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    Home » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Vegan Coffee Cupcakes

    Published: Jul 13, 2017 Updated: Jul 19, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Coffee Cupcakes

    These vegan coffee cupcakes are fluffy, moist, coffee flavored and totally divine. Topped with a vegan coffee buttercream frosting.

    Vegan coffee cupcakes on a wooden board.

    Oh wow, these vegan coffee cupcakes with coffee buttercream turned out better than I ever expected!

    And the color was a surprise! I was expecting the cupcakes themselves to have more of a light color, more like the color of the frosting. But no, this is a deep dark rich brown.

    I did use quite a lot of coffee in these though. Well, I don’t know if you’d agree that it was a lot. I used three tablespoons of a nice strong blend of instant coffee so I imagine each cupcake is around equal to a cup of instant coffee.

    And then I used another tablespoon of instant coffee in the frosting.

    So the coffee flavor is strong with these guys! But not too strong. I think it’s a perfect flavor blend. They’re unmistakably coffee flavored without being overpowering.

    And then I couldn’t tell you why, but the addition of coffee to the frosting seemed to make it super creamy! Like more creamy than frosting has ever been before.

    And it just worked so well as a topping for these cupcakes. Like coffee and cream!

    Vegan coffee cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

    How To Make Vegan Coffee Cupcakes

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add light brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix together.
    • Then mix some instant coffee with hot water into a paste and whisk that into soy milk.
    • Make a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of hot water and allowing it to sit for a minute to become gloopy. 
    • Add the coffee and soy milk mix, flax egg, oil, vinegar and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and mix into a batter.  
    • Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners.
    Vegan coffee cupcakes ready to go into the oven.
    • Bake at 350°F for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. 
    Freshly baked vegan coffee cupcakes in a cupcake tray.
    • Let the cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
    Vegan coffee cupcakes on a wire cooling rack.

    The Frosting

    The frosting is a rich coffee flavored buttercream that pipes beautifully over these cupcakes. 

    There is a little cinnamon in the recipe and cinnamon goes well with coffee so I sprinkled a little on top of the cupcakes too.

    Coffee cupcakes topped with coffee buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

    Baker’s Tips

    1. Measure the flour correctly. Weigh the flour for accuracy or make sure to use the correct method for measuring flour which is the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. 
    2. Flax egg. An alternative to the flax egg is to use 3 Tablespoons of applesauce. 
    3. Gluten free. If you want to make these gluten-free then I would recommend using a gluten-free all purpose flour blend to replace the regular flour in this recipe. 
    Vegan coffee cupcakes topped with coffee buttercream and cinnamon.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep them covered at room temperature where they will last for a few days or covered in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to a week.

    They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months, frosted or unfrosted.

    Vegan coffee cupcakes topped with coffee buttercream frosting.

    More Vegan Cupcakes

    1. Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
    2. Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
    3. Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    4. Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
    5. Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
    6. Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    Vegan coffee cupcake cut in half to show the center.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Vegan coffee cupcakes topped with coffee buttercream frosting.

    Vegan Coffee Cupcakes

    These vegan coffee cupcakes are fluffy, moist, coffee flavored and totally divine. Topped with a coffee buttercream frosting.
    4.78 from 27 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cupcakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 377kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    Coffee Cupcakes:

    • 2 cups All Purpose Flour (250g)
    • 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (200g)
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 3 Tablespoons Instant Coffee Powder
    • 2 Tablespoons Hot Water
    • 1 cup Soy Milk (240ml) or other non-dairy milk
    • 1 Flax Egg 1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseed Meal + 3 Tablespoons Hot Water
    • ⅓ cup Canola Oil (80ml) or Vegetable Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

    Coffee Buttercream Frosting:

    • 3 cups Powdered Sugar (360g)
    • ⅓ cup Vegan Butter (75g)
    • 1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder
    • 1-2 Tablespoons Soy Milk or other non-dairy milk
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    Decoration:

    • Sprinkle Cinnamon
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    Instructions

    Cupcakes:

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
    • Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add light brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix in.
    • Mix the instant coffee with the 2 Tablespoons of Hot Water into a thick paste and then mix that into the soy milk (or other non-dairy milk).
    • Prepare the flax egg by mixing 1 Tablespoon of flaxseed meal with 3 Tablespoons of Hot Water and allowing to sit for a minute to become gloopy.
    • Add the coffee and soy milk mix, the flax egg, oil, vinegar and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and mix into a batter. Don't overmix.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners and place into the oven to bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    • Allow to cool for a few minutes before moving the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

    Frosting:

    • Prepare your frosting by adding the powdered sugar and vegan butter to the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix the instant coffee with 1 Tablespoon of soy milk into a paste and add this in along with the vanilla extract.
    • Starting at slow speed gradually increase speed until the frosting is thick and smooth. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of soy milk if needed.
    • Frost the cupcakes and decorate with a sprinkle of cinnamon (optional).

