Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (Paleo)
Easy vegan vanilla cupcakes with vegan buttercream that are outrageously sweet, yet are completely Paleo, dairy free, gluten free, and refined sugar free! Add extra sprinkles in for fun!
So funny story. I actually used to work at a cupcake bakery in college! And I loved every minute of it.
From the baking (yes, I got to help bake!), to the frosting (decorating was my favorite), to chatting with customers, I loved it all.
Now hear me out. My favorite cupcake of theirs was the vanilla on vanilla. It was heaven. People say vanilla is so boring, but let me tell you, my friend, it is quite the opposite!
Vanilla is the base of every other flavor! How could people demote it so easily?!
So naturally, I had to come up with my own version of a vanilla on vanilla cupcake (because let’s be honest, that’s the best; I don’t want to hear anything about it you chocolate lovers!) buttttt with a twist. A slightly healthier, more allergen friendly twist haha!
Let me introduce you to my new best friends: easy vegan vanilla cupcakes that just so happen to be PALEO!
Yep, it’s true! Not only vegan, these are gluten free cupcakes that are also completely grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and nut free but so. Gosh darn. DECADENT.
Remember my vegan vanilla cake? It’s like these, but gluten free and bite size!
How are these also Paleo vanilla cupcakes?
My current obsession in gluten free flours is cassava flour, which I’m actually shocked more people aren’t using and experimenting with it!
It’s my goal to have a Paleo vegan vanilla cake on here (as well as chocolate 😉 ), so stay tuned, but I thought cupcakes were a pretty first good experiment!
If you don’t know what cassava is (most people don’t!), it’s actually very similar to a sweet potato, and it’s dried out and ground into a flour for gluten free and Paleo baking! What I love the most about cassava flour is it is shockingly 1:1 in ratio on most baking.
Some people say it doesn’t work for cakes but…I have the proof right here! It’s pretty outstanding!
The only flour used in these Paleo vanilla cupcakes is cassava, which is pretty amazing for a Paleo vegan baked good (most contain many flours and gums to help them stay together!). And it tastes, feels, and looks like regular flour. It’s pretty phenomenal! What’s more, it’s also completely nut free, so my allergy people, I see you 😉
Now let’s talk about the rest of the ingredients for these healthier funfetti cupcakes!
Ingredients for Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
So for these egg free and dairy free vanilla cupcakes, you’ll need the following:
- Cassava flour: as we’ve discussed, but since this is 1:1, you can also use a gluten free 1:1 flour mix that’s not strictly Paleo! I know not everyone wants to try out a Paleo flour, so just so you know, this recipe works great with a 1:1 gluten free flour mix 🙂
- Coconut sugar
- Leavening agents
- Coconut milk mixed with ACV: my key to vegan “buttermilk!” ACV is short for apple cider vinegar- if you don’t have ACV on hand, regular white vinegar will work as well!
- Unsweetened applesauce: this works as the replacement for eggs in a more traditional homemade funfetti cupcakes!
- Vegan butter or coconut oil: both work!
- Vanilla extract: and lots of it! You want that traditional vanilla cake taste 🙂
- Sprinkles: optional but hey, confetti cupcakes are so fun and perfect for birthdays!
Then we have the creamy yet completely dairy free vegan buttercream frosting:
- Vegan butter
- Maple syrup or powdered sugar (use powdered sugar if you’re okay with some regular sugar in there!)
- Vanilla extract
Simple right? I just love cupcakes for that reason 🙂
How to make homemade funfetti cupcakes that are vegan and Paleo
Now making vegan vanilla cupcakes, heck making Paleo vanilla cupcakes, is not much different than making regular ones! I promise 🙂
These cupcakes are so incredibly easy!
First, just make sure that your oven is preheated to the correct temperature and line that cupcake tin with cupcake liners!
Then, whisk together the cassava flour, coconut sugar (yes sugar goes with the flour! These are one bowl vanilla cupcakes!), baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt all together.
Then add in the applesauce, dairy free buttermilk, melted vegan butter, and of course, the vanilla. Mix it until all the flour is absorbed into a nice and thick batter.
Add in the sprinkles if you so desire (gotta love some confetti cupcakes!), and then pour the batter evenly into each cupcake liner.
Place the cupcakes into the oven and let them bake for about 22-26 minutes (they took average 24 minutes for me!), or until the toothpick comes out clean.
Then let the cupcakes cool for about 15 minutes before moving onto the vegan buttercream!
Vegan vanilla buttercream frosting
Now for the best part: the frosting!
Honestly, I’m such an easy-to-please person. Give me a vanilla cupcake with some vanilla frosting, and I am sold!
