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Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

06.16.12

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

I am a hopeless procrastinator. This can prove to be a problem when baking, since I rarely plan my recipes in advance. I never seem to have butter or eggs and room temperature when I need them.

Have you ever tried to bring butter to room temperature in the microwave? I never seem to be very successful at it. I always end up with a big gloopy mess on my hands, no matter how careful I am. I’m convinced that microwaves hate me.

Fortunately for me, there are vegan cupcake recipes that require no butter or eggs. In fact, I didn’t even need a mixer for this recipe. Just a mixing bowl and a whisk will do. Cupcakes in the oven in 5 minutes flat? Yes, please. And they’re delicious, too. I’ve won plenty of friends with these bad boys. And not just vegan friends.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Maybe one day I’ll stop procrastinating, but I’ll worry about that later. For now, I’ll eat this cupcake.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting 
from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
makes 12 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

1 cup soymilk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening (I used Spectrum Organic)
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margerine (I used Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup soymilk or soy creamer

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line the cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soymilk and vinegar. Set aside for a few minutes to curdle.
3. Add the sugar, oil and vanilla. Whisk together until foamy.
4. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together until no lumps remain.
5. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until done in the center. Cool completely before frosting.

Note: If you’re not vegan and only have regular milk on hand, you can sub regular milk for soymilk.

To make the frosting:

1. Beat the shortening and margerine together on medium speed until fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Start your mixer on low until the powdered sugar is just combined, otherwise you’ll be wearing it. Then increase the speed to medium.
3. Add the vanilla and soymilk. Beat for another 5-7 minutes on medium high, or until fluffy.
4. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and top with sprinkles of you wish.

58 Comments · Cupcakes

Comments

  1. Aimee says

    June 17, 2012 at 3:38 am

    When I soften butter i hit the “30 seconds” button on my microwave, but I’ll do 7 seconds, pause and turn the stick(s) over, then 6, turn, until they’re perfect.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      July 3, 2012 at 4:44 am

      That used to work for me, but my new microwave is just freakishly powerful. Even the low settings seem too high. : (

      Reply
  2. Amy Lynn Hunt says

    July 21, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    No butter in vegan cupcakes, and it feels to me like the margarine gets to room temp faster. So i usually just glop however much i need onto a bowl or plate and let it sit on the countertop while i do other stuff. Right there with ya on the procrastination 🙂

    Reply
  3. Amy Lynn Hunt says

    July 21, 2012 at 7:39 pm

    And these look great! I keep hearing complaints and whining about that buttercream, but yours looks pretty perfect. Did you use all of the soymilk?

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      July 23, 2012 at 1:21 pm

      Yes, I agree. Vegan margarine comes to room temperature much faster. I have even used it to make frosting straight from the fridge and not had any problems. I did use the full 1/4 cup of soymilk. It makes the frosting less stiff, and I like the fluffy texture when the soy milk is whipped in.

      Reply
      • amy lynn says

        April 22, 2014 at 1:34 am

        Almost two years later, I find my way back 🙂 I have a question I haven’t had much luck with (thank you for the milk answer, i had to give up baking for a while and am about to dive back in, so excited!). I like a “fluffier” frosting too, i practiced piping years ago on canned frosting – felt like a complete failure until it was pointed out to me how much thicker the canned stuff is! (and harder to pipe)

        I couldn’t find my cookbook and Googled a vanilla cuppie that seemed to have far fewer ingredients. I remembered this recipe and that the difference was that others weren’t using *corn starch* in the cake. I thought i’d experiment with both ways, but would prefer getting another opinion/expertise on this 🙂 I read that corn starch “makes cake moister” but in the same article, that they “absorb moisture”. So now my head is a little spinny 🙂 If any of you who have experience with this ingredient will share some knowledge, i will be so grateful!

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          April 22, 2014 at 1:06 pm

          Cornstarch helps the cupcakes be lighter and less dense. A lot of cake/cupcake recipes use cake flour as an ingredient, which is a lower protein flour than all-purpose. Cake flour is essentially flour and cornstarch, but the cake flour you buy at the store had all sorts of chemicals and bleaching agents. Basically, if you leave the cornstarch out, you’ll end up with a denser cupcake.

