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Vegan vanilla cupcakes on black plate.
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5 from 7 votes

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe

These scrumptious vegan vanilla cupcakes are soft as a cloud and topped with gobs of ultra-creamy vegan vanilla buttercream.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Cake/Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 322kcal

Equipment

  • Bowls
  • 12-cup cupcake pan
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer

Ingredients

Dry ingredients for cupcakes

Wet ingredients

Ingredients for vegan buttercream frosting

  • 2 sticks vegan butter (16 tablespoons or 1 cup)
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-4 tablespoons vegan cream (or nondairy milk. Cream will yield a creamier frosting)

Instructions

Make cupcakes

  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cornstarch.
  • In another bowl whisk the vegan yogurt with the non-dairy milk, oil, sugar, pure vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar, if using.
  • Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients.
  • Mix with a spatula just until you have a smooth batter.
  • Divide the batter equally among 12 cupcake tins.
  • Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit/175 degree Celsius oven for 22 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside on a wire rack to cool thoroughly before frosting.

Make vegan buttercream frosting

  • Place the vegan butter sticks, vanilla and a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl.
  • Beat with an electric beater until all the sugar has incorporated and the buttercream is fluffy. Continue adding sugar, half a cup at a time, and beating it in for a few seconds each time until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula frequently.
  • Once you've added all the sugar, mix in the vegan cream or milk. Beat once more until very smooth and creamy.
  • Use a wooden ladle to mix the buttercream and get any air bubbles out.
  • Frost the cupcakes and serve!

Notes

Helpful tips
  • To bake these vanilla cupcakes with a sweetener like stevia or erythritol, follow directions for substitution amounts and add ½ cup more nondairy milk to the cupcake batter. For the frosting just replace the sugar with the sweetener. Add more milk only if the frosting feels too stiff.
  • I use three cups of powdered sugar in this frosting, which is on the low side; most cupcake frostings have four or even five cups of powdered sugar in the frosting. So yes, you can add more sugar to the frosting if you like it very sweet. I find that three cups works perfectly for me.
Storage instructions
  • Refrigerate: Place the frosted cupcakes side by side in a single layer in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
  • Freeze: Store the frosted cupcakes side by side in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw completely before eating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg