Secrecy Gluten-Free and Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes 🎂✨

Call me crazy, but I made these on a whim for my friend’s daughter’s birthday party—having never made them before. I know, risky!!

I don’t usually make vegan cakes or cupcakes — I’m more of a dairy-free girlie who still uses eggs. But when my friend requested vegan vanilla cupcakes for her birthday, I didn’t even hesitate to say yes.

And let me tell you… the reviews were glowing. Everyone loved them, even the non-vegans. But the best part? The birthday girl licked her plate clean. That’s a win-win in my book!

These cupcakes are soft, perfectly sweet, and filled with classic vanilla flavor — no one will guess they’re vegan.

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan buttermilk, room temperature (1 cup plant-based milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, whisk and let sit 5 mins)

• ⅔ cup vegan butter, melted and cooled or avocado oil / plant-based shortening / coconut oil

• 1 cup classic monkfruit sweetener

• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1:1 baking flour)

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• 1–2 cartons vegan frosting or homemade

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup cupcake tin. Make vegan buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter (or oil), sweetener, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste.

3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix in buttermilk until just combined — don’t overmix.

4. Fill liners ¾ full and bake for 20–22 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

5. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Enjoy every fluffy bite!

Why you’ll love them:
They’re soft, lightly sweet, and made with simple ingredients — the perfect vegan treat for birthdays, celebrations, or any day you’re craving something cozy and classic.

If you bake them, tag me @WhatRobinEats so I can see your cupcakes! 🧁✨

Secrecy Gluten-Free and Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes 🎂✨

Soft, fluffy, and full of classic vanilla flavor — these vegan cupcakes are the perfect mix of simple and special. Even non-vegans will love them!

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Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup vegan buttermilk, room temp - (1 cup plant-based milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, whisk and let sit 5 mins)
• 2/3 cup vegan butter, melted and cooled. OR coconut oil/avocado oil
• 1 cup sweetener of choice
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour OR all-purpose
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• frosting of choice, I link my fav in the blog post!

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup cupcake tin. Make vegan buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter (or oil), sweetener, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste.
• Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix in buttermilk until just combined — don’t overmix.
• Fill liners ¾ full and bake for 20–22 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Enjoy every fluffy bite!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!