The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (2024)

4.96 from 194 votes

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So here it is: this is my recipe for the most perfect, bestest in the westest, (and eastest) vegan vanilla cake. Strike that, this is my recipe forthe most perfect vanilla cake. Period. Vegan or not, this is a damn good cake. Sweet, buttery, vanilla-infused, fluffy and moist all at the same time.

When I served this vegan vanilla cake recipe as cupcakes to a group of strangers, one girl declared that it was the best cupcake she had ever eaten... and then I told her it was vegan. Winning!

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (1)

I originally posted this recipe way back in 2014, so I decided it needed a little face-lift. Not the recipe, the recipe for the vegan vanilla cake is perfect, just the photos.

You can see below↓ my original photo for the best vegan vanilla cupcakes, but when I shared a picture of the cake above ↑ on my Instagram, everyone was asking for this vegan vanilla cake recipe. Some people didn't realize that most cake and cupcake recipes are exactly the same, the only difference is the pan you use and the baking time.So I wanted to make it clear that this vegan vanilla cake recipe works wonderfully both ways.

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (2)

I designed this recipe after hosting a "vegan vanilla cupcake-off" party. A cooking competition style party where I compared 3 top vegan vanilla cupcake recipes to determine which one was the winner. My friends voted, and the result was that there was no clear winner. So I had to do the only logical thing I could think of: make my own winner.

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (3)

It took a lot of experimenting, but oooeee was all that effort worth it as 4 years later, this is still the best vegan vanilla cake recipe I've ever made. Whether you make these into adorable cupcakes or you opt for a full-sized two-layer cake, everyone will love it. Perfect for birthday parties, holidays, celebrations, or anytime you need a glorious sweet fluffy cake.

To make The Best Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes: In a big bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix lightly. Whisk until the batter just comes together, don't over mix it.

Evenly divide batter among the cupcake pan or the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make the frosting:mix all the ingredients together with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Make sure the cakes are cooled completely before frosting, so the frosting won't melt. Frost your cakes as desired.

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (7)

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (8)

4.96 from 194 votes

(click stars to vote)

The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes)

Sweet, buttery, vanilla-infused, fluffy and moist all at the same time. Easy to make and even easier to eat. No one will even notice it's vegan! Perfect for birthday parties, celebrations, or holidays.

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cupcakes (or a two layer 9" round cake)

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

Frosting:

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). For cupcakes: lightly greaseor line a cupcake pan with 24 paper liners. For a cake: lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

  • In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.

  • In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter just comes together, don’t over mix.Evenly divide batter among the cupcake or cake pans. For cupcakes:Bake 18-20 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For 9-inch cake: bake for 22 - 28minutes until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

  • To make the frosting: mix together the vegan butter, vegetableshortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Add 1 - 4 tablespoons of non-dairy milk as needed to reach desired frosting consistency. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(24 servings in the recipe) | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Insta and let the world see just how amazing plant-based creations can be!

Author: Sam Turnbull

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Course: Dessert

Bon appetgan

Sam.

« Vegan Cashew Caesar Salad Dressing

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The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (15)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tamara says

    This cake looks so good. I want my son, who is vegan, to be able to have some of my birthday cake! Could I use vegan raspberry jam as a filling?

    Reply

  2. Gwennith Angasan says

    Have you ever baked it in a 13x9 pan?

    Reply

    • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

      It should work just fine in a 9x13 pan. You would just need to adjust your baking time, which may be more like 30-35 minutes.

      Reply

  3. Tara Raynak says

    I LOVE all your cake recipes and I just made 4 of your pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving! They are delicious! Do you think this could be made into an almond cake by either substituting the vanilla extract or adding almond extract?

    Reply

    • Sam Turnbull says

      So happy you love my cake recipes! Yes! I would add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of almond extract. I would keep the vanilla extract the same. When adding the almond extract, you can taste the batter and add more to taste. Enjoy!

      Reply

  4. Marilyn says

    Hi! I have 2 questions.
    1. Could I use olive oil?
    2. Would this only use one 9inch cake pan? Or 2?
    Excited to try this for my daughter’s 2nd birthday!

    Reply

    • Sam Turnbull says

      Hi Marilyn, I wouldn't recommend olive oil as you would be able to taste it. This uses 2 9" cake pans. Enjoy!

      Reply

  5. coco says

    hi Sam,
    How would i make this a triple layer 6" cake?
    thanks!

    Reply

  6. Sam Esme says

    The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (16)
    I basically use this recipe any time I want to bake anything for a birthday etc but don’t want to make it too complicated. It’s easy, not a lot of ingredients but so super delicious.
    I again brought some vanilla cupcakes to work for my birthday and everyone kept saying how everything I bring is always so so so good. I keep telling people: it doesn’t taste like chicken!
    Your blog is my go to for anything baking and everyone is always super obsessed!
    Thank you!

    Reply

  7. Moneva says

    The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (17)
    I made it yesterday, and it came out wonderful! Just as you said: yummy and fluffy! I took only 1 cup of sugar, and I used unrefined brown sugar. It makes the cake darker, but it is better, I find. I also used whole ancient grains flower, gluten free. I think it can be found at places like WF.
    The great thing about this recipe is that it can also be used for lots of other cake constructions, like fruit cakes with fresh fruit on top of it, and a fruit juice glaze. Or mixed with cocoa, to make it marbled. The options are endless!
    It's easy to make and simply great! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

      Wonderful! We agree that the options are endless. Other readers have served it with Sam's Lemon Curd as a filling!