    Notes

    1. Measure the flour correctly. Weigh the flour for accuracy or make sure to use the correct method for measuring flour which is the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. 
    2. Flax egg. An alternative to the flax egg is to use 3 Tablespoons of applesauce.
    3. Gluten free. If you want to make these gluten-free then I would recommend using a gluten-free all purpose flour blend to replace the regular flour in this recipe.  
    4. Storing: Keep them covered at room temperature where they will last for a few days or covered in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to a week. 
    5. Freezing: They are freezer friendly (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Catherine Briggs says

      June 11, 2020 at 9:02 am

      Hi Alison
      Made your carrot cake at the weekend for my daughter’s birthday and it was amazing so thank you!
      I’ve had a request now for coffee and walnut so thought I would adapt this recipe. Could I add chopped walnuts to the batter do you think or would they be better just sprinkled on top?
      Congratulations on your recent and well-deserved awards success. You are my go-to site every time for vegan baking.
      Thanks again!
      Best wishes Catherine ????????

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 11, 2020 at 12:18 pm

        Hi Catherine! Thank you so much we are thrilled about the awards! I definitely think chopped walnuts can go into the batter, that would be divine! All the best!

        Reply
    2. Cindy says

      May 15, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      I was worried my coffee powder wasn’t strong enough, because the cakes smell and taste of cinnamon and don’t have much coffee taste. Then when it came to the buttercream recipe I thought now that can’t be right, because I’m used to a 1:2 butter to icing sugar. But I took a deep breath and went with and it OF COURSE you know better than I do! 😀 And boom, there’s the coffee taste.
      I don’t even like coffee flavoured things and I think this is lovely 🙂5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 18, 2020 at 10:40 am

        Haha so glad it worked out in the end Cindy! Thanks for the great review! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Robyn says

      April 10, 2020 at 7:17 pm

      Another recipe that deserves way more than 5 stars! These were SO yummy…beyond my expectations – as usual! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe….you are my hero! ♥5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 11, 2020 at 11:17 am

        Thank you so much Robyn!

        Reply
    4. Sam says

      February 19, 2020 at 9:00 am

      I’m planning on making these this week for my husband’s birthday, but don’t have any white vinegar – would lemon juice work as a substitute? Or apple cider vinegar?

      Thanks; I love your website and have made loads of your recipes before, always with great success.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 20, 2020 at 12:21 pm

        Hi Sam, yes apple cider vinegar definitely works! Lemon juice too, but apple cider vinegar would be my first choice! So happy you like the recipes, thanks so much! 🙂

        Reply
        • Sam says

          February 21, 2020 at 11:43 am

          Thank you, thank you, thank you! Made the recipe subbing white vinegar for apple cider vinegar and it turned out perfectly. Delicious, and so so easy. I adore your recipes 🙂 <35 stars

          Reply
          • Alison Andrews says

            February 21, 2020 at 3:11 pm

            Yay! So happy to hear. Thanks for updating us Sam!

    5. Val B. says

      February 17, 2020 at 5:20 am

      Hi Alison,
      Should I use the same amount of espresso powder instead of the instant coffee?
      I only have espresso powder.

      Thanks 😀

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 17, 2020 at 9:57 am

        Hmmm, it might be that you would need less, you could try using half the amount and seeing if you get enough coffee flavor from that. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jen says

      November 08, 2019 at 10:36 pm

      Can this recipe by any chance be used to make a cake instead of cupcakes? Say three 6 inch pans or two 8 inch pans? I want to make a cake! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 09, 2019 at 10:38 am

        Hi Jen, it would make a 2-layer 7-inch cake or a slightly fatter 2-layer 6-inch cake or possibly also a 3-layer 6-inch cake. We do also have a coffee cake recipe with a kahlua frosting if you want to check it out! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Rose says

      September 05, 2019 at 12:36 pm

      Delicious cupcakes! Very moist and spongey, and keep just as great even after quite a few days. I tried to use instant coffee granules instead of powder which did not dissolve well in the amount of water so the coffee flavour wasn’t as strong in the cake, but even still were very tasty. Next time I’ll use brewed coffee. I also used your Kahlua icing recipe instead which was delicious and worked perfectly with these cupcakes (I halved the quantities used for the whole coffee cake). Will definitely make these again, thank you for the fantastic recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 05, 2019 at 1:53 pm

        Awesome! Thanks so much for the great review Rose. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Amanda says

      August 27, 2019 at 7:49 pm

      Could this be made with regular coffee grounds? Really want to bake something coffee flavored but all the recipes seem to reuqire instant but I’d rather use what i have!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        August 29, 2019 at 2:00 pm

