Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Buttercream Recipe
These Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes are a delightful and spiced treat perfect for fall or any time you crave a moist, flavorful cupcake without dairy or eggs. Infused with warm chai spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves, and topped with a rich vegan buttercream sweetened with molasses, these cupcakes are sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (1/4 tsp if using table salt)
- 2 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 3/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
- 1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, tightly packed
- 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 1/3 Cup Canola Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Frosting (Vegan Buttercream)
- 8 Tbsp Vegan Butter (soy-free Earth Balance buttery sticks recommended)
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Unsulphured Molasses
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners to ensure easy removal after baking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cardamom, ground allspice, and ground cloves. Set this mixture aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the light brown sugar, canned pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients thoroughly until smooth and well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients bowl. Whisk everything together until you have a uniform batter with no lumps.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners: Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full with the batter. This recipe yields exactly 12 cupcakes.
- Bake the cupcakes: Place the muffin tin on the middle oven rack and bake for 18 to 21 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean when done.
- Cool cupcakes completely: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool fully in the pan before frosting, to ensure the frosting doesn’t melt.
- Prepare the vegan buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar and flavorings: Add the sifted powdered sugar to the creamed butter on low speed until combined. Then add the vanilla extract and unsulphured molasses. Increase speed to medium and beat the mixture until light, fluffy, and well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Frost the cupcakes: Transfer the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with your preferred piping tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Alternatively, spread the frosting using a knife or spatula if a piping bag is not available.
- Serve and enjoy: Once frosted, serve your vegan pumpkin chai cupcakes fresh. They can be stored in an airtight container for several days.
Notes
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to ensure the right consistency and flavor level.
- Adjust salt quantity depending on whether you use kosher salt or table salt, as kosher salt is less dense.
- Unsulphured molasses adds depth and a subtle rich sweetness to the frosting; avoid blackstrap molasses as it will be too strong.
- If you lack a piping bag, a simple knife or spatula works perfectly for spreading the frosting.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- To make these gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
