So it seems you’re all hungry for vegan cake recipes, (and I don’t blame you!) – my Vegan Victoria Sponge, Vegan Coffee & Walnut Cake and Vegan Carrot Cake are consistently amongst my most popular posts, with readers tagging me in their cake photos on instagram, asking me advice on Facebook, and tweeting their approval when they have tasted the finished product. Thanks so much – hearing from you and seeing your creations makes blogging worthwhile!
And because you like cake almost as much as I do, here’s a new recipe for some in incredibly light, moist and fluffy Vanilla Vegan Cupcakes. These taste every bit as good as they look – I know I say it a lot, but I promise no one will ever guess these are vegan. Just take them casually into the office or school cake sale and watch people’s faces when they find out they have just eaten a vegan cake….. mwahahaha!
As with most of my sponge cake recipes, I’ve used a combination of dairy-free yoghurt and dairy-free milk to replace the eggs. It sounds weird I know, and like it couldn’t possibly work, but trust me, it does!
And of course dairy-free margarine is a super-simple butter replacement both in the sponge and in the buttercream. I usually use either Stork block margarine (not the tubs, they aren’t vegan), or Tomor (a kosher block margarine), which is excellent and really buttery, but a little harder to find in supermarkets.
Don’t forget to pin the recipe for later, or to share with friends → → → → →
You might like to take a look at my Vegan Cakes Recipe Index for lots more traditional British bakes made vegan!
Do send me pictures of your very own vanilla vegan cupcakes on:
to show me how you got on!
Vanilla Vegan Cupcakes: Equipment & Shopping List
You will need:
- 12-hole muffin tin
- Paper cupcake cases
- Food mixer or large bowl + spoon or spatula
- Piping bag and nozzle
Shopping List:
- Dairy-free margarine
- Dairy-free yoghurt (I use plain soya)
- Dairy-free milk (I use oat or soya)
- Caster sugar
- Icing sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Vanilla extract
Vanilla Vegan Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 150 g dairy-free margarine
- 225 g caster sugar
- 150 g dairy-free yoghurt (I used plain soya)
- 150 ml dairy-free milk (I use soya or oat)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 300 g self-raising flour
- 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the buttercream:
- 185 g dairy-free margarine
- 375 g icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan) / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Prepare a 12-hole muffin tray by lining each hole with a paper muffin case.
- In a food mixer or large bowl beat together the margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the yoghurt, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and fold in slowly until just combined.
- Divide the mixture between the 12 cake cases, then bake for 15-18 minutes until an inserted skewer or knife comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack, and if possible leave in an airtight container overnight to ice the following day.
- In a food mixer or large bowl, beat together the margarine and icing sugar, add the vanilla extract and milk and beat again until pale and fluffy. If the buttercream is a little stiff, add a few drops more milk and beat again.
- Pipe a generous swirl of buttercream on the top of each cupcake.
Nutrition
There are plenty of quick and easy vegan recipes in my new book, ‘Vegan in 15‘*. Hop over to Amazon for a look. Thanks for your support!
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I’m linking this vanilla vegan cupcake recipe with a number of blogging challenges:
CookBlogShare hosted this week by Everyday Healthy Recipes- Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Searching for Spice
- Recipe of the Week hosted by A Mummy Too
Claudia Lamascolo says
These sound moist and look tender. I love homemade scratch cake I bet these are over the top delicious!
Felesha Bell says
Although I’m not vegan, these cute little vegan cupcakes look perfect! I’ll take three!!! 🙂
Kate says
These cupcakes look sooo good. It’s funny that people expect vegan cakes to be somehow inferior, but the right recipe tastes the same (better!).
Gloria says
Sometimes all you want is a simple vanilla cupcake to curb that sweet tooth. These sound delicious….and are pretty to look at too.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
These look so good! And I love that silky creamy swirled buttercream!
Corina Blum says
These little vanilla vegan cupcakes look so so good! I wish I could pick one up and bite into it right now. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Rebecca - Glutarama says
People underestimate how difficult it is to make a beautiful bouncy light vegan sponge, these look delicious. I can’t wait to try #recipeoftheweek
Kristyn Wakeford says
Hi Kate
I am attempting to make your vanilla cupcake but when I added the yoghurt and milk to butter and sugar mix it has just gone thick and curdled rather than smooth no matter how much i beat it, what have i done wrong please
Kristyn
Kate Ford says
Hi Kristyn, this usually sorts itself out when you add the flour – have you got that far? It often does look a bit curdled after adding the milk & yoghurt but all sorts itself out once you add the flour. Kate
Denisedf Johnson says
Hi Kate, Vanilla cake recipe is amazing. what a testy cake. thanks for sharing this recipe. please keep share more others recipe.
