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Home » Desserts » Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting

Published: Aug 11, 2016 Modified: Mar 21, 2019 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

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Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert

So you know, matcha is very trendy right now. And not that I’m a person who manages to keep up with trends or anything, but I have been wanting to make gluten-free vegan vanilla cupcakes for ages, so  I decided to just go for it and top them with some matcha green tea frosting!

After making my matcha green tea smoothie I knew I was a fan, so why not extend the love to other recipes?

And since making my vegan vanilla cupcakes, I have been wanting to try a gluten-free version, so these two ideas collided in a most pleasing way.

Making Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes #vegan #glutenfree #lovingitvegan

I was pretty much thrilled with how these came out. And so was everyone who ate them!

I was a little surprised at how golden the color was. I’m assuming that’s down to the gluten-free all purpose flour, because in my other vanilla cupcakes made with regular flour, the color is much lighter. Here, it’s this lovely golden color.

Making Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #glutenfree #lovingitvegan Making Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes #vegan #glutenfree #lovingitvegan

The golden color of the cupcakes blends so well with the light green color of the matcha green tea frosting.

I used a tablespoon of matcha green tea powder in this frosting, and the green tea flavor is quite strong when you taste the frosting alone.

But once it’s on top of the cupcakes and the flavors blend together the green tea flavor then seems very mild.

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes FAQ

Can I adapt this recipe for a cake? Yes you can! This adapts to two 7″ cake pans for a two layer cake or a single 9″ cake pan for a single layer cake.

Baking time would increase to 30 minutes (or perhaps a little longer – use the toothpick test: if a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, then it’s done). 

I’m not gluten-free. Can I make this with regular flour? We have made vegan vanilla cupcakes with regular wheat flour, check out that recipe. 

Can I use rice flour/coconut flour/almond flour? I have experimented with gluten-free baking and in my experience the BEST results are going to come from using a gluten-free all purpose flour blend. I have had some epic flops trying to use a single type of flour such as rice flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a great brand to use, but any gluten-free all purpose flour blend is going to do the trick. 

Do I need to use xantham gum? No, it will either already be in your gluten-free all purpose baking blend or it won’t, but either way, don’t worry about it. I have made gluten-free cakes with a blend that did contain xantham gum and a blend that did not. Both worked out wonderfully. As long as you’re using an all purpose baking blend, you should be good. 

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessertGluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert

You will love these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes, they are:

  • Moist
  • Spongey
  • Light and fluffy
  • Perfectly sweet
  • Vanilla infused
  • Gluten-free!
  • Topped with velvety smooth matcha green tea frosting!

Keep them covered in the fridge where they will stay good for up to a week!

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessertGluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert

Let me know what you think of these beautifully golden gluten-free vegan vanilla cupcakes! And if gluten-free cupcakes are your thing, definitely check out our gluten-free vegan chocolate cupcakes too! 

Post any comments or questions in the comment section down below and please do rate the recipe too. 

Sign up to our email list before you go, we’ll send you a gorgeous (and free) recipe ebook containing 10 delicious vegan dinner recipes and you’ll be the first to know when new recipes are posted to the blog! 

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert

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Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting


★★★★★

4.6 from 12 reviews

  • Author: Loving It Vegan
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 12
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Description

Light fluffy and spongey gluten-free vegan vanilla cupcakes with matcha green tea frosting. Beautifully golden cupcakes with a pale green velvety frosting. Perfect packages of deliciousness!


Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 + 3/4 cups (238g) Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup (200g) White Sugar
  • 1 + 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Soy Milk*
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
  • 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Applesauce

For the Frosting:

  • 3 cups (375g) Powdered (Confectioners) Sugar
  • 1/3 cup (75g) Vegan Butter
  • 3 Tbsp Soy Milk*
  • 1 Tbsp Matcha Green Tea Powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda and salt and mix together.
  3. Add the soy milk, vanilla extract, oil, vinegar and applesauce and mix using a hand whisk until all the lumps are gone. If a few small lumps remain, that’s fine.
  4. Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners. Pour the batter into a jug that’s easy to pour from and pour out the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners.
  5. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.
  7. Add the powdered sugar, vegan butter, soy milk* (see notes) and matcha green tea powder to an electric mixing bowl.
  8. Starting on low speed and then gradually increasing speed, whisk until smooth and creamy.
  9. Pipe onto the cupcakes and serve.

Notes

*Almond milk can be used instead of soy milk if you prefer.

*You can use a different vegetable oil such as canola oil if you prefer.

*You may not need to use all the soy milk in the frosting. Depending on the brand of vegan butter you use, if it has a higher water content than the one I used, you may need less soy milk added in. So just add it in slowly until you reach the right consistency. If it still ends up too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more soy milk, a drop at a time until you reach the right consistency.

*Adapted from my Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Category: Dessert, Gluten-Free
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake (of 12)
  • Calories: 367
  • Sugar: 48.7g
  • Sodium: 282mg
  • Fat: 12.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 61.8g
  • Fiber: 1.9g
  • Protein: 2.8g

Keywords: gluten-free vegan vanilla cupcakes

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Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting #vegan #lovingitvegan #glutenfree #dairyfree #cupcakes #matcha #dessert
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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.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joyce says

    November 23, 2020 at 12:14 pm

    HI Alison,
    Do you think I can half the recipe? I have guests who are allergic to rice (so gluten free flour is not possible) but I am gluten intolerant, so I was planning to do two separate recipes – one with all purpose flour, the other gluten free flour.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      November 23, 2020 at 1:23 pm

      Hi Joyce, yes I think that will work fine!

