The absolute Best Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes ever, perfect for a wedding! Made with white rice flour and cornstarch, these are the softest, lightest, most buttery cupcakes and yet they have no butter or oil in them!
VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE VANILLA CUPCAKES
After posting my Vegan Wedding Cake, I received the kindest and most supportive comments I’ve ever received on a post (besides my cookbook announcement!) and I was so touched, so moved and beyond thrilled you all loved the cake so much!
It also sparked a ton of requests for a cupcake version! So, I got right on it for you all! Now, I already shared on social media that I added the cupcake version to that wedding post, but due to all the readers that follow this blog and still receiving so many questions about a cupcake version, I realized that many of you are missing that note on the bottom of that recipe OR didn’t see the social media post. I figured it would be a really good idea to do a whole separate post dedicated to those cupcakes with pics and all. Some of you have already made them too!
After all, they deserve their own post and it makes it much easier for you all to follow the recipe this way since that Wedding Cake post was the longest post of my life, haha.
THE BEST VEGAN VANILLA CUPCAKES
Calling these the “best” is a hefty claim but I’m here to tell you it is the absolute truth as far as I’m concerned. I’m talking, a true cupcake texture and flavor, like the ones you would have at a special party made with regular white flour or cake flour. The truly soft, super tender with such a light and delicate texture.
I find that too many cupcakes aren’t really that soft cupcake texture, but more like a muffin, more dense or chewy…especially vegan ones. I love muffins, don’t get me wrong, but a cupcake is not a muffin and a muffin is not a cupcake. To me, a cupcake should have that truly light and fluffy texture, well….like a soft cake of course! There is a definite difference.
HOW TO USE COCONUT BUTTER IN BAKING
Coconut butter gives these cupcakes an incredibly delicious and buttery flavor, without it tasting like coconut, trust me! It also replaces oil, which I teach here on How to Cook and Bake Without Oil.
Before adding, it needs to be the consistency of oil. It should be 100% smooth and runny. This is very important for the batter to mix properly. I use and love the MaraNatha brand, found at most stores, it is so smooth. I don’t recommend homemade coconut butter, as the texture won’t be as smooth.
The jars at the store will be solid. So, the best way to work with this is to remove the lid, heat the jar in the microwave for 15-30 seconds or so, until it becomes soft enough to scoop it out into a container. I find this much easier to store coconut butter, otherwise the oil separates from the coconut meat. If not mixed up properly, it will affect your cake result texture. The above picture is the coconut butter added to a glass container, then heated just a few seconds until I can stir it enough to fully mix the separated oil and coconut together and reach this runny texture. Be very careful about overheating coconut butter or it will burn and turn mealy.
Beautifully white cupcakes and frosting, perfect for ANY occasion or a wedding.
A light dusting of silver powder was just the best touch to these beautifully white wedding cupcakes.
Have you ever seen a fluffier cupcake? A vegan gluten-free vanilla cupcake one at that??
I hope you all love these Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Cupcakes! I know a few of you have already made and raved over them after seeing them on the wedding cake post, so thank you!
Other Vegan Vanilla recipes:
- Best Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Cake
- Best Vegan Gluten-free Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Vanilla Cake Waffles
- Vanilla Pecan Dream Bars
- Vegan Vanilla Birthday Cake Ice Cream
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (Gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160g) white rice flour (see NOTES at the very bottom for sub)
- 1/2 cup (64g) cornstarch
- 3/4 cup (144g)
fine pure cane sugar (white sugar will work too and make them even more white!) - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) full-fat coconut milk CANS (not the carton) shaken well & ROOM TEMP (highly recommend the Thai Kitchen brand, it's the best and always smooth and creamy)
- 1/2 cup (120g) melted liquid coconut butter (refer to tutorial above)
- 2 teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- One 4oz vegan Earth Balance butter stick (1/2 cup, 112g)
- 1/2 cup (96g) Spectrum shortening
- 2 1/2 cups (380g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon white vanilla powder for a white frosting or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use this white powder.)
NOTE
- Please absolutely use a scale! It's SO important for accurate results, especially with cakes and cupcakes like this. I cannot stress this enough. Make sure to zero out in between each ingredient and add them slowly. Follow MY weights. Don't compare them to your cup measurements. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl and teaspoons. Don't sub any of these ingredients, if at all possible for the absolute best result. I worked endlessly to perfect this recipe and each ingredient plays a very important role. If you are allergic to cornstarch, the best sub would be potato starch, but keep in mind that it makes things more crumbly and the cupcakes will dry out faster. DO NOT use tapioca, it does NOT work.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- These cupcakes are the BEST made the day of, as they are the most moist and buttery. Due to the high starch amount they will start to dry out by the 2nd day and so on.