Kate Ford says
That’s great to hear, thanks so much! X
Kleanthis @ Yumbles Vegan Team says
Those cupcakes look delicious and are so fast to make. I am eager to use blueberries cut into pieces as well next time. What do you think?
Kate Ford says
Sounds lovely! I usually use frozen blueberries so they stay whole rather than turning to mush as they cook. And if you toss them in flour before adding them to the mix they tend to stay evenly spread through the cakes rather than all sinking to the bottom! Kx
francesco caselli says
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! i love it
Sofia says
Hi, I baked these today (still in the oven) will they keep until Friday?
Thank you!
Kate Ford says
Hi there, sorry too late for you now, but if anyone else is wondering yes they keep well for a few days if stored in an airtight container or tin. Hope you enjoyed them! Kx
Veronica says
Hey, has anyone actually made these? Why are some of you giving it 5 stars if you haven made it yet? smh 🙁 recipe looks great I will give it a go, thank you
Nikki says
I always think this! I want to know what the buttercream tastes like I’ve not found one that doesn’t taste like chemicals from the shortening!!
Michael S. says
Thank you so much Kate! I loved these and enjoyed making them too! Made it for my brother (who never enjoys vegan baked goods) and he gobbled them up!
Kate Ford says
That’s so great to hear, thanks!
Candace says
I’ve only ever attempted vegan cupcakes once and it was a total disaster! Will be giving these a go
Kate Ford says
Hope these turn out well!
Carol says
Wowzers! I don’t know how big your cupcakes are, but I got 21 out of this recipe, not 12! x
Kate Ford says
Oh wow! Sorry – yes I make quite big cupcakes! Hope they tasted good – and they freeze really well if you have too many!
tori says
This looks so beautiful and I love the flavors going on. Thanks for sharing!
Hannah says
I made these for a 1 year old birthday who is dairy free. Such an easy recipe and the cakes look great! They taste so creamy you can’t tell there is no dairy nor eggs! Thank you for this recipe, will definitely be looking at your other recipes! 😁
Nancy Perine says
Hello! I really enjoyed wandering through your web site. So many yummy looking items. The Easy Vanilla Cup Cakes caught my eye. The biggest problem was changing the grams to cups. Once I handled that, I was off to the races. The cup cakes turned out very very yummy. I even managed to save a few to share with friends! Thanks for sharing. I’ll be back.
Sara says
Just made a batch and got some left over mix. Can I freeze this mixture for next time or does it all have to be cooked then frozen?
Kate Ford says
I would cook them then freeze – the raising agents won’t work nearly as well if they have been frozen and defrosted, but these cakes freeze really well – I often cook a batch to keep in the freezer. Enjoy!
Taza says
I have made these a few times and always turn out great! Everyone that has tried them has loved them, vegan or not, you really cant tell! I use baking powder instead of bicarb as I find bicarb leaves a bit of a tang and have tried adding half and half coconut based plain yoghurt with the soya yoghurt for a creamier taste. I have made lemon versions grating some lemon zest in (1 lemon worth) and they are so good! Another time I swapped 2 tablespoons of flour out for 2 tablespoons of cocoa and they still came out nice and light!
Definitely the best vegan cake recipe I’ve found so far, will have to try more of your recipes!
Abbaticchio says
Kate, thanks a lot! The cake is so delicious. I love the creamy top part
Zepheniah says
I’ve tried your vegan Victoria sponge and goes down a treat with the kids and adults who are not even vegan, therefore I thought I’d give the cupcakes a go. As with the cake I use Flora Buttery and Oat milk which seems to make all the difference in taste. Have tried with Soya milk and Stork also. The cupcakes are a delicious smaller version of the sponge cake. They taste great and easy to make. The recipe makes 12 large cupcakes but hey I’m not complaining….. He he. I love all of your recipe ideas and can’t wait to try more.
AstroTalk says
I love this vegan cupcake 😍 I tried this and was astronished by the taste.