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    Home » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Baking Recipes » Vegan Christmas Cupcakes

    Vegan Christmas Cupcakes

    Published: Apr 23, 2017 · Modified: Jul 28, 2021 by Kate Ford · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Vegan Christmas Cupcakes
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    These deliciously light vegan gingerbread cupcakes with a generous swirl of cinnamon buttercream are a real taste of Christmas.

    Look at the faces of those little gingerbread men.... they are drowning in cinnamon buttercream and loving it! What a way to go.

    I seem to end up making lots of cupcakes around Christmas time - usually for cake sales and school bazaars, when everyone has already had one too many mince pies and we haven't yet cracked open the Christmas Cake.

    If you are baking for a cake sale, you might also like to have a look at my Jammy Christmas Star biscuits which have had some lovely reviews recently, or how about my Vegan Chocolate Yule Log with chestnut buttercream filling? Totally delicious.

    Jump to:
    • 📝 What you need
    • 👩🏽‍🍳 Expert tips: Vegan Christmas Cupcakes
    • ⭐️ Reader Testimonials
    • 🍽 If you liked that...
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments and Reviews
    Vegan Christmas Cupcakes

    📝 What you need

    Ingredients

    Dairy-free butter or margarine I like to use block margarine for baking, my favourite is the newly released Flora Plant Butter or the delicious Naturli block 'butter' if you can find it.

    Dairy-free yoghurt and milk Soya yoghurt and milk work best in baking as they have the highest protein content so are the best replacement for eggs. But, if you are soya intolerant then coconut or oat yoghurt and any type of plant milk will also work well.

    Spices I've used ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice for a really Christmassy flavour, but have been fairly conservative with the quantities as they were for kids. When you've tried these yourself you may decide to play around with the spice ratios for a bolder flavour.

    For the buttercream:

    Dairy-free butter or margarine Whatever type of 'butter' you choose, it needs to be really soft (but not melted) to get a really good buttercream.

    Sugars I've added a little soft brown (muscavado) sugar to give a lovely butterscotch flavour to complement the cinnamon. It also makes the buttercream a beautiful pale brown colour which I think looks even more appetising!

    Mini Gingerbread Men I used Organix mini gingerbread men (which I found in the baby food aisle in the supermarket!) as my kids love them. But there are many to choose from in most supermarkets, or you could make your own if you're really keen!

    Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes

    👩🏽‍🍳 Expert tips: Vegan Christmas Cupcakes

    There are a number of little things that make quite a big difference in these vegan Christmas cupcakes, and I've listed them here. You can ignore them all and still turn out a really good bake, but I find these tweaks turn a good cake into a really excellent one!

    1. Store overnight in an airtight container This makes a really big difference to the softness and texture of vegan bakes. When they come out of the oven and cool, dairy-free cakes develop a bit of a crispy crust on the outside. But for some reason (and I don't know the science behind this), if you put them in a sealed cake tin or tupperware overnight, the moisture is drawn out from the cake into the crust and they become beautifully soft and moist throughout. I know there's not always time to do this but if you do get a chance you will see exactly what I mean - it is magic!
    2. Use a block vegan margarine (not a tub) This is another tip that will transform your baking. Tubs of vegan margarine have quite a high water content which makes them much more spreadable, but not so good for baking. I tend to use either Flora Plant Butter, Stork Baking Block or Naturli Block which are all really excellent and make a perfect buttery bake.
    3. Get the cakes in the oven as quickly as possible As vegan bakes tend to use a little more raising agent, it starts to work as soon as it hits the liquid, and creates bubbles in the cake mixture. You do want this to happen, but you want it to happen a) more slowly, so they stay small, and b) in the oven, not on your worktop. SO, two tips in one here - firstly give your filled cake tin a good bash on the work surface before putting it in the oven. This pops the biggest bubbles and brings them to the surface, so the texture of the cake will be more even. Also, as soon as the liquid and flour/bicarb are mixed, time is ticking - get the cake into the tin and in the oven as quickly as you possibly can. If you've forgotten to pre-heat the oven, or the phone or doorbell rings half way through your baking session - just don't mix the wet and dry ingredients until you're totally ready to go.
    4. Beat lots of air into the 'butter' and sugar Vegan bakes in particular need lots of air to keep very light and sponge-y. It is tempting to mix the butter and sugar until they are just, well, mixed together. But in fact you need to keep going for 2-3 minutes at least, (using a food mixer or electric hand whisk). In that time it will transform from a yellow-ish fairly thick mixture into a very pale, light and soft consistency.
    5. Check the dates on your self-raising flour and bicarbonate of soda It is easy to forget that flour and bicarb do have a limited shelf life - especially if baking is something you don't do so regularly. It isn't that they will be inedible or bad for you, but just that their raising properties will become limited, which will ultimately result in a flatter, more stodgy bake.

