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    Home » Desserts

    Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

    Published: May 25, 2017 Updated: Oct 23, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

    Light and fluffy vegan lemon cupcakes with a lemon buttercream frosting. Moist, packed with lemon flavor and super simple to make. 

    Vegan lemon cupcakes topped with lemon frosting.

    These vegan lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting are so divine, they are my latest favorite cupcake in the whole entire world.

    Well, of course that is until I bake one of my other absolute favorites in the entire world – such as – any of the other cupcakes on this site. Love them all I must admit. But there is really something special about the tangy, sunshine flavor of lemon.

    These cupcakes were super good and I’m a huge fan. As is everyone else who ate them. And they’re super easy to make too.

    The perfect lemon flavor

    The perfect lemon flavor in these cupcakes comes from lemon zest and lemon extract. The vegan lemon buttercream frosting is made with lemon juice and lemon extract and the flavors REALLY pop.

    I adapted this recipe from my vegan vanilla cupcakes which is just the best recipe! Perfectly moist with a light and fluffy texture.

    And if you love lemon like I do then you’ll also love our vegan lemon cake, vegan lemon cookies, vegan lemon pound cake, vegan lemon pie and vegan lemon poppy seed cake.

    Ingredients You’ll Need To Make These Cupcakes:

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan lemon cupcakes.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Soy milk – you can use soy milk or any other non-dairy milk that you have on hand.
    • Lemon zest – we used 1 tablespoon of lemon zest in this recipe, which is usually what you’d get from 1 medium sized lemon.
    • Lemon extract – this really pops the lemon flavor! If you can’t get hold of it, you could just use lemon juice but it won’t be nearly as flavorful.
    • Canola oil – can be replaced with vegetable oil.
    • White vinegar – distilled white vinegar reacts with the baking soda (called bicarbonate of soda in some countries) in this recipe and creates the beautiful rise. You could replace this with apple cider vinegar.
    Vegan lemon cupcakes topped with lemon frosting.

    How To Make Vegan Lemon 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 white granulated sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
    Two photo collage showing dry ingredients added to mixing bowl and mixed together.
    • Add soy milk, canola oil, white vinegar, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest. Mix into a batter. Don’t overmix.
    Two photo collage showing wet ingredients added to bowl and mixed into a batter.
    • Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners.
    • Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    Two photo collage showing cupcakes before and after baking.
    • Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
    • When they are completely cool, frost them with vegan lemon buttercream frosting.
    Two photo collage showing cupcakes cooling on a wire cooling rack and then frosted.

    Recipe Tips

    Measure the flour correctly. For the perfect light and fluffy cupcakes it’s crucial that you don’t accidentally use too much flour. So it’s perfect if you weigh out your flour on a food scale. If you don’t have a food scale though then the next best thing is to use the ‘spoon and level’ method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into the cup.

    Don’t overmix the batter. Mix it until just mixed and then stop mixing. Over-mixing can affect the texture and rise of your cupcakes.

    Bake right away. As soon as the batter has been divided between your cupcake liners, bake them right away. Letting the batter sit too long can also affect the texture and rise of your cupcakes.

    Gluten-free. If you’d like to make these cupcakes gluten-free then the best thing would be to use a gluten-free all purpose baking blend to replace the regular flour.

    Decorate. If you want to decorate these cupcakes then a sprinkle of lemon zest on top (as in our video) works great.

    Vegan lemon cupcakes topped with lemon frosting.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep them covered at room temperature where they will stay fresh for 2-3 days, or keep them in the fridge (covered) where they will last up to a week.

    They are also freezer friendly (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

    Vegan lemon cupcake with the liner pulled down.

    More Vegan Cupcakes

    1. Classic Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
    2. Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
    3. Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    4. Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes
    5. Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes
    6. Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
    Vegan lemon cupcake cut in half.

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

    Vegan lemon cupcakes topped with lemon frosting.

    Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

    Light and fluffy vegan lemon cupcakes with a lemon buttercream frosting. Moist, packed with lemon flavor and super simple to make.
    4.99 from 56 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Baking, Cupcakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 407kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¾ cups All Purpose Flour (220g)
    • 1 cup White Granulated Sugar (200g)
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Soy Milk (240ml) or other non-dairy milk
    • ⅓ cup Canola Oil (80ml) or Vegetable Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 teaspoons Lemon Extract
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

    Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

    • 4 cups Powdered Sugar (480g)
    • ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
    • 2 teaspoons Lemon Extract
    • 2-3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • 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 white granulated sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
    • Add soy milk, canola oil, white vinegar, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest. Mix into a batter. Don't overmix.
    • Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners.
    • Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    • Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
    • Prepare your frosting by adding the powdered sugar, vegan butter, lemon extract and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the bowl of your stand mixer. Start at slow speed and gradually increase speed until smooth and thick. If it's too thick, add the remaining lemon juice a drop at a time until you reach the right consistency.
    • When the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe on the frosting and serve.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Measure the flour correctly. For the perfect light and fluffy cupcakes it’s crucial that you don’t accidentally use too much flour. So it’s perfect if you weigh out your flour on a food scale. If you don’t have a food scale though then the next best thing is to use the ‘spoon and level’ method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into the cup.
    2. Lemon extract – this really pops the lemon flavor! If you can’t get hold of it, you could just use lemon juice but it won’t be nearly as flavorful.
    3. Lemon zest – we used 1 tablespoon of lemon zest in this recipe, which is usually what you’d get from 1 medium sized lemon.
    4. Don’t overmix the batter. Mix it until just mixed and then stop mixing. Over-mixing can affect the texture and rise of your cupcakes.
    5. Bake right away. As soon as the batter has been divided between your cupcake liners, bake them right away. Letting the batter sit too long can also affect the texture and rise of your cupcakes.
    6. Gluten-free: To make these cupcakes gluten-free the best thing would be to use a gluten-free all purpose baking blend in place of the regular flour. 
    7. Storing and freezing: Keep them covered at room temperature where they will stay fresh for 2-3 days, or keep them in the fridge (covered) where they will last up to a week. They are also freezer friendly (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
    8. This recipe has been updated with new photos and extra tips but the recipe itself is the same. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 437IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 32mg | 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. Arya says

