakes

    Often people think that making vegan cakes and cupcakes might be difficult or you'll need unusual ingredients.

    But, NO!

    I've been tweaking my vegan cake and cupcakes recipes to make the best ones and you don't need any flax, chia, egg replacers or anything like that!

    Instead, I make a 'buttermilk' by souring vegan milk with lemon juice or vinegar.

    That reacts with the leavening agents in the baking powder and makes them soft, fluffy and delicious! 

    Four vegan cupcakes with frosting and sprinkles.

    Dairy free cupcakes

    These vegan vanilla cupcakes are so fluffy that nobody would guess that they're vegan.

    That means they're perfect if you don't actually need a vegan cake recipe, but are looking for one that's dairy free.

    You can use any type of dairy free milk: soy, almond, coconut, cashew, oat etc...

    They all work perfectly!

    Eggless cupcakes

    According to the old saying, 'if you want to make a cake, you have to crack some eggs'.

    Nope!

    And you don't even need any of the usual egg replacements like flax eggs, chia seeds, banana etc... Trust me.

    These eggless cupcakes still have the same great structure, fluffy texture and nobody would guess that they're egg-free.

    How to make vegan vanilla cupcakes - step by step

    Here are the step by step picture instructions for these cupcakes. You only need 1-bowl, 7 ingredients and 20 minutes!

    Scroll down for the full recipe in the recipe card. 

    Step by step images vegan vanilla cupcakes

    1. Stir the vinegar (or lemon juice) into the dairy free milk, then set aside for 3 minutes to create vegan ‘buttermilk’.

    2. Add sugar, oil and vanilla.

    3. Beat until the sugar dissolves.

    4. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt.

    step by step images for vegan vanilla cupcakes

    5. Gently stir the dry ingredients the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. Take care not to overmix, but ensure there’s no visible flour.

    6. Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray to fill each cup ¾ full.

    7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

    A vegan cupcake with a bite taken out. Covered in vanilla frosting and sprinkles.

    Tips and Tricks

    • As with all cakes, once you add the dry ingredients, you need to mix gently so you don't beat out all the air.
    • If you're using sprinkles on your eggless cupcakes, be sure to check that they're vegan.
    • Looking for fancy frosting techniques? Check these out.
    • For lower calorie vegan cupcakes, replace half the oil with applesauce or vegan yogurt.
    • Try them with some chai spice, pumpkin spice or other flavourings!
    Overhead shot of vegan vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles, next to a spoonful of sprinkles.

    Vegan Cupcake Recipes

    Looking for more vegan cupcakes? Try these!
    vegan red velvet cupcakes
    Chocolate cupcakes vegan

    Vegan Cake Recipes

    Or how about vegan cake recipes? 
    vegan black forest cake
    vegan chocolate cake
    vanilla cake (vegan)
    vegan lemon cake
    vegan carrot cake
    banana bread (vegan)

    Vegan vanilla cupcake with a bite out, with vegan frosting and strawberries.

    Get the recipe

    Veggie Desserts Cookbook by Kate Hackworthy

    Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon

    An easy 1 bowl vegan vanilla cupcake with a bite taken out. With a spoonful of sprinkles in front.

    Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    These vegan vanilla cupcakes are so light and fluffy that nobody would guess that they're eggless and dairy free! It's a super easy 1-bowl recipe that's light, moist and delicious. You only need 7 ingredients and 20 minutes!
    4.77 from 39 votes
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, International, Western
    Servings 12
    Calories 194 kcal

    Equipment

    • 12-hole muffin pan
    • mixing bowl

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup (250ml) soy milk (or other dairy free milk)
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice or white vinegar
    • ¾ cup (150g) sugar
    • ½ cup (125ml) vegetable oil (such as sunflower or rapeseed)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups (175g) plain (all-purpose) flour
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the Vegan Vanilla Frosting

    • ½ cup (100g) vegan butter, softened
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 ½ cups (325g) powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon soy milk or other dairy free milk

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 175C / 350F and line a muffin tray with paper liners.
    • In a large mixing bowl, add the dairy free milk and stir in the vinegar, then set aside for 3 minutes to create vegan ‘buttermilk’. It may curdle slightly depending on the dairy free milk used, and this is absolutely fine.
    • Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil and vanilla into the buttermilk for a couple of minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
    • Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and gently stir it into the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. Take care not to overmix, but ensure there’s no visible flour.
    • Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray to fill each cup ¾ full.
    • Bake for 15 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
    • Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the tray then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    For the vegan vanilla frosting

    • (Note, to be truly one-bowl, just give the mixing bowl a quick clean for the frosting.)
    • Beat the softened butter/margarin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
    • Sift in the powdered sugar, about ½ a cup at a time, beating well between each addition. You’ll probably need to scrape the sides of the bowl down periodically.
    • Beat in the vanilla.
    • If the frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered icing sugar (a tablespoon at a time). If it’s too thick, add dairy free milk a tablespoon at a time.
    • Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and frost the completely cooled cupcakes as desired (or just spread it onto them with a spoon).

    Notes

    • These vegan vanilla cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
    • Un-frosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
    • Nutrition calculated without frosting or sprinkles.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 60mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 75IUVitamin C: 1.4mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 0.9mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

    More Vegan Cake Recipes

    • The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake
    • Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Ginger Frosting
    • Vegan Banana Bread (one-bowl)
    • Easy Vegan Carrot Cake
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alicia

      June 08, 2022 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      BEST.CUPCAKES.EVER!!! Oh
      Thank you so much for creating this recipe❤️

      Reply
    2. Constance

      September 19, 2021 at 9:17 pm

      Hi want to make these mini . Have you tried them in a mini cupcake pan , and if so how long should I bake them?

