Vegan Cupcakes

a vegan cupcake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles on a marble countertop

You will love these vegan cupcakes with vanilla frosting! They're super fluffy, moist, and unbelievably delicious. I've made them so many times and they're a real crowd-pleaser. No one will believe they're completely vegan!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings cupcakes

Calories 401kcal

Author Sina

Ingredients

For the Vegan Cupcakes:

1/3 cup vegan butter, softened (at room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup almond or soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
nonstick cooking spray

For the Vegan Vanilla Frosting:

1 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance, 2 sticks), softened (at room temparature)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons canned full fat coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
vegan sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a muffin form with 12 paper muffin paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the sugar and the salt and beat with an electric hand mixer until combined and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
Then add the remaining ingredients. Beat until well combined. Make sure not to overmix the batter.
To prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the muffin liners, spray them with nonstick baking spray after you’ve placed them in the muffin tray. Then divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 350 °F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool down completely.
In the meantime, make the vanilla frosting. Place the softened vegan butter in a medium bowl and beat it with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth. This should take about 45 second to 1 minute.
Gradually add half of the powdered sugar and beat on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add the canned coconut milk, the vanilla extract, and the remaining powdered sugar. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for about 30-45 seconds, until you’ve got a fluffy and smooth frosting. Make sure not to overbeat.
If your frosting is too thick, add more coconut milk (about 1 tablespoon). If it’s too thin for your liking, add extra powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency (start with ¼ cup).
Use a piping bag to evenly divide the frosting on the cupcakes. Add some vegan sprinkles on top if you want.

Notes

If your powdered sugar contains sugar lumps, make sure to sift it before starting with the recipe for the frosting.
The vegan butter should be soft. Leave it out at room temperature for a while. Don’t melt it. The recipe won’t work with melted butter.
Make sure not to overmix the batter. If you mix it for too long, the cupcakes might become gummy.
I know it's tempting, but don't open the oven door during the baking time. The rush of cold air might cause your cupcakes to collapse.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating them with the vanilla icing. Otherwise the icing will melt.
Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin pan for about 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

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