          Reply
  4. VeganBossLady says

    July 29, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    Powdered sugar is not vegan, it is ground using animal bones! I see so many people making this mistake. You can take sugar in the raw and grind it a coffee grinder.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      July 30, 2012 at 12:51 pm

      Wholesome Sweeteners makes a vegan powdered sugar. If you are making your own, add a little bit of cornstarch to get the right consistency. http://frugalliving.about.com/od/condimentsandspices/ht/Powdered_Sugar.htm

      Reply
    • amy lynn says

      April 22, 2014 at 1:38 am

      Isn’t that just so bizarre? It seems like the companies that cut with animal bone – and i feel sick even writing that – are stuck in a per-hsitoric time! There has to be something else to use to cut the sugar. I haven’t tried sugar-in-the-raw in a coffee grinder, I had such a hard time with it when i first used it! It just would not incorporate (or dissolve in my tea!) I am so appreciative of these places where we can learn from each other. I always have more to learn!! Thank you VeganBossLady! 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 22, 2014 at 1:01 pm

        I agree, Amy. I have learned so much about vegan baking through this blog and the comments and emails. For example, I had no idea confectioner’s glaze was not vegan until a reader told me. It’s amazing where animal products can end up, especially in the US. However, I have found that you can find a lot of vegan baking products and Whole Foods (like powdered sugar), you just have to pay more.

        Reply
    • Pamela R Greenberg says

      September 19, 2016 at 11:32 am

      Crystal Sugar is Vegan, it is a beet sugar and uses no bone char for whitening. They have powdered and brown sugars.

      Reply
    • Marissa says

      January 26, 2019 at 3:34 pm

      What do you mean it’s ground using animal bones…?

      Reply
  5. Jenny says

    October 27, 2012 at 5:59 am

    Can I use butter instead of using shorting

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      October 30, 2012 at 2:47 pm

      You can, they just won’t be vegan

      Reply
  6. Charlie says

    February 6, 2013 at 6:09 pm

    These were really light and fluffy which is what i was hoping for. I found the muffin a bit flavourless though but i love a strong vanilla flavour so will add more vanilla paste which gives a stronger taste. I am also gluten free so subed the regular flour for gluten free and they worked out great! Thanks for the nice recipe! 🙂

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      February 6, 2013 at 11:21 pm

      I’ve never tried this with gluten free flour. Glad to know it turned out well! And I’m a firm believer that adding extra vanilla is never a bad idea.

      Reply
  7. Emma (This Kind Choice) says

    October 13, 2013 at 3:05 am

    Microwaves hate me too haha! I can handle more complicated baking or cooking techniques, but microwaving and frying stuff always gets me. These look delicious 🙂

    Reply
  8. Becky says

    December 30, 2013 at 8:30 pm

    Just made these as a trial for my twins 1st birthday…good flavor and very moist, but they are very dense. Is this how they are supposed to turn out? I guess I thought they would be a little lighter.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      December 30, 2013 at 10:40 pm

      Hi Becky, they should actually be quite light. A couple of things may have happened.
      1. Overmixing- make sure all the ingredients are incorporated, but don’t mix for too long.
      2. Too much flour- how are you measuring the flour? Make sure you are spooning it into the measuring cup and not packing it down.
      3. Overbaking-do you have an oven thermometer? A high temp and baking for too long can cause dry and dense cupcakes.

      I hope this helps, and let me know if you have any other questions!

      Reply
  9. leanne says

    January 23, 2015 at 7:04 am

    My daughter is allergic to gluten,eggs and dairy so this recipe is good for us.
    My question is can we use gluten free flour

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      January 25, 2015 at 4:08 pm

      I don’t have much experience with gluten free flour, so I’m not sure.

      Reply
  10. Erin says

    April 3, 2016 at 9:28 pm

    Hi, just wondering how you measure your flour? Do you spoon and level or whisk then scoop and level or simply scoop? Thanks

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      April 3, 2016 at 9:41 pm

      I usually use a kitchen scale, but if I’m using cups I spoon and level.