- For the frosting, set out your vegan butter sticks early in the day or several hours before you want to make the frosting (or the night before), so that they can be totally soft and at room temperature, otherwise it will be impossible to beat the frosting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a muffin pan with 12 liners.
- Make sure your coconut milk is at room temperature and you've shaken the cans well and that the milk is creamy and smooth, not chunky, before measuring/weighing. If it's chunky, whisk or blend it separately until totally smooth before measuring and adding to the other liquids. Important: follow the same steps above in the post regarding preparing the coconut butter correctly. The coconut butter must be a smooth runny consistency like oil almost, not thick!
- PLEASE SEE NOTES AT THE BOTTOM if making the cake flour version before this next step. To a large bowl, add the white rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Use a large whisk very well until mixed. To another large bowl, add the coconut milk, liquid coconut butter (see above post) and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid. Whisk until completely smooth, making sure to get the bottom. Make sure it's all completely mixed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners. Use an ice cream scoop or a 1/3 cup measuring cup for ease. They will be filled a bit more than half full.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Mine were perfectly done at 21 minutes each time, but ovens vary. The cake flour version was done exactly at 20 minutes each time. They should have risen beautifully with a nice dome top.
- They will settle down a bit as they cool, this is normal. Leave them to cool 45 minutes exactly in the pan, very important for their structure. Then transfer them to the fridge for JUST 15 minutes to further set them. I put the whole pan in. This step is important, so don't skip. The chilling is not required for the cake flour version. Remove from the fridge and frost them. Leave covered at room temperature to keep them moist. Don't store them in the fridge at this point or they will dry out much faster.
- To make the buttercream, add the room temperature softened vegan butter and shortening to a huge bowl and beat on low until just blended. Add the sugar about a cup at a time blending on low until all is incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla and beat just until light and fluffy. Cover with plastic wrap to keep it moist until ready to frost. For the frosting, I used Wilton Flour tip #2D.
So good! Think I could make these and freeze them before i frost them?
So sorry I missed this Elle! No, I do not recommend freezing these. Because of the high starch content, it would dry them out considerably.
Hi Rhonda
what is the nutritional value of these cup cakes please. My daughter is doing a project at college, and has chosen to use your recipe. Hope that is ok? its ok i found it lol
Thank you
Gillian
I’m so sorry I missed this comment. I hope I’m not too late. Yes of course she can use the recipe. I’d suggest so that she has success at her school that she uses a scale and does a trial run first so that she’s comfortable with the recipe.
I’ve made these several times subbing in brown rice flour instead of white, tapioca or arrowroot instead of cornstarch, and coconut oil instead of butter. I know you mentioned not to sub, but this combo seems to work. My family loves these! Maybe not wedding quality but great for birthdays! Thanks 🙂
Hi Tracy! So happy to hear how much you love these, even with the subs! I have tried those and did not care for the overly grain taste of the brown rice flour or texture of arrowroot, as I find it doesn’t taste as superior as the white rice flour in terms of taste and texture, so that’s why I stress that, especially for people who are not going to be used the different flavor/texture of gluten-free. But I’m really glad to hear how much you love them with those subs!
I can’t use refined sugar. Can I replace cane sugar with monk fruit with erythritol or stevia. I think the monk fruit would be better suited for the taste
You can always try it. I’ve never used monk fruit, so I can’t vouch for how it compares taste-wise and how it bakes up texturally. Let me know if you try it!
My daughter really wants blue cupcakes for her birthday – do you think adding some natural food coloring will negatively affect the outcome at all?
That should be fine since tiny amounts are only needed! Let me know how they turn out!
Hi there! I can’t get coconut butter where I live, can I sub that with something-coconut cream, almond or peanut butter, non vegan butter or, coconut oil? (I’m not vegan but absolutely LOVE all your recipes). Thank you!
You can make coconut butter. Here is my tutorial! It is not an ingredient that can be subbed, because as noted it is crucial to the texture here. Oil or vegan butter is pure oil and a liquid and it will not work the same. They’d end up very greasy and dense/wet. Thank you so much for the kind words Carolina!https://thevegan8.com/homemade-coconut-butter/
Hi. My two granddaughters are being baptized memorial weekend. They are7&8 months. Because of covid we didn’t get together bc one is out of state. There will about 10 children & at least 20 adults. Have you ever put a filling in them ie strawberry before icing.