This vegan vanilla buttercream frosting is quite simple, and you basically prepare it as you would any other buttercream frosting!
For the vegan buttercream, simply beat the softened vegan butter until smooth. Then sift in 1 cup at a time of powdered sugar (if you’re going full Paleo here as well, just add in the maple syrup all at once!). Continue to beat the frosting, slowly adding another cup to the mix.
Add in the vanilla extract and a tablespoon at a time of coconut cream, and there ya go!
A nice and thick vegan vanilla buttercream frosting that everyone would think is full dairy 😉
We work magic here in the Banana Diaries kitchen!
Now just top with sprinkles and you’re good to do 🙂
I hope you love these fun vegan birthday cupcakes as much as I do! I honestly will be making these for my birthday (coming up next month, eep!) because who doesn’t love some form of cake on their birthday?!
It’s kinda a necessity 🙂
Let me know how these vegan vanilla cupcakes turn out for you in the comments below, and as always, I’d love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest!
Happy cupcake baking and frosting! And happy birthday if these are your birthday cupcakes!! 😉
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (Paleo)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 26
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Description
Buttery and sweet easy vegan vanilla cupcakes with vegan buttercream that are outrageously fluffy and sweet, yet are completely Paleo, dairy free, gluten free, and refined sugar free! Add extra sprinkles in for fun and make these for birthdays, celebrations and holidays!
Ingredients
Paleo Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cup cassava flour
- 3/4 coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup vanilla unsweetened coconut or almond milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sprinkles (optional)
Vegan Buttercream Frosting:
- 8 ounces vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or 3 cups organic powdered sugar (non Paleo option)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp coconut cream or milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12 tin cupcake pan with cupcake liners
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- Add in the applesauce, melted vegan butter, dairy free milk with ACV and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
- Add in the optional sprinkles here if desired.
- Scoop batter and distribute evenly among 11-12 cupcake liners.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 15 minutes before frosting.
- To make the buttercream frosting, beat the vegan butter in a large bowl. Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time or the maple syrup all at once, and continue beating.
- Add in vanilla and a tablespoon at a time of coconut cream/milk until you reach the desired consistency.
- Frost or pipe the frosting onto each cupcake and top with sprinkles if desired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake no frosting
- Calories: 204
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 0
Is there anything you can substitute the cassava flour for? Oat flour? Not trying to be paleo.
Hi Caroline!
Not a problem! You can use a 1:1 Gluten free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill, or even just use regular flour if you’re not gluten free! These cupcakes will still turn out great! 🙂
how would this turn out as a cake and long would it take to cook?
Hi Maria! So I’ve made this into a cake before and it’s LOVELY! Just double the recipe, and bake it in either 8″ cake pans (2) or 6″ cake pans (3) for about 30-35 minutes, but check at 25 minutes to see how it’s doing and test with a toothpick. I hope you love it!
thank you 🙂
What other flour may I use needing to be GF and corn free? Just tried it with Tapioca,its runny though…iin the oven,fingers crossed thats a good substitute 🙂
Hi Maria! Hmm, I’ve never tried it with tapioca, I know it’s a bit different than cassava even though it comes from the same plant! Another great sub is Bob’s red mill’s GF 1-to-1 baking flour! I know that one isn’t Paleo, but it is GF! One other person said that swapping in almond flour and coconut flour at a 3:1 ratio works (so for every cup, using 3/4 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup coconut flour). However, I haven’t tried this mix personally!
Coconut milk in a can?
Hi Beth! You can use either, but I recommend the can!
Thank you for such a fast resonse. I have both milks. I thought the one in the carton might be too thin. Getting ready to bake these now.
Absolutely! Please let me know how they come out 🙂 Enjoy!
Can just water work instead of coconut milk or rice milk
Hi Crisanda! Unfortunately just using water won’t help- the creaminess from the dairy free milk helps the overall flavor and texture of the cupcakes.
i baked this cake a strawberry rhubarb upside down cake today, in an 8.5″ pan, and instead of the 1tsp ACV i used lemon, bc i cant eat vinegar rn, and then i thought why not more? so i put in a half a lemon. the batter tasted heavenly, im so excited to try a piece tomorrow. this in such a good simple base cake recipe, and paleo and vegan-hard to find something so versatile!
Aw my goodness! Thank you so so much for trying these out and for your sweet words!! Enjoy!! 🙂
Great recipe. My son, who is a picky little bugger actually ate the cupcake, not just the frosting for once! Didn’t have applesauce, and we do eat eggs (just not dairy) so we substituted two small eggs for the applesauce and it worked great.