Fluffy and tender easy vegan vanilla cupcakes with applesauce instead of eggs aremade with 8 ingredients are prepared in a single bowl. Dairy free, oil free, and easy to make, this recipe will give you a delicious healthier cupcake with bakery-quality results.
Make sure yogurt is at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a cupcake tin with papers. I use a counter oven so I bake these 12 cupcakes in two (6-cup) cupcake pans but a 12-cup cupcake pan works too.
Add the lemon juice to the milk and set it aside for 5 minutes.
¾ cup milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To make the cupcakes.
To a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and wet ingredients. Mix with a hand mixer or spoon until the sugar is melted.
⅓ cup yogurt, 1 cup cane sugar, ¾ cup milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened
Set a strainer over the bowl, add the dry ingredients. I scoop the flour using the spoon and level method, but you can use a scale instead.
2 cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, pinch of salt
Mix until just combined. Do not over mix or the cupcakes will turn gummy.
Bake the cupcakes. Fill the cupcake wells about ½ with the medium scoop.
Slide the pan into the center of the oven, and bake for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. I have used a knife or a toothpick as a tester. Also look to see that the tops are not wiggly and a light golden color.
Cool the cupcakes. Remove the pan from the oven, and let it cool 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and let them cool another 20 on a cooling rack.
Make the Frosting
Cream the butter. Cream the softened butter with a mixer.
½ cup butter
Add powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar to a sifter and sift it into the butter, mixing at the same time or just after.
3 cups organic powdered sugar
Add the milk and vanilla. Add in 1-3 tablespoons of milk to help the buttercream mix. Add vanilla extract and continue mixing until smooth.
1-3 tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
If the frosting seems too thick, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time. If the frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time until you reach a stiff piping or spreadable texture.
Pipe onto cupcakes. Add a frosting tip to a frosting bag, and then insert the bag into a tall glass.
Scoop frosting into the bag, and pipe the frosting. Or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes.
Storage
Make Ahead Cupcakes. Make these cupcakes at least one day before serving. Let them cool completely, then put them in a sealed container or wrap in plastic wrap and put them in a cool dark area overnight. The next day, frost and serve.
Freeze long-term. To freeze, put them in a sealed container and freeze for up to three months. Allow them to thaw for 2-3 hours before frosting and serving.
Storing frosted cupcakes. You can refrigerate them for a day; after that the frosting will begin to harden and the cake will dry out.
Video
Notes
*Gluten-free. If using gluten free baking flour, also add 1 tablespoon of arrowroot or cornstarch for added structure.Milk & Lemon = Buttermilk. Be sure to let the milk and lemon juice rest for about 10 minutes before using to allow it the ability to curdle and create the acidic environment needed to activate the baking soda. Another name for this mixture is homemade buttermilk.Mixing. Once the flour is added, stir just long enough to combine the ingredients. Over-stirring will create a chewy texture.Scooping. Use a scoop to add the batter to each cup to ensure the cupcakes are of uniform size.Oven door. Don't open the oven door for at least the first 15 minutes or else the rush of cold air will change the baking temperature and interrupt the rise.Don't over bake. The top should be light golden, not dark golden. The top should not wiggle though when you go to take them out. Use a tester on a middle cupcake and it should come out clean.Cooling. Let the cupcakes cool at least 20 minutes before frosting so the frosting doesn't melt.