These vegan vanilla cupcakes are most, tender, and perfectly sweet! They only require a few minutes and seven simple ingredients to make, and are the perfect treat for celebrations.
While I generally consider myself to be a well-established member of team chocolate, every once in a while I crave vanilla. Here's the thing though: my vanilla desserts need to be really tasty. So many sweets flavored with just a touch of vanilla and have the nerve to go around calling 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. Totally satisfied my vanilla cravings!
Serve these cupcakes at birthday parties, special gatherings, or just whip up a batch for yourself when you're craving something sweet. They're pretty versatile and can be served up plain, topped with powdered sugar, sprinkles, or your choice of vegan frosting, so they work for all occasions!
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Ingredient Notes
Let's talk about what you'll need to make the most amazing vegan vanilla cupcakes. Seven ingredients are all that's required!
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.
Sugar. We're using white sugar here. Make sure it's organic to keep the cupcakes vegan.
Baking powder. Not to be confused with baking soda. This is our leavening agent, to get those cakes light and fluffy.
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.
Oil. This adds moisture to our cupcakes. Without it they'd be super dry. The recipe calls for canola oil, but just about any neutral baking oil would work fine. You can use corn oil, vegetable 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, which is much lower quality and may not even be vegan.
How They're Made
Mix the Batter
- Start by making up the batter. You'll need to mix your dry and wet ingredients separately to start with.
- Your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) will need to be mixed in a large mixing bowl. Stir everything together and then use a spoon to form a well in the center.
- Your liquid ingredients (milk, oil, and vanilla) can be mixed in a small bowl or large liquid measuring cup. The oil and milk will start to separate — don't worry too much about it!
- Now pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and beat everything together with an electric mixer (feel free to use a hand-held or stand mixer) for about a minute — just until the batter is fully mixed. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get all of the ingredients incorporated into the batter.
Bake the Cupcakes
- Line a muffin tin with papers and spoon the batter into the cavities. You'll want each one to be about two-thirds full. If you find that you have more batter than you need, save the extra for a second small batch.
- Pop the tin into the oven and bake your cupcakes. They should take about 25 to 28 minutes. To test the cupcakes for doneness, gently press your finger into the top of one, then remove it — the indentation should spring back.
Top the Cupcakes
You can go super simple and serve your cupcakes plain or with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, but let's face it, frosting is the bomb! I love these with my vegan buttercream frosting. They'd also be wonderful with my vegan chocolate buttercream frosting.
Leftovers & Storage
Vegan vanilla cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
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.
First, did you overblend the batter? This can cause your baking powder to fizz out prematurely. If you didn't do that, I'd recommend testing your baking powder. Sprinkle a bit into a glass of water to see if it fizzes. If it doesn't, it's time for some new baking powder!
More Vegan Cupcakes
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vegan Pink Velvet Cupcakes
- Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes
- Vegan Mulled Wine Cupcakes
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Perfect Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
These vegan vanilla cupcakes are most, tender, and perfectly sweet! They only require a few minutes and seven simple ingredients to make, and are the perfect treat for celebrations.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup organic granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ⅔ cup canola oil (or your favorite baking oil)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.
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In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
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In a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk, oil, and vanilla.
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Use a spoon to form a well in the flour mixture, then pour in the milk mixture.
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Beat the ingredients together with an electric mixer at highs-speed, just until fully blended, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Each cavity should be about ⅔ full. If you have too much batter, use a second muffin tin or bake the excess batter in a second batch.
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Bake the cupcakes for about 25 to 28 minutes. Test the cupcakes by pressing on the top of one with a finger. If the cupcakes are done, it should spring back.
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Remove the cupcakes from the oven, transfer the tin to a cooling rack, and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
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Frost or top the cupcakes as desired, and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition information does not include frosting.
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!
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
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!