    ⭐️ Reader Testimonials

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Made these yesterday and delivered them to friends and relatives today. There are so light and delicious. I’ve decided that this will be my go to muffin recipe from now on. Thank you 😊 " Katherine

    🍽 If you liked that...

    .... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:

    Vegan Christmas Cake
    Vegan Christmas Cake
    Vegan Cupcakes
    Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    Ultimate #Vegan Christmas Pudding
    Ultimate Vegan Christmas Pudding
    Vegan Mince Pies
    Ultimate Vegan Mince Pies

    Loved this recipe? ⭐️ Leave a star rating below! 📸 Snap a photo of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram, tagging me @thevegspace or #thevegspace 📩 And get all my latest recipes in a weekly e-mail by subscribing to my newsletter.

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes

    Vegan Christmas Cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream

    Kate Ford | The Veg Space
    These deliciously light vegan gingerbread cupcakes with a generous swirl of cinnamon buttercream are a real taste of Christmas.
    5 from 12 votes
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    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Baking
    Cuisine British
    Servings 12 cupcakes
    Calories 306 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the gingerbread cupcakes:

    • 150 g dairy-free margarine
    • 225 g caster sugar
    • 150 g dairy-free yoghurt
    • 150 ml dairy-free milk
    • 300 g self-raising flour
    • 1.5 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • ½ teaspoon mixed spice
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • pinch salt

    For the cinnamon buttercream:

    • 200 g dairy-free margarine
    • 200 g icing sugar
    • 50 g soft light brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 12 mini gingerbread men to decorate

    Instructions
     

    • Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.
    • Beat together the margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the yoghurt and milk, (don't panic - it will look 'curdled' at this stage but it really doesn't matter!).
    • Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt into the bowl and fold in gently to avoid knocking out any of the air.
    • Divide the cake mixture between the 12 cake cases and bake for 18-20 minutes until an inserted skewer or knife comes out clean. Leave to cool.
    • To make the buttercream, beat the margarine until fully softened. Sieve in the sugars and cinnamon, (especially important to sieve the light brown sugar which may otherwise be lumpy). Beat until pale and fluffy.
    • When the cupcakes are completely cool, (ideally store them overnight in a sealed tin or tupperware and decorate the following day). pipe on the buttercream, and stand a mini gingerbread man up on top of each cake. Finish by sprinkling a tiny pinch more cinnamon over each cupcake.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 66.9gProtein: 4.4gFat: 1.3gSaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 168mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 4.2gSugar: 40.9gCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Mention @thevegspace or #thevegspace
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    Vegan in 15 by Kate Ford

    For more quick and easy vegan recipes take a look at my latest book Vegan in 15.

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    About Kate Ford

    Hi! I'm Kate, vegan home cook and blogger behind The Veg Space and author of Vegan in 15. I'm passionate about creating easy vegan recipes that even a first-time cook can follow.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Josie says

      December 14, 2021 at 7:21 pm

      Hi!
      These are really tasty but mine overflow in the case!they get very airy indeed - am I just filling the case too much?

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        December 15, 2021 at 10:32 am

        Yes it sounds like it... I would aim for two thirds full. I use an ice-cream scoop and put one dollop (not heaped) into a large muffin case and they turn out just about perfect.

