Enjoy these Luscious Lemon Cupcakes for a decadent dessert. They’re perfect for taking on a summer picnic! They’re 100% vegan and the lemony flavor is so refreshing!
See how I make these lovely lemon cupcakes in this video. You might get some other picnic ideas too!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Vegan Peach Crisp with Oat Streusel Topping
Chocolate Chia Pudding Parfait
Vegan Chocolate Almond Biscotti 2 Ways with Gluten-Free Options
Luscious Lemon Cupcakes (Vegan)
These lovely and luscious Lemon Cupcakes are great for any celebration or a summer picnic with your family. They are 100% vegan too!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tsps egg replacer powder or potato starch
- 3 Tbsps water
- 1/2 cup plant-based butter cubed, room temperature
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour gluten-free is fine
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt or "buttermilk" (see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large organic lemon (we will use the zest and juice)
- 1/4 cup aquafaba (see notes)
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, create the vegan "egg" by combining the 1 1/2 tsps Egg Replacer powder or potato starch with 3 Tbsps water. Stir well until there are no lumps and set aside.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine the vegan yogurt or buttermilk*, vanilla extract, 1/2 the zest from the lemon*, and the juice from half the lemon (about 2 Tbsps.)
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the plant-based butter and cane sugar together until it is well combined. Add the Egg Replacer mixture and the aquafaba* and mix together with a spoon or a hand mixer until you have a smooth mixture.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just enough to incorporate the dry ingredients. Don't overstir!
Add the yogurt or buttermilk mixture and mix just to combine.
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Grease your muffin tins with some vegan butter or spray oil (use a neutral tasting oil).
Divide the batter evenly among the cups and press down just a little with your fingers or a spoon.
Bake at 350 F degrees for 20-25 minutes or until they are slightly golden. you can stick a toothpick in the center of one to see if it is done. If it comes clean, they're ready!
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After the cupcakes have baked, leave them in the tin to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove them to cool thoroughly on a cooling rack.
Once they are cooled, you can make the icing!
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To make the icing, add the 1 cup powdered sugar and the juice from the other half of the lemon to a bowl and whisk until creamy.
Place the cooling rack with the cupcakes over a baking sheet to catch the drips.
Drizzle the icing over the cupcakes, making sure to get some down the sides!
Add some lemon zest on top.
YUM YUM!😋
Recipe Notes
To make vegan buttermilk, combine 1/2 cup plant-based milk of your choice (I would recommend soy or oat for this recipe) with 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar. Stir and let sit for about 5 minutes before using.
Aquafaba is the juice from chickpeas or other (white) beans. It makes a great replacement for eggs in many recipes. If you are using canned beans, just drain the liquid into a small jar. You can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Lemon “zest” is the finely grated peel of a lemon. I recommend organic so that you don’t get any pesticide residue or wax in your recipe. If you don’t have a lemon zester, just use the finest part of a cheese grater to zest your lemon.
