My vegan pumpkin cake is one of my favorite sweet recipes to make when the temperatures start to drop. It’s so easy, makes the whole house smell like fall, and of course is absolutely delicious. Some of you asked if it could be made as cupcakes, and I didn’t have a definite answer… until today! Every time I post a cake recipe I get a bunch of people asking if it can be made as cupcakes. The answer is usually yes, but with some modifications. I can’t always say what those modifications are though, until I start doing some testing in the kitchen. That’s what I did to transform my vegan pumpkin cake recipe into a vegan pumpkin cupcake recipe. All for you guys! (Believe me though, I didn’t mind testing this one out at all.) The cupcakes are just as delicious as the cake, just as easy, and kind of better because there’s just something special about biting into a delicate little cupcake that’s piled high with frosting! If you love pumpkin cake, or pumpkin pie, or any pumpkin dessert for that matter, then you have to give these cupcakes a try.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Flour. We’re using all-purpose flour, also known as white flour. That’s what I developed and tested the recipe with, though it could potentially work with other varieties like spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour. Sugar. Use organic sugar to keep the recipe vegan. Conventional (non-organic) sugar may be bleached using animal bone char, so it’s not considered vegan. Brown sugar. Same deal! This also needs to be organic. Baking powder. Baking soda. Pumpkin pie spice. Ground cinnamon. Salt. Pumpkin puree. I created the recipe using canned pumpkin puree. Got a fresh pumpkin you’d like to use? That’s fine, but you’ll need to cook and puree it first. Try this method. Non-dairy milk. You can use any non-dairy milk that’s suitable for drinking, as long as it’s unflavored and unsweetened. Need help deciding? See my guide to non-dairy milk. Vegetable oil. Whatever type of oil you like to bake with will work. Corn oil, canola oil and melted coconut oil are all fine choices. I even tested one batch of these with olive oil and it worked like a dream. Vanilla extract. Apple cider vinegar. Need a substitute? Read my guide to apple cider vinegar substitutes for baking.
How They’re Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! Tip: Wet ingredients should be at room temperature. This applies to all all baking recipes, unless otherwise specified. So you may need to warm your non-dairy milk up a bit if it was in the fridge. Tip: Don’t fill your muffin cavities to the brim or you’ll have spillage. About ¾ full is the sweet spot. If you have a lot of extra batter, bake a few cupcakes in a second batch. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack and make sure to let your cupcakes cool completely before frosting them. I really like these cupcakes with vegan cream cheese frosting, but vegan buttercream frosting or vegan chocolate frosting would also work! Tip: If you’re in a hurry, let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove them from the tin and place them directly on the rack to finish cooling. This will speed up the process!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Vegan pumpkin cupcakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days, in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer for about 3 months. You can freeze them frosted or unfrosted!
More Vegan Pumpkin Desserts
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