My vegan vanilla cupcakes are moist, with a tender crumb and lots of sweet vanilla flavor! They’re easy to make with a handful of pantry staples, and perfect for everything from birthdays and holidays to just treating yourself.
While I generally consider myself a well-established member of Team Chocolate when it comes to my vegan desserts, every once in a while I crave vanilla. Here’s the thing, though: vanilla desserts need to actually taste like vanilla. Too many sweets use just a hint of it, then have the nerve to call themselves vanilla-flavored. Sugar-flavored is not the same thing as vanilla-flavored!
These vegan vanilla cupcakes, my friends, are the real deal when it comes to vanilla treats. They’re bursting with flavor and totally satisfy my vanilla cravings.
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Serve them at birthday parties, special gatherings, or just whip up a batch for yourself when you’re craving something sweet. They’re versatile enough to enjoy plain or dressed up with powdered sugar, sprinkles, or your favorite vegan frosting, making them perfect for just about any occasion.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- All-purpose flour. Trusty old wheat flour is my go-to for all of my cupcake recipes. I haven't tested the recipe with any other varieties, so try them at your own risk.
- Cornstarch. Adding a couple tablespoons of this really help to give these cupcakes the perfect tender crumb and melt-in-your mouth texture.
- Sugar. We're using white sugar here. Make sure it's organic to keep the cupcakes vegan.
- Baking powder.
- Baking soda.
- Salt. This is essential to achieving maximum vanilla flavor, so don't skimp on it!
- Non-dairy milk. Soy milk, almond milk, rice milk , or whatever your favorite non-dairy milk happens to be is fine! The only variety I recommend avoiding is canned coconut milk. Otherwise, just be sure to use something unflavored and unsweetened. Read my guide to dairy-free milks if you need guidance.
- Oil. This adds moisture to our cupcakes. Without it they'd be super dry. The recipe calls for vegetable oil, but just about any neutral baking oil would work fine. You can use corn oil, canola oil, or coconut oil with no problems.
- Vanilla extract. Obviously we need something for vanilla flavor! Use good quality pure vanilla extract, and not the imitation stuff.
- Vinegar. You'll be mixing this with your wet ingredients to help give the cupcakes a nice lift — vinegar mixed with non-dairy milk makes a great vegan buttermilk alternative.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your muffin tin with papers.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make sure to whisk the mixture well!
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients. Stir the milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar together in a small container. If you have a large liquid measuring cup, use that. The milk and oil will separate — totally fine!
Step 4: Mix the batter. Add the wet mixture to the dry, then beat the mixture together using an electric mixer. Just get the batter smooth — don't overdo it!
Step 5: Pour the batter. Divide it among the muffin tin cups, filling each one to about two-thirds full.
Tip: If you find you have more batter than you need, use a second muffin tin or bake a second batch. Don't overfill the cups.
Step 6: Bake. Pop the tin into the oven and bake your cupcakes. They should take about 22 to 24 minutes, but bake times can vary depending on your oven. To test the cupcakes for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of one to make sure it comes out clean of batter.
Steps 7 and 8: Cool and frost. Keep the cupcakes in the tin and let them cool on a cooling rack. Once they're cool, you can top them as you like!
Tip: Try my vegan vanilla buttercream frosting, vegan chocolate frosting, or vegan cream cheese frosting on top of these cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't tried making them gluten-free, but if you'd like to take a crack at it I'd recommend using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend like those made by Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.
I'm not sure! Applesauce sometimes works as a substitute, but I haven't tried these cupcakes with it.
Yes, but make sure to grease your muffin tin well or use a nonstick one.
Possibly, but you'd be better off just using my vegan vanilla cake recipe.
Your cupcakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can store them frosted or unfrosted!
More Vegan Cupcakes
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📖 Recipe
Classic Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
Equipment
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- â…” cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.
- Place the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the mixture well using a wire whisk.
- In a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture, then use an electric mixer at high speed to beat the ingredients together, just until the batter is smooth and there are no lumps, about 30 to 45 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Each cavity should be about â…” full. If you have too much batter, use a second muffin tin or bake the excess batter in a second batch.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 22 to 24 minutes, or until they're domed on top and feel set. You can test them for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of one. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven, transfer the tin to a cooling rack and let the cupcakes cool completely in the tin.
- Once they're cool, remove the cupcakes from the tin and frost or top them with toppings of choice.
Notes
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Can I use this same recipe to make a cake?? If so, what would be the adjustments if any?
You'd be better off just following my vegan vanilla cake recipe: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-vanilla-cake/
Your bakes and cakes always look so fluffy and light. How do you scoop/measure your flour to ensure they aren't overpacked?
Can't wait to give your lemon bundt and carrot cake a try. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Made these for a work charity cake sale and also used your vegan vanilla buttercream frosting recipe, topped them with strawberries and they went like hotcakes. Lovely and moist. This is going to be my go to cupcake recipe. Thanks
I tried this recipe. It was good and moist. I also added (my next time I baked these yummy cupcakes) 2 1/8 c flour - 1/8 corn starch, 1/2 c aquafaba whipped into stiff peeks I folded it into the batter. They came out so fluffy I make these now all the time.
Oh wow! I'll have to give that a try myself. I'm so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes!