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    Home > Recipes > Cakes and Cupcakes > Dairy Free Cupcakes

    Dairy Free Cupcakes

    Published on March 24, 2021. Last updated on September 28, 2022. By Gabby. 6 Comments

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    This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

    Jump to Recipe

    These dairy free cupcakes are a simple and classic treat that is perfect for any occasion. They're soft, fluffy, and topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream. Dress them up with sprinkles or leave them as is - they're ready in 40 minutes start to finish!

    a dairy free cupcake with vanilla buttercream

    Cupcakes are one of my favorite desserts to make. They're just so fun to decorate and to eat 😉 I love a snazzier cupcake recipe like my Raspberry Cupcakes or Coconut Cupcakes, but sometimes you really just need some classic vanilla cupcakes.

    These dairy free vanilla cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. Birthdays for all ages, baby showers, weddings, Easter, anything! Use them as a base recipe and switch up the icing if you want or add decorations - the world is your oyster with this recipe!

    Why These Dairy Free Cupcakes Work

    • These cupcakes use just one egg and two egg whites. The egg whites are what make the cupcakes so light and fluffy instead of dense!
    • The unfrosted cupcakes are not too sweet on their own, which balances out the sweetness from the buttercream frosting.
    • This recipe uses dairy free butter, which adds a nice, subtle flavor and moisture to the cupcakes.
    • The dairy free vanilla frosting is made with a 2:1 ratio of vegan butter and shortening. The shortening helps provide structure to the buttercream so that it holds shape at room temperature instead of being too soft and meltey.

    Ingredients Needed

    These dairy free cupcakes require simple pantry ingredients, nothing fancy! A few notes about the ingredients:

    • Dairy free milk: I prefer soy milk in these cupcakes. I find it makes the best dairy free buttermilk, but you can use any dairy free milk you have!
    • White vinegar: White vinegar is used to make the dairy free buttermilk. Don't worry - you won't taste it! This can't be replaced with any other type of vinegar, but if you don't have vinegar you can also use lemon juice.
    • 1 egg + 2 egg whites: I tested this recipe using varying egg to egg white ratios, and 2 egg whites gave the fluffiest, softest, most perfect cupcakes.
    • Vegetable Shortening: Shortening is combined with dairy free butter in the buttercream, because dairy free butter alone doesn't hold its shape as well and can be a bit harder to pipe.
    • Vanilla extract: The star of the show! Use any vanilla extract you have on hand. To amp up the vanilla flavor, try using pure vanilla extract instead of artificial!
    ingredients for dairy free cupcakes

    Step By Step Instructions

    Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

    STEP ONE: Make the buttermilk by combining milk and vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it looks curdled.

    STEP TWO: Preheat the oven and line a baking tin with cupcake liners. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside for later.

    STEP THREE: In another bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, then add in the egg, egg whites, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.

    STEP FOUR: Pour in the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Fill the liners with batter to around ⅔ full and bake for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

    process showing how to make dairy free cupcakes

    STEP FIVE: While the cupcakes cool, make the buttercream. Add butter and shortening to a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Mix in the salt and vanilla extract.

    STEP SIX: Add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time until the buttercream is at your desired consistency. If the buttercream is soft, you can chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before piping to firm it up. Frost the completely cooled cupcakes and add sprinkles if desired!

    process showing how to make dairy free vanilla buttercream frosting for dairy free cupcakes

    FAQs and Expert Tips

    What is the best dairy free milk for baking?

    I use different types of dairy free milk depending on what I'm baking. I tested the dairy free buttermilk with this recipe using almond, oat, and soy milk and soy milk was the clear winner.

    It curdled like regular cow's milk would, and gave the dairy free cupcakes the lightest, fluffiest, and softest texture out of the 3 that I tested. Based on that, I recommend soy milk if you have it. But, if you are soy-free or prefer another milk, the cupcakes can be made with whatever you have on hand.

    What can I do with leftover egg yolks?

    I used to avoid recipes that called for egg whites because I didn't want to waste the yolks. But the cupcakes are SO much fluffier with egg whites -trust me!

    Egg yolks can be stored in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days. You can either fry up the yolks with more eggs for breakfast within that time, or make something sweet like a reduced batch of vanilla pudding.

    How do I make my buttercream white?

    Okay so the first way to achieve pure white buttercream is to use shortening. But personally, I'm not a fan of the taste of pure shortening. Butter (vegan or regular) is pale yellow in color, and vanilla also makes the buttercream more yellow/off-white.

    So here's the secret: white food coloring!* For the amount of buttercream in this recipe, you can add about 1 ½ teaspoon of it after mixing in the powdered sugar and voila!

    *note that the product linked above is made in a facility that processes milk and other potentially non-allergy friendly products so always read the labels and if you have a severe allergy it may be best to use a different brand or just leave out the food coloring.

    a dairy free cupcake with a bite out of it

    Expert Tips

    • Be sure to properly measure your flour! This will absolutely affect how the cupcakes turn out!
    • Don't over-mix the dry ingredients! Once the dry ingredients have been fully incorporated into the wet ingredients, it's mixed enough.
    • Be sure to only fill the batter ⅔ of the way full. This is so that the batter doesn't spill over when baking.
    • Chill the buttercream in the fridge for 15 minutes before piping it onto the cupcakes. This is optional but I find it makes things a lot easier and less messy!
    • Wait until the dairy free vanilla cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting them! The buttercream will melt and make a mess if the cupcakes are still warm.
    • If baking more than one tray at a time, the cupcakes may have to be rotated halfway through and will take a few minutes longer to bake.

    How To Decorate Vanilla Cupcakes

    Here are a few ways to make these basic dairy free vanilla cupcakes more colorful and fun:

    • Sprinkles! Sprinkles make everything fun! Fourth of July cupcakes? Add red, white, and blue sprinkles. Canada Day cupcakes? Add red and white sprinkles. Halloween? Add black and orange sprinkles. The options are endless!
    • Add food coloring to the buttercream, or even divide the frosting into bowls and a mix a different color in each one, then make multi-colored/rainbow cupcakes!
    • Switch up the flavor of the buttercream! I sometimes like to pair these cupcakes with fudgy chocolate buttercream or coconut buttercream!
    dairy free cupcakes with vanilla buttercream

    Storage and Freezing Instructions

    Whenever possible, it is best to leave the cupcakes unfrosted until the day you serve them. However, the frosted cupcakes will stay fresh for around 2 days in an airtight container or cupcake carrier at room temperature. If you live in a really hot climate, the buttercream should be kept in the fridge until ready to serve.

    You can also freeze the unfrosted cupcakes in a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight container for around 2-3 months, then let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours before frosting.

    Buttercream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the fridge for a couple of hours, give it a stir, and it'll be good to go!

    More Cupcakes Recipes You'll Love

    • Raspberry Cupcakes
    • Biscoff Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes

    If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

    dairy free cupcakes with frosting

    Dairy Free Vanilla Cupcakes

    Gabby
    These dairy free cupcakes are fluffy, soft, and topped with a creamy dairy free vanilla buttercream. Perfect for any occasion!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Bake Time 15 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 cupcakes
    Calories 400 kcal

    Equipment

    • Handheld or Standing Mixer
    • Cupcake Baking Tin
    • Cupcake Liners

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dairy Free Vanilla Cupcakes

    • ½ cup dairy free/vegan butter, softened
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 2 egg whites
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract*
    • ¾ cup +3 tablespoon soy milk (or other dairy free milk)*
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1¾ cup all-purpose flour

    Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

    • 1 cup dairy free/vegan butter
    • ½ cup vegetable shortening
    • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract*
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 3-3½ cup icing sugar

    Instructions
     

    Dairy Free Vanilla Cupcakes

    • Make the buttermilk: Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup or a regular 1 cup measuring cup. Add in the soy milk until it fills to the 1 cup mark (you should have 1 cup of liquid total). Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the milk has curdled.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with 12 liners. Line a second muffin tin with 4 more liners – this recipe makes 16 cupcakes.
    • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
    • In the bowl of a standing or handheld mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, around 1-2 minutes. Add in the egg and egg whites, then add in the vanilla extract and buttermilk and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
    • Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
    • Fill the cupcake tins ⅔ full with cupcake batter, then bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
    • While the cupcakes cool, make the buttercream.

    Vanilla Buttercream

    • Add butter and shortening to the bowl of a standing or handheld mixer. Beat together until smooth, scraping along the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • Mix in the vanilla extract and salt, then add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. I recommend chilling the frosting in the fridge before piping it onto the cupcakes*
    • Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost the cupcakes and add sprinkles if desired!

    Notes

    PLEASE NOTE: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above under the "Metric" tab.
    DAIRY FREE BUTTERMILK: I have tested buttermilk using almond, soy, and oat milk and I find that soy milk curdles the most (which is what you want to happen when making buttermilk), but the difference in the final cupcakes is very minor, so you can use any plant based milk you have!
    VANILLA EXTRACT: I like to use pure vanilla extract in this recipe has the vanilla flavor is more pronounced, but you can definitely use artificial as well!
    CHILLING THE BUTTERCREAM: If the frosting seems a bit soft, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes (or more). It really helps to first up the buttercream and makes it easier to pipe onto the cupcakes.
    Storage and Freezing Instructions: Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container or cupcake carrier at room temperature for around 2 days. If you live in a very warm climate, the buttercream should be kept in the fridge until ready to eat.
    Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for 2-3 months in a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight container. To thaw, leave them at room temperature for a few hours.
    Buttercream can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Before using, let it thaw in the fridge for a couple of hours, then stir a little bit to fluff it up.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 400kcal
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

    « Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amber

      November 28, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best dairy free cupcake recipe! The cupcakes turned out fluffy and tasted perfect with a light vanilla flavor.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        November 28, 2022 at 3:29 pm

        Hi Amber! I am so happy to hear that you loved the cupcakes! Thanks so much for the review!

        Reply
    2. josie

      August 07, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      hello! i have a question! what should a preheat my oven to?

      Reply
      • Gabby

        August 08, 2021 at 7:36 pm

        Hi! The oven should be at 350°F (this is listed in the recipe card). Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Chloe

      April 12, 2021 at 4:10 pm

      5 stars
      These were a winner just like every other recipe of yours I've tried! They were incredibly easy to make, fluffy, and delicious - we couldn't believe it was dairy free! These didn't last long in our kitchen. We'll be making them again for sure. Thanks Gabby!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        April 13, 2021 at 1:25 pm

        Hi Chloe! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the recipe! They don't last long around here either 😉 Thanks for coming back to leave a review!

        Reply

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