        Reply
    2. Zoe says

      December 11, 2021 at 8:13 pm

      Can this be made as a whole cake instead of cupcakes?

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        December 12, 2021 at 4:30 pm

        Yes absolutely, it would work fine, just takes a bit longer to bake. Keep an eye on it and check after 18-20 minutes. Kate

        Reply
    3. Katherine says

      December 23, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      Made these yesterday and delivered them to friends and relatives today. There are so light and delicious. I’ve decided that this will be my go to muffin recipe from now on. Thank you 😊

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        December 28, 2020 at 5:31 pm

        That's great to hear, thanks Katherine x

        Reply
    4. Haley D Williams says

      October 10, 2020 at 6:00 pm

      These are so cute and perfectly spiced! Now I have to find those little gingerbread man to garnish the cupcakes with

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        October 10, 2020 at 6:50 pm

        Thanks Haley - I found most supermarkets stock something fairly similar, and usually vegan! Hope you can find some.

        Reply
    5. Cathleen Childs says

      October 10, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      These cupcakes look amazing!!! I am all about the gingerbread flavours around the holiday season, so I am definitely giving this a go! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        October 10, 2020 at 6:48 pm

        Thanks Cathleen! Xx

        Reply
    6. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says

      October 10, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      These sound like the perfect festive cupcakes! What a lovely way to pay tribute.

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        October 10, 2020 at 6:49 pm

        Thanks Bintu x

        Reply
    7. Traci says

      October 10, 2020 at 4:00 pm

      Wow! All of my favorite flavors in a delicious, easy, sweet treat. Love this recipe...thanks for the tips and tricks for perfect cupcakes 🙂

      Reply
    8. Adriana says

      October 10, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      How adorable are these cupcakes definitly something I need to add to my Christmas baking and those little gingerbread minis are so cute too.

      Reply
      • Kate Ford says

        October 10, 2020 at 6:49 pm

        Aren't they just?! X

        Reply
    9. Sarah S. Snell says

      May 07, 2017 at 8:14 pm

      My two children Rony an Mathew are fans of yours. After seeing this Gingerbread Cupcakes, they just need that cupcakes with bunny.

      Reply
    10. Choclette says

      April 24, 2017 at 8:09 pm

      I remember seeing these cupcakes when Izzie first made them. They're so pretty and sound so tasty and I'd be very happy to eat either version. A very fitting recipe.

      Reply
    11. Janice says

      April 24, 2017 at 6:43 pm

      I think this is the recipe I most associate with Izzie, and you have made them just as beautifully as she did. Beautiful cupcakes and a touching tribute.

      Reply
    12. Ceri Jones says

      April 24, 2017 at 8:54 am

      I agree gingerbread should be eaten all year round. One of my favourite flavours is ginger. A lovely way to remember Izzie, with these cupcakes 🙂

      Reply
    13. Camilla Hawkins says

      April 23, 2017 at 11:04 pm

      Love these cute gingerbread cupcakes, a wonderful tribute to the queen of cupcakes as I like to think of Izzie:-)

      Reply
    14. savy says

      April 23, 2017 at 4:32 pm

      I enjoy the blog and the recipes. But please out of respect and love for your friend Isabella, stop using this offending and tired phrase "she lost her battle to cancer". Dying does not make a looser, the overuse of this phrase suppose that had she fought a little harder she would still be with you. That's just cruel and insulting.

      Reply
    15. Kavey at Kavey Eats says

      April 23, 2017 at 3:54 pm

      These are adorable, surely Isabella would love them. Great variation on her recipe, and beautiful post. It's been emotional taking part in this but uplifiting to celebrate her too.

      Reply
    16. Nayna Kanabar says

      April 23, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      How very cute are these , they look so cute. A beautiful tribute to Isabella.

      Reply
    17. Margot says

      April 23, 2017 at 12:37 pm

      I agree with you, gingerbread men are absolutely acceptable all year... What a lovely tribute to Isabella!

      Reply
    5 from 12 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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