Celebrate your next birthday party with these light-as-air Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes, topped with a luscious frosting and colored with delightful sprinkles.
Baked Bree regulars will know that I have nothing against eggs. As for those new to the site, Where have you been all this time???
In any case, I might go so far as to say that I love eggs. But like the Good Book says, “For everything there is a season.” And for every recipe there are ingredients. And sometimes, certain ingredients need to sit out certain recipes. Well, this is one of those seasons, er… recipes.
What I’m trying to say is, while I usually make my cupcakes with egg, I have done without them for this recipe. Call it a personal challenge to myself to see if I could replicate my usually moist and delicious little desserts without egg. Call it a matter of necessity when cupcakes were called upon but nary an egg could I find in my fridge. Call it the result of dietary restrictions, which limited the ingredients I could use. Whatever you call it, one bite and you’ll be calling it the best eggless cupcake you’ve ever had.
How do I make these vegan cupcakes?
The most common reason people bake without egg is because of the dietary restrictions placed upon them. Or put another way, they need to make them vegan. This recipe, while it forgoes the eggs, doesn’t go all in on the vegan front, and uses whole milk and butter. As both ingredients are made from cow (which is an animal), we can’t call this a recipe for vegan cupcakes. So I’m going to make a couple of suggestions so that those of you who are vegan (or intending on serving vegans) can use this recipe. The milk is easy enough to replace, as there are multiple plant-based milks to choose from: almond, coconut, soy, or oat. The first two have a distinct taste, so only choose them if you are okay with your cupcakes tasting like almond or coconut, respectively. Soy or oat may be better suited here. As for the butter, you can buy vegan butter or margarine, or use coconut oil or even applesauce. Applesauce also serves as a binder, replacing egg in other vegan recipes, so it can pull double duty here. Just strain it to remove the excess moisture.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk, or plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
How to Make Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350º F. Line a cupcake pan with liners.
Step 2: Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix the milk and vinegar and let it sit for a minute.
Step 4: Using a mixer, beat the butter until creamy, then add sugar and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy.
Step 5: Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and milk mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients.
Step 6: Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
Step 7: Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool before frosting.
FAQs & Tips
Let the cupcakes cool completely then store them in an airtight container. You can leave them out at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze the frosting-less cupcakes by flash-freezing them then storing them in freezer-safe bags. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
There could be a number of reasons (I bet that makes you feel good eh?). Ask yourself these questions: Are your dairy ingredients at room temperature? They will mix easier and lead to fluffier batter. Did you overmix the batter? Overmixing leads to too much gluten, which leads to dense cupcakes. Is your baking powder fresh and did you distribute it evenly (more on that below)? Baking powder that is more than six months old will lose its leavening powers. Last, pay attention to baking temperature and time. Use the toothpick test to ensure they are done.
This baking technique may seem random at first but there is a method to its madness. First, it promotes even mixing and distribution. The more evenly the distribution, the more even the flavor and the texture. It also means the leavening agent (i.e., the baking powder) is distributed evenly and activated evenly by the acid in the liquid. You’ll be glad this was done when you’re biting into a fluffy cupcake. As well, adding the dry ingredients can prevent the butter mixture from curdling when the liquid mixture (which contains vinegar) is added.
Serving Suggestions
Because these are vanilla cupcakes, you have your pick of frosting. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, strawberry (or some other such fruit), cream cheese frosting… they’re all good. Atop that frosting could go crushed nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts), fresh fruit (berries, sliced banana, citrus zest), or a drizzle of chocolate, fudge, caramel, or whatever you find that is sweet and can be drizzled. And yes, you can add some sprinkles. Sprinkles are always a good idea.
Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk, or plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350º F. Line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the milk and vinegar and let it sit for a minute.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter until creamy, then add sugar and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and milk mixture to the butter mixture, alternating and starting and ending with dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool before frosting.
