Want all the fun and flavor of cupcakes without the dairy? This recipe will show you how you, too, can bake Dairy-Free Cupcakes and provide delectable desserts for ALL your guests no matter their diet.
Cupcakes aren’t the type of dish you make solely for yourself. (Well, they shouldn’t be, but then, who am I to judge?) That’s why, whenever the kids have friends over or I am throwing a party, I’m in the kitchen, using the guests as an excuse to get baking. These days though, as a cook, you need to be aware of dietary restrictions. You can no longer just make your meals the way you’ve always made them; you need to be adaptable. You need to roll with the punches while rolling out your dough.
That’s why I always keep recipes like this on hand. They provide for those who can’t eat the same foods as others. As a host who wants ALL my guests to have a good time, I need to be able to deviate from the recipes I regularly use without reducing the quality of the dish. This one for Dairy-Free Cupcakes fits the bill.
You won’t find any butter or cow’s milk in this list of ingredients. You won’t miss them though; vegetable oil and oat milk will still give your cupcakes the finish you desire. Top them off with one of the dairy-free frostings I recommend and you’ve got one inclusive sweet treat.
Is there a dairy-free frosting I can use?
I actually have two recipes on the site for you to choose from: Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting and Vegan Buttercream Frosting. I don’t so much tout them as “dairy-free” options as much as vegan options (as you can tell by their names). Nevertheless, they will provide you with frosting that can be eaten by those among you who can’t tolerate dairy. They both rely on vegan butter, so make sure you can procure some. The cream-cheese option also requires vegan cream-cheese, which may not be easy to track down, whereas you have more “natural” options for the buttercream frosting, like coconut milk. So which frosting you opt for may have more to do with availability than preference.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup oat milk (6 oz), substitute with soy milk if preferred
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (2 oz)
- 1 large egg
How to Make Dairy-Free Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: Add the oat milk, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and egg to the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Mix the ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix to ensure a light and fluffy texture.
Step 5: Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with batter to allow room for the cupcakes to rise.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 7: After baking, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
FAQs & Tips
How do I store these cupcakes?
You can store these cupcakes (provided they have cooled completely) in an airtight container at room temperature for two days. If you want them around longer, you will need to store them in the fridge. They’ll last for about a week. They’ll also last for up to three months in the freezer, provided you store them in that airtight container. Let them thaw either in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Do I need to use both baking powder AND baking soda?
Yes, if you want your cupcakes to rise sufficiently. Baking soda (a base) requires an acid to react with. Once you are able to re-create that moment from elementary-school science class, its leavening agents will do their thing. The acid in this recipe is the milk (and vegan milk is lower acid than cows milk); however, there may not be enough to get the cupcakes to where we want them. So we’re also using baking powder. Baking powder contains both an acid (usually cream of tartar or monocalcium phosphate) and a base (baking soda). With both included, your cupcakes will turn fluffy and tender.
Why are my cupcakes so dense and heavy?
The most common mistake would-be bakers make is overmixing the batter. You want to mix the ingredients until they are just combined; overdoing it will activate the gluten in the flour, which, in turn, makes for “stubborn” cake mix. Your cupcakes will have the consistency of muffins or pound cake and may not sit well with your guests. Truth be told, I actually don’t mind dense cupcakes but experience tells me I’m in the minority.
Other cupcake recipes to try
Be warned: these recipes contain dairy. But if that isn’t a concern, you have lots and lots of lovely options. For starters is this recipe for Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes. That’s right, why limit your cupcakes to just cream on top when you can inject them with cream inside? Another recipe that will go down a treat with the younger folk? Unicorn Cupcakes. A colorful mix of purple, pink, and blue, these charming, almost mythical desserts can be decorated with sprinkles and even a horn. Dare I say, cupcakes at the opposite end of the spectrum are these Coconut Cupcakes, a sophisticated option for those who enjoy the finer things.
Dairy-Free Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup oat milk 6 oz, substitute with soy milk if preferred
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 oz
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the oat milk, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and egg to the dry ingredients.
- Mix the ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix to ensure a light and fluffy texture.
- Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with batter to allow room for the cupcakes to rise.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- After baking, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
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