Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

vegan lemon cupcake with lemon buttercream frosting, topped with lemon zest

5 from 5 votes

These vegan lemon cupcakes are so simple to make from scratch. With a lemon cake, topped with a vegan lemon buttercream frosting, these cupcakes are bursting with bright citrus flavor!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Frosting10

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 362kcal

Author: Alison Corey

Equipment

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes

1 cup soy milk unsweetened original
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup cane sugar organic
⅓ cup coconut oil
2 tablespoon lemon zest about 1 lemon zested
¼ cup lemon juice about 1 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon extract optional

Vegan Lemon Buttercream Frosting

1 stick vegan butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups powdered sugar organic

Instructions

Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 F. Add the apple cider vinegar to the soy milk in a small bowl. Whisk together with a fork, and set aside for 10 minutes.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
In a medium size mixing bowl, add the curdled soy milk, sugar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Make sure that your coconut oil is melted if it was in solid form. If you choose to use the lemon extract, add it in at this time. Whisk together until sugar dissolves into the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour. Using a spatula fold together until just combined. It's okay of the batter is a bit lumpy. You don't want to over mix the batter.
Line your muffin/cupcake tin. Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way full, about a ¼ cup of batter. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes at 350 F.
Remove cupcakes from the oven. Allow to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vegan Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Add the room temperature butter to a large bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter for about 1 minute or until butter is creamy and fluffy.
Add the lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Cream together until combined.
Add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, creaming together on high speed until all the sugar is incorporated. Continue to add a half cup of the powdered sugar until a thick frosting forms. You will need anywhere between 2 ½-3 cups of powdered sugar. Keep an eye on the frosting as you are blending.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cream together until all ingredients are combined and frosting is light and fluffy.
Place the frosting in a piping bag. Be sure cupcakes are completely cool, then frost each cupcake. Add a touch of lemon zest on top of each cupcake. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Tips for Making Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

When measuring the flour for the cake, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Flour can get packed in the bag which causes incorrect measurements.
For a more intense lemon flavor use a teaspoon of lemon extract in the cupcakes and a half teaspoon of lemon extract in the frosting.
Check the cupcakes at 13 minutes. If a toothpick comes out of the center clean, then the cupcakes are done. Be careful not to overbake!
If you choose, you can sift the flour and other dry ingredients together. I don't find this necessary, but it does tend to help create a light and fluffy cake texture.
Make these cupcakes gluten-free by substituting an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
If you'd like to make these oil-free substitutes ⅓ cup of unsweetened applesauce for the coconut oil.
Store cupcakes in the refrigerator.
They will keep for 3-4 days.

Nutrition