Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
The best Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes are easy to make and allergy-free! Light, moist, and fluffy eggless vanilla cupcakes, made with 8 simple ingredients in one bowl, and topped with dairy-free buttercream frosting! This delicious homemade recipe is a staple for birthdays and special occasions when you need a quick and classic treat for everyone to enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 12 Cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Cupcake Batter:
- 1 3/4 Cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
- 1 TB Cornstarch or Arrowroot Starch
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar (or preferred granulated sweetener)
- 1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Vegan Buttermilk (Mix 1 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk + 1 TB White Vinegar)
- 1/2 Cup Neutral Oil
- 2 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 Stick Vegan Butter
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar (or sugar-free powdered sweetener)
- 1 Tsp Water or Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/2 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, starch, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the vegan buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix to combine until there are no visible clumps of flour.
- Line a standard 12-count cupcake pan with liners and add about 3 heaping tablespoons of the cupcake batter to each (about 3/4 full).
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To Make The Frosting:
- Soften the stick of vegan butter slightly before adding it to a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and water. Beat the mixture together until you get a thick and smooth frosting. Add more water if needed.
- Store the frosting in the fridge until ready to frost the cooled cupcakes.
- Add the finished frosting to a pastry gun, pastry bag, or use a knife to frost the cooled cupcakes to your liking.
Notes
- Storage: You can bake your cupcakes ahead of time and store them unfrosted at room temperature in a closed container for 2-3 days. Once you frost the cupcakes, store them in the fridge to prevent spoilage. Leftover frosted cupcakes are best if eaten within 1 week.
- Freezing: You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes by freezing them flat on a baking sheet until solid before transferring them to a Ziplock storage bag or container. If you want to freeze frosted vanilla cupcakes, freeze them in a single layer in a storage container to keep the frosting presentable. Thaw the cupcakes in a single layer at room temperature for a few hours before frosting the unfrosted or serving the pre-frosted. Use frozen cupcakes within 3-4 months for best quality.
- If you don't have a pastry bag, you can use a Ziplock/plastic baggie. Simply fill the bag with frosting, snip one corner off, and squeeze the frosting onto the cupcakes.
- Check out this recipe for vegan cream cheese frosting. If you want to use store-bought vegan vanilla frosting, Miss Jones makes a great allergy-free one! You can also use my vegan chocolate buttercream frosting recipe!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