        Hi Amanda, I’m sure it would work! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Ceska says

      July 06, 2019 at 7:16 pm

      I made these cupcakes for a work potluck. Now everyone wants me to make these cupcakes every time we have a potluck. The best compliment is that no one can believe they are vegan! These are the perfect cupcakes if you love coffee, moist and so delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 09, 2019 at 11:50 am

        That is so awesome! Thanks so much for sharing and the wonderful rating! 🙂

        Reply
      • Amy says

        September 23, 2019 at 2:38 am

        Hi! I was just wondering what could be used in place of a flax egg? I have been looking for ground flax meal everywhere but can’t seem to find it in any stores. These cupcakes look so delicious and I would love to try it out. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Alison Andrews says

          September 23, 2019 at 1:08 pm

          Hi Amy, you can replace a flax egg with 3 Tbsp of applesauce. For ground flax seeds though you can also just buy whole flaxseeds and then put them in the blender to make ground flaxseed, this is what I often do. 🙂

          Reply
          • Amy says

            September 30, 2019 at 3:00 pm

            I am going to have to give this recipe another go when I can find flax seeds/flax meal for flax egg instead of the applesauce substitution. Not sure if that substitution affected the overall texture or not but my batter didn’t turn out as thin as yours in the pictures, which I am guessing why they became more dense. The coffee buttercream also didn’t hold well. It started separating and melted off the cupcake after a few hours or so once they were piped on. The cupcakes were definitely cooled because I made them the night before. Any ideas on what could have happened there? Thanks in advanced for any tips!1 star

          • Alison Andrews says

            September 30, 2019 at 3:18 pm

            Hi Amy, my guess would actually be using too much flour. I recommend to weigh that on a food scale, or make sure you’re using the correct spoon and level method for measuring flour. For the frosting, different brands of vegan butters can have a different water content, so it’s best to add the liquid slowly as you may not need all of it. But even if it does end up too thin, this can be fixed by adding more powdered sugar.

    10. Suzanne says

      June 19, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      These cupcakes are nothing short of DELICIOUS! I have always been a sucker for coffee anything, and these cupcakes are the best coffee dessert I may have ever had in my life! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 20, 2019 at 9:26 am

        So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the great review! xo

        Reply
    11. Anne Marie Tiffin says

      June 06, 2019 at 6:22 am

      Made these yesterday – absolutely delicious! I used 3tblsps of ‘Camp Coffee’ in the batter rather than coffee powder and substituted 3 tblsps of apple sauce for the flax egg. I had run out of vanilla extract by the time I made the buttercream so just made it without – still delicious!
      These are so quick and easy to make – not good for the diet but definitely good for the soul!
      Loving your website – thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 06, 2019 at 11:21 am

        Wonderful! So happy to hear they were a success. Thanks so much for sharing and the awesome review. xo

        Reply
    12. Ellie Morgan says

      April 07, 2019 at 2:15 pm

      I love this recipe! Do you have any suggestions for vegan butters that are more suited to icing? I find Vitalite/ Pure, all easily accessible butters to be far too soft, and I have to put them in the fridge to re-solidify the icing! Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 08, 2019 at 2:33 pm

        Hi Ellie, if you reduce the amount of soy milk (possibly don’t even use any at all) does this still happen? I have found using different brands that sometimes if they have a higher water content (are very soft) then sometimes you don’t need to use any non-dairy milk at all. I have found that the firmer the vegan butter is when it’s in the tub at room temperature, the better it will hold up in a frosting, but even really soft ones can still do fine as long as you compensate by using less non-dairy milk

        Reply
    13. Anne says

      March 15, 2019 at 6:31 pm

      My 9-year-old daughter just made these for me.
      Thanks for the super easy recipe. They made it on top of our list of favorite recipes!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 16, 2019 at 10:18 am

        That is so wonderful to hear! Thanks so much Anne! 🙂

        Reply
    14. McKayla says

      January 08, 2019 at 1:38 am

      I tried to make these and I never bake so I know I probably did something wrong. My cupcakes ended up collapsing and being a big puddle instead of baking properly. I don’t know what I did wrong. The only thing I can think of is that I replaced the regular flour with almond flour and I mixed the batter pretty well.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 08, 2019 at 10:07 am

        It would definitely be the almond flour, it is NOT interchangeable with all purpose flour. If you want to try making these gluten-free, then a gluten-free all purpose flour blend is the only thing that might work as a swap.

        Reply
    15. Anastasia says

      November 18, 2018 at 5:48 pm

      Hi Alison! Can I use coconut butter for the frosting?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 19, 2018 at 2:43 pm

        Hi Anastasia, I have never tried it with coconut butter so I have no idea how that would work out, sorry. 🙂

        Reply
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