      Reply
  2. P Walter says

    October 15, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    Can I make it without the applesauce?

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      October 16, 2020 at 9:46 am

      You could try using 2 Tbsp melted vegan butter instead.

      Reply
  3. Halima says

    September 29, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    Hi Alison,

    Can we double the recipe ?

    Also can we customise by adding stuff to it like coconut milk?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      September 30, 2020 at 9:14 am

      Hi Halima, I’m sure you can double the recipe for 12 cupcakes, in terms of customizing, you could use coconut milk instead of the soy milk, but not in addition to it. All the best!

      Reply
  4. Kelsey says

    August 01, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Hi!

    Can you substitute applesauce entirely instead of using oil?

    Also, when I made your vegan vanilla cake recipe, I’m not sure what happened, but the cake didn’t turn out golden and seemed relatively dense? The flavor was great, but it was also gummy. Not sure what could have caused that, maybe I didn’t cook it long enough?

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      August 03, 2020 at 10:07 am

      Hi Kelsey, yes you can try replacing all the oil with applesauce. There can be a number of reasons for that to happen. Overmixing the cake batter, letting it sit too long before baking (it should be baked right away), or the oven temp not being correct (an oven thermometer is very handy to figure that out).

      Reply
  5. Michelle says

    July 01, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    Please help Alison! I’m trying so hard to make gf cakes and I can’t figure out what’s going wrong. I followed your recipe to the letter as I’m aware, but my cupcakes sunk quite dramatically in the middle and the consistency wasn’t right at all, they were cooked but seemed stodgy. The batter was quite thin when it went in. What would cause this? X

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      July 02, 2020 at 7:29 am

      Hi Michelle, what gf flour did you use?

      Reply
  6. Katie says

    May 01, 2020 at 3:40 am

    This recipe was a life saver. I made this recipe as a cake today for my son’s birthday. I have to say that this was one of the best gluten free egg free dairy free cakes I have tried! It’s been near impossible to make a GF DF EF cake that everyone would eat. I would make it again. Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      May 01, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      So happy to hear that Katie! Thanks a million!

      Reply
  7. Usha says

    April 27, 2020 at 1:07 am

    Hello Alison,
    Can I not use the applesauce and would that be alright, my daughter is allergic to apple and dairy intolerant.

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      April 28, 2020 at 11:47 am

      Hi Usha, yes you can leave it out and replace with 2 extra tablespoons of oil.

      Reply
      • Usha says

        May 10, 2020 at 8:46 pm

        Thank you so much for your reply! I’ll try them today and let you know how they turn out

        ★★★★★

        Reply
  8. Alicia says

    April 19, 2020 at 2:50 am

    Hi Alison,

    Thanks so much for your recipe. Can you keep these out of the fridge and for how long? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      April 21, 2020 at 10:17 am

      Hi Alicia, yes sure, about 3 days at room temp.

      Reply
  9. LM says

    April 18, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    These came out great, very moist and not too sweet. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      April 21, 2020 at 10:35 am

      Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  10. Janine says

    January 26, 2020 at 7:23 pm

    Wow, made these for my sons birthday really impressed. I put vanilla frosting on instead of matcha and a raspberry on top delicious. Thank you 😊.
    Do you have a recipe for Yorkshire puddings?

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      January 27, 2020 at 10:12 am

      So glad you liked them! I don’t have a recipe for Yorkshire puddings yet, but I can recommend this one from A Virtual Vegan. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Julie McPherson says

    September 15, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    How would I substitute the cup of white sugar for stevia? Or do you think it would even work? Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      September 16, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      Hi Julie, sorry I have no experience at all with subbing sugar for stevia so can’t advise.

      Reply
  12. Erin says

    July 25, 2019 at 9:28 pm

    Hmmmmm not sure what happened here but they came out very salty. Texture is great and color is nice but they sunk in the middle and taste heavy of salt. Followed recipe also.

    ★★

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      July 26, 2019 at 2:12 pm

      Did you by any chance use a gluten-free self raising flour instead of gf all purpose? Self raising has baking powder added which would account for both the salty taste and the sinking in the middle.

      Reply
    • Tressey Adams says

      December 11, 2019 at 12:09 am

      I have tried several of the recipes and they have turned out well, however they did have a very heavy salty taste to them. If i omit the baking soda and use baking powder instead, the salty taste is not present.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  13. Nicole Watkins-Campbell says

    May 30, 2019 at 3:43 pm

    Hello,

    I made the cupcakes and they turned out well. I would say the flavour is a bit like caramel. I plan to serve mine with vanilla icing or frosting, LivB’s vegan caramel sauce and blackberries. Should be amazing. Thanks for taking the time to create this recipe. It filled a gaping hole in our family’s celebrations.

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      May 31, 2019 at 11:45 am

      Hi Nicole! So happy to hear they turned out well. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Pat Turnbull says

    April 29, 2019 at 10:09 pm

    Made these as cupcakes and they are lovely but would like to make a single one in my 12″x9″ baking tray how much mixture would I need please?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Alison Andrews says

      April 30, 2019 at 6:02 am

      Hi Pat, I actually think you’d be good to go, without any adjustment. Baking time would be shorter though, maybe 20 mins or so. All the best! 🙂

      Reply
      • Pat Turnbull says

        April 30, 2019 at 1:04 pm

        Thank you for the swift reply, will be trying out in a couple of days and will let you know the outcome.?

        Reply
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