Hi! No I’ve never tried adding a filling but think it should work. I’d definitely do a trial run first.
Hey there
I had a question if we happen to substitute the butter with a different kind what would happen? also, how do step 4 for the butter specifically, i am still confused on how to make it like oil.
sorry for the missing words in this message*
Hi! I noted on step 4 to refer to the post ok how to properly prepare the coconut butter. See in the post “ HOW TO USE COCONUT BUTTER IN BAKING”. It is not an ingredient that can be subbed, because as noted it is crucial to the texture here. Oil or vegan butter is pure oil and a liquid and it will not work the same. They’d end up very greasy and dense/wet.
I am SO excited to try this recipe. I do vegan and gluten free, and cannot for the life of me find a GOOD Vanilla cupcake that doesn’t taste and feel like cornbread, with no flavor! It’s maddening! Also wondering if you could add some lemon extract and/or juice to make these lemon? I’ve had to resort to doctoring a boxed gluten free mix to be vegan for my vanilla and lemon based cupcakes. Thanks!
You could add lemon extract, yes, but this recipe is so finicky and works perfectly when followed, that I would not add lemon juice. I’d make it as written the first time, with extract, if you like and then next time you can try and play with the recipe subbing maybe just 2 tablespoons of the milk with lemon juice to see if you like it.
This recipe seriously blew my mind. So amazing, so fluffy, so moist. Best GF and vegan cupcake on the internet and trust me I’ve tried all of them. Thank you Brandi!!
Hi. I would like to try this recipe but I’m not sure I can purchase coconut butter. I’m in Australia.
Would it work if I made my own coconut butter? There are a few YouTube videos that show how to make it but I’m not sure if the texture or consistency would be the same.
BTW. I made the Vegan Cupcakes from your recipe and they were delicious!
Regards
Hi Would this recipe work with homemade coconut butter? I’m in Australia and I’m not sure where I can purchase coconut butter.
Regards
Hi Josie! Yes, it should as long as you blend it up into a 100% smooth liquid puree. I have a tutorial on my site here: https://thevegan8.com/homemade-coconut-butter/
Thank you for a great recipe. The cupcakes turned out exactly as they should have, moist and delicious!
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear, thank you Josie!
Hi!
I made a 9” cake using this recipe yesterday. I doubled up the ingredients and came out fluffy. However, after being refrigerated overnight, the cake turned out to be rock hard. I was worried it would happen since it contains coconut milk and coconut butter. I weighed ingredients precisely with a scale. Is this normal?
Hi Kate, please see step 8, I specifically state not to store these in the fridge. Not only will they dry out, but yes, all the coconut butter hardens when it is chilled. I note to store them at room temperature!
Oh I see. Thank you!
Hello ^_^ The recipe looks very delicious.
Do you think this product would work ? https://www.amazon.ca/Yupik-Organic-Coconut-Butter-Kg/dp/B0045G0ILG/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=coconut+butter&qid=1653216461&sr=8-5
I have never purchased coconut butter before.
Thank you very much.
Yes it should work! Sorry just seeing this!
Can you use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch?
Hi! No, this recipe is VERY finicky and arrowroot will make them gummy.
These cupcakes were so delicious! OMG! I made them for my birthday last year and I ended up eating all of them myself! I measured them exactly like the recipe said and they were so light and buttery and delicious! I didn’t even need to frost them and they were still delicious!
Yay! So very happy to hear this Beth!
Hello! I’m excited to try this recipe. Let me start by saying I am NOT a successful baker, but darn it I want to be successful. I am GF and Egg free due to allergies which has given a an all star box-baker even more challenges to do things from scratch. I really want these to be successful for both my daughters’ birthdays. A few questions: how do I know when it’s properly mixed but not over mixed? Most of my GF cakes fall and or are dense like cornbread. Second, do you have a white rice flour brand you recommend? We have Bob’s red mill locally, but not too many other options. Also, my oven runs hot. Should I decrease the temp to 325 or just pull them out earlier? Thank you for any advice!
These cupcakes are simply divine! Sooo good! The flavor is fantastic!
These tasted amazing! I took them to a birthday party and they were a hot! Thank you Brandi! I was wondering if it were possible to sub the sugar in this recipe for maple syrup or coconut sugar? Thank you