These moist, dairy free cupcakes are easy to make and absolutely delicious! You won't believe they don't have any milk, butter, or cream!
Whether you're lactose intolerant, vegan, or simply ran out of milk and eggs, you will absolutely love these dairy-free cupcakes!
These vanilla cupcakes are so good! If you're looking for a lactose free cupcake recipe, you've come to the right place!
These dairy free cupcakes are just as tasty as traditional vanilla cupcakes. In fact, even my friends and family who don't have any dietary restrictions loved them!
And the best part? They're topped with a luscious dairy free buttercream frosting!
Not only are these cupcakes egg and dairy free, but they also happen to be vegan, as they don't contain any animal products. Perfect for those looking for easy vegan vanilla cupcakes to make at home.
This dairy free cupcakes recipe will become a family favorite!
Love eggless and dairy free desserts? Try my vegan pumpkin brownies, my chocolate vegan Bundt cake or my vegan apple crisp.
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Why you'll love this dairy free vanilla cupcake recipe
- Moist texture - These cupcakes are soft, fluffy and moist.
- Flavor-packed - They have a wonderful vanilla flavor.
- Easy - These cupcakes are incredibly simple to make and you don't even need a mixer.
What do these non dairy cupcakes taste like?
These cupcakes are soft and moist with a delicate crumb. They have a delightful vanilla flavor which perfectly compliments the dairy free chocolate buttercream frosting.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Flour - I use all purpose flour.
- Sugar - I use granulated sugar.
- Plant-based milk - For this recipe, I use sugar free almond milk. You could use any dairy free milk, like oat milk or soy milk. I haven't tried it with coconut milk, though, so I don't know if it will leave a coconut aftertaste.
- Oil - I use a little light vegetable oil which helps make the cupcakes moist.
- Vinegar - I use white vinegar to make dairy free buttermilk.
- Vanilla - I use pure vanilla extract.
- Baking powder- It gives the cupcakes a nice lift.
- Salt - A bit of salt enhances all the flavors.
- Dairy free butter - I use block margarine (not the soft spread kind), but you could also use vegan butter.
- Cocoa powder - I use unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder.
- Sugar - You'll need powdered sugar (aka confectioner's sugar).
- Salt - I use a pinch of salt, which brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Plant-based milk - I use unsweetened almond milk, but you can use your favorite dairy free milk. Just make sure it's sugar free.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Equipment you'll need
- 12 cavity standard cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- large mixing bowls
- whisk
- hand mixer
- piping bag & tip (optional)
HOW TO MAKE DAIRY FREE VANILLA CUPCAKES
Line the tray with cupcake liners. Set it aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk, white vinegar, oil, and vanilla. Set it aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined.
Pour the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, up to ¾ the way full.
Bake the cupcakes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them.
Now it's time to make the dairy free chocolate frosting.
Beat the dairy free butter to soften it, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the cocoa powder, salt, half of powdered sugar, and half of the milk. It's OK if it looks very crumbly and dry at this point.
Add the remaining powdered sugar and the remaining milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you like.
Stir the frosting a few times to make it smoother and easier to spread.
Then fill a piping bag with your favorite tip and pipe swirls on the cupcakes. You could also just frost the cupcakes using an offset spatula or a knife.
Make-ahead options
Pre-measure your dry ingredients
You can save a lot of time by pre-measuring all the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder, salt). Just store them in clean jars, airtight containers, or zip-lock bags and label them. When you're ready to make your cupcakes, just combine the pre-measured ingredients with your wet ingredients.
Substitutions
- Vanilla - Instead of using vanilla extract, you could use ground vanilla bean powder or scrape fresh vanilla beans and add the seeds to the batter.
- Dairy free milk - I love using unsweetened almond milk, but you could substitute this with soy milk, or your favorite plant-based milk. Just make sure it's unsweetened.
- If you tried any other substitutions, please let me know in the comments below!
Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature for about a day or in the refrigerator for about a week.
You place 1 or 2 cupcakes in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to about 2 months. To thaw, just put them in the refrigerator overnight.
Variations & Dietary Adaptations
These cupcakes are great on their own, but here are a few different flavors you may want to try:
- Chocolate - Add some unsweetened cocoa powder (½ cup) to the batter for rich, chocolaty cupcakes.
- Citrus - Rub the sugar with some freshly grated lemon or orange zest before making the batter. The cupcakes will have a refreshing tangy citrusy flavor.
- Nutty - If you want some crunch and texture, add some chopped nuts to the batter or over the frosting.
- Dairy Free Vanilla buttercream - For vanilla flavored frosting, omit the cocoa powder and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, instead.
- Easily make these cupcakes gluten free by swapping all purpose flour with equal amounts of your preferred gluten free flour.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Weigh all ingredients for consistent, accurate results.
- Every oven is different, so baking times may vary. When you insert a toothpick in the middle of a cupcake and it comes out clean, you'll know that the cupcakes are done.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them. otherwise, the frosting will melt.
FAQs
I prefer unsweetened almond milk, but you can easily substitute this with other plant-based milks, like soy or coconut. Instead of butter, I use vegan butter or block margarine (not the soft spread margarine in a tub).
Absolutely! Oat milk usually works well in baking because it doesn't overpower the overall flavor of the cupcakes.
There could be a lot of reasons for this, such as expired baking powder or overmixing the batter. Inconsistent oven temperatures may also cause this.
Related Recipes
Looking for other dairy free recipes like this? Try these:
Let me know how these dairy free cupcakes turn out for you in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!
Recipe
Dairy Free Cupcakes
Equipment
- one12-cavity standard cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- large mixing bowls
- whisk
- hand mixer
- piping bag & tip (optional)
Ingredients
For the dairy free cupcakes
- 2 cups (250g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened almond milk (or other sugar-free non-dairy milk)
- ¼ cup (60ml) light vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
For the dairy free chocolate frosting (makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes)
- ½ cup (113g) dairy free butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup (120g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 2-3 cups (240-360g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (95ml) unsweetened almond milk (or other sugar-free non-dairy milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Line the tray with cupcake liners. Set it aside.
Make the cupcakes
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk, white vinegar, oil, and vanilla (it's ok if it curdles). Set it aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. It's OK if there are tiny lumps, but don't overmix it.
- Pour the batter into a jug and then evenly pour it into the cupcake liners, up to ¾ the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting them.
Make the dairy free chocolate frosting
- Beat the dairy free butter to soften it, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cocoa powder, salt, half of the powdered sugar, and half of the milk. It's OK if it looks very crumbly and dry at this point.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and the remaining milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you like. If it's too thin, add more sugar, if it's too thick, add a bit more milk.
- Stir the frosting a few times with a spatula to make it smoother and easier to spread.
- Then fill a piping bag with your favorite tip and pipe swirls on the cupcakes. You could also just frost the cupcakes using an offset spatula or a knife.
- Enjoy!
Katie
Looks delish!
Voula
Thanks, Katie!❤️