Fluffy & soft Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes topped with a vanilla frosting & lots of rainbow sprinkles. Eggless & dairy-free rainbow cupcakes have never tasted so good!
If you don't know already, I have a minor obsession with funfetti desserts. Last year I made the absolute best Vegan Funfetti Layer Cake which I tweaked to make even fluffier for these cupcakes!
Ingredients & substitution ideas
These vegan birthday cake cupcakes are made with 11 super simple ingredients!
- Oat milk : Can sub 1:1 for any non-dairy milk like oat, almond, rice, etc.
- Apple cider vinegar: Can be subbed 1:1 for lemon juice. This is what helps to make the vegan buttermilk and it is needed to interact with the baking soda.
- Organic cane sugar: There isn't a great substitute for this, but if you need to make refined sugar-free use a granulated sugar like coconut sugar or maple sugar
- Oil: I prefer using olive oil for baking, but you can use any oil or even melted vegan butter. If using butter just make sure it is unsalted.
- Vanilla bean paste: Can be subbed for vanilla extract
- Pastry flour: If using all-purpose flour sub 2 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp cornstarch for similar results
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Salt
- Rainbow sprinkles: Not all sprinkles are vegan, so make sure to check!
- Vegan butter (for frosting): I used Flora Plant butter, but Miyokos and Earth Balance are other great options.
- Organic powdered sugar (for frosting)
Tips for vegan funfetti cupcakes:
Since these eggless funfetti cupcakes are easy enough to make in one bowl, here are a few of my favorite tips & tricks to make soft and fluffy cupcakes every time!
Always use pastry flour
One way to avoid gummy cupcakes and make sure your cupcakes are soft and tender is to use pastry flour! It naturally has less protein and therefore it's harder to develop gluten in the batter.
For fluffy soft cupcakes, do not overmix the batter
It's really important to just mix the batter until all streaks/clumps of flour are mixed in and not any longer. If you over-mix batter it has the potential to turn out gummy as too much gluten will develop. I like to use a whisk or spatula to mix the batter for the best results.
Use quality cupcake liners
I always use If You Care unbleached cupcake liners. Not only are they compostable, but they lead to cupcakes that are never greasy and never stick to the paper.
Only fill cupcake liners ⅔ full
This way the rainbow cupcake batter will not overflow during the baking time and it will lead to those perfectly rounded cupcake tops.
Only frost cooled cupcakes
When frosting these rainbow sprinkle cupcakes it's super important to wait until the cupcakes are completely cooled until frosted. Otherwise, the frosting may melt right off. You can even make the cupcakes a day in advance and frost the next day if that's easier!
I made an easy vegan vanilla buttercream for these cupcakes and added extra rainbow sprinkles on top for a funfetti frosting!
Cupcake Troubleshooting
- Dry Cupcakes: This could be due to a few things including adding too much flour, baking the cupcakes for too long, or baking the cupcakes at too high of a temperature. That is why it's always best to measure in grams and use an oven thermometer for the best results!
- Dense/Gummy Cupcakes: This is likely due to overmixing the batter and forming too much gluten. It could also be due to expired baking powder/baking soda which are needed for the cupcakes to rise and become soft and fluffy. Make sure to check that your baking soda and baking powder is working before baking any cupcake recipe.
- Sinking Cupcakes: This could be due to under-baking the cupcakes or expired baking powder/baking soda. It could also be from overmixing and incorporating too much air into the batter or from overfilling the cupcake liners. Always tap the pan on the counter to remove any large air bubbles before baking and make sure to fill cupcake liners only ⅔ full.
P.S- these troubleshooting tips apply to all my vegan cupcake & cake recipes!
FAQ & Suggestions:
I haven't tested it, but many of you have said Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour works well in my cookie and cake recipes. However, almond flour, coconut flour, or other flour alternatives cannot be subbed 1:1 in this recipe.
I personally haven't tried it, but you could sub the oil in the funfetti cupcake batter for applesauce.
When it comes to frosting, there isn't a great oil-free substitute for vegan butter. However, you could try the cashew frosting I used on my Vegan Carrot Walnut Cake as a healthier option.
Nope! In fact, I never recommend storing cupcakes in the fridge as it dries out the cake. Instead, store in the freezer.
Cupcakes are best stored in the freezer in a closed container between layers of parchment paper. When you are ready to serve, just remove from the freezer and let defrost 30 minutes-1 hour before eating.
Also, while the frosting cannot be stored at room temperature (it will melt), unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in plastic wrap or a closed container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
I hope you love these super moist rainbow sprinkle filled Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes! They are perfect to whip up for a Birthday party and make the best vanilla sprinkle cupcake recipe. Enjoy!
-TSG
More funfetti dessert recipes you will love:
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Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients:
- ¾ cup oat milk
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 3 Tablespoons oil or melted vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup vegan rainbow sprinkles
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup vegan butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 ½- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- Rainbow sprinkles to top cupcakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin tray with 10 cupcake liners.
- Add the oat milk and apple cider vinegar to a bowl and let sit about 5 minutes to curdle and create a vegan buttermilk. Then, add in the sugar, oil, and vanilla bean paste and whisk together.
- Next add in the dry ingredients starting with the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk together into a batter until no streaks of flour remain. You can also sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before adding if you prefer. Finally, fold in the rainbow sprinkles using a spatula.
- Fill the cupcake liners with the batter so each is about ⅔ full. Then, gently tap the muffin tin on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Add to the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven, place them onto a wire rack, and let them cool completely before frosting.
- Once cooled, make the frosting by adding the room temperature butter to a large bowl and whipping with an electric beater until smooth and fluffy. Then, add in the vanilla and whip another 30 seconds. Gradually add in the sifted powdered sugar and continue beating until a fluffy and smooth frosting forms. I prefer 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, but feel free to add more or less depending on preference.
- Next, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and top with additional rainbow sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Apple cider vinegar: Can be subbed 1:1 for lemon juice. This is what helps to make the vegan buttermilk and it is needed to interact with the baking soda.
- Oil: I prefer using olive oil for baking, but you can use any oil or even melted vegan butter. If using butter just make sure it is unsalted.
- Vanilla bean paste: Can be subbed for vanilla extract
- Pastry flour: If using all-purpose flour sub 2 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp cornstarch for similar results
- Cupcakes are best stored in the freezer in a closed container between layers of parchment paper. When you are ready to serve, just remove from the freezer and let defrost 30 minutes-1 hour before eating.
- While the frosting cannot be stored at room temperature (it will melt), unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in plastic wrap or a closed container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
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