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        September 20, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        Hi, I'd check them after about 10 minutes. Let me know how they work!

        Reply
    3. Surinder Kaur

      August 08, 2021 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      Best cupcakes ever! I’m not vegan but this is the go to recipe from now onI used olive oil spread as had no oil. Almond milk. No salt had none. I made rainbow cupcakes with fresh strawberry icing. Can’t wait to try other recipes. 😁

      Reply
    4. Darlene D

      June 24, 2021 at 11:43 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Everyone in my family love them, which is very rare. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I made them four times now and each time they are a success. Thank you!!

      Reply
    5. Tash

      May 03, 2021 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this amazing recipe! The sponge was very light and moist! I made with Alpro Vanilla Soya Milk and it left a slight soya taste in the sponge, so I think in future I'll use Oat Milk as it's very creamy with no after taste! As for the icing, I found I needed a quarter the amount of icing sugar to make the perfect buttercream consistency. I'll definitely be trying again with these amendements and report back! Thank you! X

      Reply
    6. Sam

      January 23, 2021 at 12:02 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve tried so many vegan vanilla cupcake recip, yet they always failed, yet these were absolutely perfect!

      Reply
    7. Rob

      October 28, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the super tasty recipe. Just one question, mine came out quite dense even though I followed the recipe. I did have to mix a while though to remove the lumps from the flour. Would an electric whisk be better to get more air into them to prevent this ? Thanks again

      Reply
    8. Kiki

      August 18, 2020 at 5:05 am

      5 stars
      My best friend has an egg allergy and has never had fun getting cupcakes! For her birthday I tried this recipe and it truly tastes like regular cupcakes. I used coconut milk and apple cider vinegar, regular non-vegan butter and it worked perfectly. Well done!! Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    9. Dina

      July 02, 2020 at 5:01 am

      5 stars
      I made these and they came out so good! In half of the batch I added a few drops of orange extract and they came out delicious too! I kept them all plain without the frosting. The top was sticky though, do you know why this could be? Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    10. Katriene

      June 15, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      5 stars
      Incredible! Worked so well. Best vegan cupcake recipe I've tried.

      Reply
    11. Hannah

      June 11, 2020 at 11:00 am

      5 stars
      Taste yum and fluffy!

      Reply
    12. Lea

      March 25, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      5 stars
      These were just gorgeous, thank you for a great recipe! I used rice milk. I did have to use my electric hand mixer though as otherwise it would’ve been lumpy, they turned our super. I also added currants and I sprinkled coconut sugar on top before going in the oven, they didn’t need any icing at all 😋

      Reply
    13. Mandi

      March 20, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      The most delicious cupcake recipe I have ever tried!!! A huge hit in my home!!! This is our new favorite recipe!!!!!

      Reply
    14. Rakhi Patel

      February 25, 2020 at 8:34 am

      Hi could I use self raising flour instead or plain?

      Reply
    15. Ashley

      February 03, 2020 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      These came out perfectly! I only used the cake portion of the recipe and just used dairy-free store-bought icing, but they were a huge hit at my daughter’s first birthday party and so simple to make!

      Reply
    16. Stephanie

      January 18, 2020 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      These cupcakes turned out perfect! However my frosting was a complete fail. It was just small chunks and then basically formed into a dough. Never reached a ‘frosting texture’. Help??

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        January 31, 2020 at 9:34 am

        HI Stephanie, that's such a shame about the frosting. It must be down to the vegan 'butter' you used. What brand was it?

        Reply
    17. Rebecca

      January 11, 2020 at 5:17 pm

      5 stars
      Just made these today. Super tasty, moist and fluffy, and the family loved them too! The frosting in particular was amazing. Beautiful recipe ☺️

      Reply
    18. Lina

      October 27, 2019 at 3:01 am

      5 stars
      Just finished baking these this morning. So true! They are so light and fluffy! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe! 🙂

      Reply
    19. Ramiswary Ramdass

      September 08, 2019 at 7:41 am

      5 stars
      Tried today... Simply superb... Moist and fluffy

      Reply
    20. Emily

      June 24, 2019 at 11:29 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! I can't believe it's vegan!

      Reply
    21. Cindy Gordon

      June 24, 2019 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      100% yes to these vegan cupcakes! Seriously,yum!

      Reply
    22. Kelly Anthony

      June 24, 2019 at 10:12 pm

      5 stars
      What a great vegan alternative to everyone's favorite dessert! I'm also loving that I can make these in one bowl!

      Reply
    23. Mary Bostow

      June 24, 2019 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      These cupcakes look so simplistic and classic, Kate! I love a good vanilla cupcake with classic buttercream. One of my biggest weaknesses! Pinned!

      Reply
    24. Chris Collins

      June 24, 2019 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      These look so delicious! Thanks for the step by step photos too, super helpful!

      Reply
    25. wilhelmina

      June 24, 2019 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      These cuppies are so fluffy and fabulous!

      Reply
    26. alyssa

      June 24, 2019 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      These are so good and taste legit!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Easter Recipes

    • Easter Rice Krispie Nests
    • Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)
    • Mushroom Wellington
    • Nut Roast

    My cookbook

    Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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