Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
These Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes are perfectly spiced and incredibly moist. Delicious with or without the frosting, these soft, fluffy treats are perfect for fall!
Servings: 12
Calories: 164kcal
Ingredients
For the Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pure pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup canola oil or other neutral oil
- 1 cup cane sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk or non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Frosting, optional
- 1 stick (½ cup) vegan butter softened to room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- unsweetened non-dairy milk if needed, for desired consistency
Instructions
For the Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 12-cavity cupcake pan with cooking spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, oil, sugar, almond milk, vinegar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fill each cavity of the cupcake pan with ¼ cup of the batter. If there is any batter left, you can top them off, but don't fill more than ¾ths of the way full.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes rest in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost as desired.
For the Cinnamon Frosting, if using
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat to incorporate. Add more powdered sugar as needed for your desired sweetness. If needed, add the non-dairy milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If it gets too loose, add more sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- When the cupcakes are completely cooled, add the frosting to a piping bag fit with the tip of your choice. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Alternately, you can frost the cupcakes using an offset spatula.
Notes
~ Use the spoon-and-level method of measuring flour. Fluff up the flour with a spoon, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife.
~ You will have just enough batter for 12 cupcakes. ¼ cup batter for each cupcake is all you need. They will rise, I promise. If you decide to taste test some of the batter, and I don't blame you - it's darn good, that's on you. Ha!
~ Bake until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. A few tiny crumbs are okay, but it shouldn't be wet.
~ Allow the cupcakes to rest in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them a wire cooling rack to cool completely. These pumpkin cupcakes are very moist and this will allow them to set a bit more so they don't fall apart.
~ If you are using the frosting, make sure the cupcakes are completely cool first.
~ To make these vegan pumpkin cupcakes oil-free, omit the oil and use more pumpkin purée instead. They will be a bit more dense, but still delicious.
Nutrition facts are calculated per cupcake, assuming ¼ cup batter per cupcake, with no frosting.
Nutrition facts are calculated per cupcake, assuming ¼ cup batter per cupcake, with no frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g