These easy vegan vanilla cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and moist. Bursting with real vanilla flavor with a hint of tanginess from vegan yogurt. They are perfect for birthday parties!
Preheat your oven to 175°C (347°F). Line 2x 12-hole muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners. (You can do one tray at a time if you only have one pan)
To make the vegan "buttermilk" add the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to a medium bowl or jug, stir and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Add the butter and sugar to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl and cream them together with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Add in yogurt and vanilla and mix again to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Switch to a regular whisk and add the buttermilk and dry ingredients to the creamed butter in 2 increments. Whisk to combine between each one, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Divide the batter between the cupcake liners using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop. Fill the liners no more than three-quarters.
Bake for 20 minutes until they are very lightly golden on top. Check they are done by piercing them with a toothpick or a knife, the knife should come out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool further for 30 minutes to cool completely.
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle and pipe it on top of each cupcake.
Storage
These cupcakes are best served at room temperature. Always store them in an airtight container. If you're keeping them for more than a couple of days, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I recommend taking them out of the fridge for at least 2-3 hours to bring them to room temperature before serving. Especially if you’re topping them with vegan buttercream which stiffens up when chilled.
Notes
Some white sugar in the US is not vegan, if in doubt use organic sugar.
To make fewer cupcakes, use two-thirds of the recipe for 12 cupcakes or half for 9 cupcakes. You can also make 24 smaller vegan buns with this recipe.
You can freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. This can be done with or without frosting too.