      July 17, 2021 at 12:33 am

      Hello! If I add vegan buttermilk to this recipe, then can I skip almond milk and vinegar? Thanks so much

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        July 19, 2021 at 12:06 pm

        Yes you can use the equivalent amount of vegan buttermilk instead. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Olga Centofanti says

      June 20, 2021 at 8:00 am

      The best cupcakes I’ve made so far!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 21, 2021 at 10:42 am

        Thanks so much Olga!

        Reply
    3. Mori says

      June 01, 2021 at 12:05 pm

      These are some amazing cupcakes because not only do they taste great but they are vegan!
      I made these for my family and they LOVED the cupcakes! Such a light and lemony flavor that is now a new favorite in our home 😀5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 01, 2021 at 12:16 pm

        Thanks so much Mori!

        Reply
    4. Sarah says

      May 21, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      FANTASTIC. Boyfriend and I have been doing “no meat May,” which for me has been “Vegan May.” Pretty sure its going to turn into a long term thing with excellent recipes like this. Not really a sweets person but this REALLY hit the spot. Had been buying vegan cupcakes at a local health food store and while they are pretty good, found them to be generally dry and also very expensive. These were out of this world amazing. Followed the recipe exactly. Cupcakes took exactly 25 minutes. Only thing I did after following the recipe first and then tasting was to go back and add some more vegan butter to make it 1/2 cup. The original was a bit too overly sweet for my taste. In the future I may add some additional lemon to the batter as well, but 10/10 will make again.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 22, 2021 at 11:29 am

        Awesome Sarah! So happy to hear that! Thanks for the great review.

        Reply
    5. Erin says

      May 10, 2021 at 6:44 pm

      Made these for my Southern Non-Vegan Mom for Mothers’ Day and she loved them!!! Great recipe!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 11, 2021 at 10:27 am

        Awesome! Thanks so much Erin!

        Reply
    6. Karen says

      May 10, 2021 at 4:58 pm

      Perfection!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 11, 2021 at 10:27 am

        Yay! Thanks a million!

        Reply
    7. Sarah Jones says

      April 05, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      I want to make these right now but I do not have any lemon extract, should I add more zest, lemon juice or I do have almond extract? Thanks

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        April 06, 2021 at 10:54 am

        You can just use extra lemon juice.

        Reply
    8. Maureen Cram says

      March 15, 2021 at 8:54 am

      Been looking for a recipe that mimics the one my mother used to make way back when for my children. Her recipe wasn’t vegan – but this looks very similar to the lemon drizzle cake she made. Think I will try these as cupcakes and then pour on the drizzle (lemon juice and caster sugar) once they come out of the oven.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 15, 2021 at 11:14 am

        Sounds awesome, hope they come out great!

        Reply
    9. Jolie says

      March 13, 2021 at 7:09 pm

      I made this cupcake, though I didn’t make the frosting as I was using another flavor. This was the absolutely best cupcake I have ever made! You can’t even tell that it was vegan and I will 100% be making these in the future! Thank you so much!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 15, 2021 at 12:01 pm

        Awesome! Thanks so much Jolie!

        Reply
    10. Preeti Suryakumar says

      February 19, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      I would like to make 6 lemon cupcakes and 6 vegan chocolate.
      Will using the ingredients in half its quantity work?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 20, 2021 at 12:02 pm

        Hi Preeti, yes you can halve the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    11. leona says

      February 15, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      I was testing some lemon cupcake recipes to see which one was the best and this was the clear winner. Thank you for this amazing recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 16, 2021 at 9:37 am

        Thanks so much Leona!

        Reply
    12. Vira K says

      January 09, 2021 at 12:28 am

      Just whipped these up on a whim tonight. DELICIOUS, light and so easy5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 09, 2021 at 1:22 pm

        Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    13. valentine says

      December 17, 2020 at 5:47 am

      can i just ask if these can be made with gluten free flour

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 17, 2020 at 10:44 am

        It should be fine so long as it’s a gluten-free all purpose baking blend.

        Reply
    14. Sandy says

      December 02, 2020 at 7:58 pm

      Can you freeze the cupcakes?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 03, 2020 at 10:06 am

        Yes!

        Reply
    15. Elicia says

      November 18, 2020 at 12:59 pm

      Omg these are absolutely divine!! They were a huge hit with my non vegan family ????????5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 18, 2020 at 1:18 pm

        Yay! Thanks so much Elicia!

        Reply
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    Hi I’m Alison Andrews! I love making delicious vegan food and creating delicious vegan versions of all your old favorite dishes, so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too!

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