      Reply

  8. Daryl says

    The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (18)
    Fantastic recipe, easy to make and cake was moist and delicious. Served at a family event and nobody was the wiser that it was vegan!

    Reply

    • Jess @ IDTLC Support says

      That's wonderful!

      Reply

  9. Stefanie says

    The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (19)
    The best and easiest vegan sponge cake recipe!
    Every time I make this non vegans don't believe this can be a vegan cake.

    Reply

  10. Beth Reed says

    Can i swap a GF blend for the wheat flour?

    Reply

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The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake (or Cupcakes) recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a vegan cupcake and a regular cupcake? ›

Vegan cupcakes are animal product and dairy free. This means they contain no egg, butter, or dairy products. However, they do contain ingredients that are familiar to the baker such as flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, and vanilla.

What is the secret to good cupcakes? ›

Top Tips for Baking Better Cupcakes
  • Read the Recipe. Read the recipe all the way through first. ...
  • Check Oven Temperature. ...
  • Check the Dates. ...
  • Substitute with Caution. ...
  • Use the Right Temperature. ...
  • Take Time to Sift. ...
  • Measure with Care. ...
  • Cream the Ingredients.

Why do vegan cakes have so much sugar? ›

The absence of animal products in a vegan cake pertains to ingredients like eggs and dairy, but sugar, a plant-based ingredient, is commonly used for sweetness in vegan baking.

Are cupcakes easier to make than cakes? ›

Cupcakes are generally considered to be easier to make than cakes from scratch for a few reasons: Smaller size: Cupcakes are smaller in size than cakes, so they require less batter and take less time to bake. This means that they are less likely to become overcooked or burnt.

Are vegan cakes healthier than normal cakes? ›

Some health benefits of choosing vegan cakes over regular cakes include: Plant-based products are healthier. Animal fats are definitely unhealthy and responsible for diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. Plant-based fats have no cholesterol which is much healthier for you.

Are cupcakes better with milk or water? ›

Baking tip #2: adding milk to your box cake mix in place of water adds a dense texture to your dessert leaving it moist and flavorful like a homemade cake. Or, if you prefer, you can add buttermilk, giving your cake a tangy flavor to balance out the sweetness.

What not to do when making cupcakes? ›

Don't Over-mix, Don't Under-mix. Not too much, not too little. Make sure you're mixing the cupcake batter together *just until* the wet and dry are combined.

What's the most important ingredient in a cupcake? ›

Flour is the main ingredient of the batter and provides the base for the cupcake. Butter or oil provides flavor, tenderizes the batter and helps provide volume.

What sugar is best for vegans? ›

Vegans can also safely consume raw or unrefined brown sugars made from sugarcane because they have not been in contact with animal products. Sugar can also be vegan if it comes from fruits and vegetables besides sugarcane and sugar beets. These can include popular products like coconut and date sugar.

Which boxed cake mixes are vegan? ›

Since most boxed cakes require that you add eggs, milk and butter after, most major brands such as Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker are already vegan!
  • Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot.
  • Duncan Hines Red Velvet.
  • Betty Crocker Super Moist French Vanilla.
  • Betty Crocker German Chocolate.

Why won't my vegan cake rise? ›

Vegan Cake Troubleshooting

Reduce sugar content. Increase baking powder and baking soda. Usually caused by batter being too thin or lack of leavening power. Reduce water content.

What is the best temperature to bake cupcakes? ›

Basically, you'll start with a high temperature and drop to a lower temperature. Try starting at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cupcakes are done according to the recipe directions. You'll also want to be sure to fill your cupcake tins 3/4 full with batter.

Which cake making method is the best? ›

Melting Method: Simplicity at its Finest

For dense and moist cakes, the melting method reigns supreme. In this technique, the butter and sugar are melted together as the first step, eliminating the need for creaming or whisking. To aid the rise, a raising agent is added to the batter.

Which is better, cake or cupcakes? ›

For intimate gatherings or parties with diverse tastes, cupcakes can be a great choice. They offer variety and convenience, and everyone gets their piece of happiness. For larger, more formal events, a beautifully designed cake can add a touch of elegance and tradition.

What is the difference between a vegan cake and a regular cake? ›

To put it simply, a vegan cake is a cake that doesn't contain any animal-derived ingredients, most notably eggs, milk, and other dairy products. In 'regular' cakes, eggs and dairy products are among the key ingredients used to create the sponge and icing, and often decorations, too.

Why are my vegan cupcakes dense? ›

DENSE RESULT

This can be caused by not using the right egg replacer. Over mixing batter is another reason which causes over development of the gluten and a dense result. If your oven isn't heated to the correct temperature before you put your cake in, it can cause it to not bake properly.

Do vegan cupcakes contain milk? ›

What is the difference between a vegan cupcake and a regular cupcake? The two main differences are that vegan cupcakes are eggless and instead of using regular butter and milk, they use non-dairy butter and milk.

Why are my vegan cupcakes gummy? ›

This can happen for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is that your ingredients weren't room temperature. If your ingredients, even vegan ingredients, aren't all room temperature (i.e. some are cool, some are warm, some are hot), the cake will come out gummy.

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