Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

5 from 17 votes

If life were to hand me lemons, one thing I would do is make these vegan lemon cupcakes. I use freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and soy milk for a bright and citrusy treat with a notably fresh flavor and soft, fluffy crumb. The creamy lemon frosting offsets the cake mixture, giving you a perfect ratio of sponge to icing in each bite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Total Time1 28

Course: Baking, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 355kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Ingredients

Cupcake Batter

½ cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened almond milk
1½ cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar

Frosting:

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 170 C. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake liners.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and soy milk.
In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine.
Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before topping with frosting.
To prepare the frosting by placing the vegan butter into a stand mixer and whip until smooth, pale and fluffy.
Add the lemon zest and slowly add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Whipping in between each addition.
Finally, add the soy milk to the frosting mixture and whip until desired consistency.
Pipe the frosting onto the cold cupcakes.

Video

https://youtu.be/ZDbMhKFkYX8

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan lemon cupcake recipe is to use both lemon juice and lemon zest instead of just one. The juice adds a tang while the zest carries the natural oils that provide a fuller citrus flavor.
Use a zester or fine grater: I make sure to get just the color part of the lemon skin, and not the white pith just beneath it. This can give off a bitter flavor.
Room temperature ingredients: Keep the vegan butter and soy milk at room temperature to allow for easy mixing and whisking.
Do not overmix: I stop mixing as soon as the batter is smooth to avoid overdeveloping the gluten strands and ending up with a dense cupcake.
Fill properly: Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. This gives it enough room to rise without spilling, and ensures they all bake at the same rate.
Adjust frosting: Add the plant milk in slowly, and a bit at a time. It is easier to loosen up a thick batter than it is to thicken up a runny one.

Nutrition