      Reply
      • Erin says

        April 3, 2016 at 9:49 pm

        I usually do too but when I see a recipe that lists volume vs. Weight measurement, I like to ask. Did you use the spoon level method for these? If you could list your weight for the flour for this recipe that would be helpful too. I’ve been trying to nail down a solid eggless vanilla cake or cupcake. These looks great. It’s the texture that I’m going for. Thanks

        Reply
  11. Jane says

    April 23, 2016 at 1:21 am

    I just made the cakes and they’re light and fluffy. I would definitely up the vanilla like I read in a previous comment because they’re pretty bland and a little too sweet for my liking. Overall, though, I like this recipe.

    Reply
  12. Cherie says

    July 28, 2016 at 10:29 pm

    Hi! Is the soy milk sweetened or unsweetened? 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      August 3, 2016 at 7:13 pm

      Unsweetened.

      Reply
      • Kim danh says

        September 28, 2016 at 8:20 pm

        If I use a sweet almond milk in lieu of unsweet soy should I cut down on sugar or will it be ok?

        Reply
  13. Ritu says

    August 31, 2016 at 1:50 am

    How far ahead could you make these?

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      September 1, 2016 at 7:06 pm

      They are best the day they are baked but can hold up at room temperature for 2-3 days.

      Reply
  14. Pepa says

    December 13, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    These look delicious!
    Can I sub coconut oil and coconut flour? (should I put less/more flour in that case?)

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      December 15, 2016 at 7:14 pm

      I’ve never tried coconut oil, but I think it would be ok. Coconut flour will not work.

      Reply
  15. Alexandria says

    August 9, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Stupid question. It says in a large mixing bowl mix the soymilk and vinegar and set aside to curdle. It never says to add it in. So when should I add it in?

    Reply
  16. Zarina says

    September 9, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    Hi! I used this recipe to make a cake today… And although it was delicious, it flattened out when it came out of the oven and looked more like a pancake. Have you ever used the recipe for a cake instead of cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      September 13, 2017 at 8:19 pm

      I have a recipe for this in cake form on my website. http://cakemerchant.com/2014/01/28/vegan-vanilla-birthday-cake

      Reply
  17. Kayronea says

    January 9, 2018 at 10:34 am

    Is there anyway the frosting will work without the vegan margarine??

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      January 18, 2018 at 12:08 pm

      You can use all shortening in place of the margarine. If you want something healthier, you can whip up some coconut cream with vanilla and powdered sugar. It will be a much looser frosting and you won’t be able to pipe it, but it will taste good.

      Reply
  18. Anna says

    July 11, 2018 at 8:06 am

    You say whisk till foamy. Mine doesnt seem to do that. Its just plain liquid! Any reason why? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      July 30, 2018 at 8:35 pm

      How fast are you whisking?

      Reply
  19. Varie says

    December 29, 2018 at 11:43 am

    I just made these and I swear no one would know they were vegan! The sponge turned out incredibly well for me and it was very light. However, I couldn’t get shortening and tried to just double the amount of margarine – mistake! Ended up with more than double the amount of icing I needed and it was way too runny. Still tasted good though. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
  20. Tewana Hill says

    January 25, 2019 at 2:48 pm

    Hi! I just tried this recipe. The frosting was light, fluffy and delicious. The cupcakes however, were very dense and maybe even a little rubbery. Any suggestions.

    Reply
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    October 22, 2020 at 10:05 am

    On another recipe you link to this recipe for an 8-inch later cake. What are the baking time for the cake? And do I need to double this recipe?

    Reply
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    May 15, 2021 at 6:28 pm

    Hi there. Making these cupcakes tomorrow morning and wondered if they are ok to sit out for a few hours or if they should be refrigerated? Don’t want the frosting to melt.

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting « The Cupcake Blog says:
    June 17, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    […] Cake Merchant Share : Pin ItTweet Posted by Miss Cupcake in All Vanilla Cupcakes, Vegan Cupcakes and tagged […]

    Reply
  2. Vegan Vanilla With Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Cupcakes | Cupcakes and Recipes says:
    September 17, 2012 at 9:26 pm

    […] http://cakemerchant.com/2012/06/vegan-vanilla-cupcakes-with-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/ This entry was posted in Vanilla Cupcakes, Vegan Cupcakes by admin. Bookmark the permalink. […]

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Welcome to the Cake Merchant! I’m Natasha, the cake maker behind this blog. Here, I share my favorite cakes, baking tips, dessert experiments, and the occasional picture of my dog... READ MORE

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