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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes

    Posted: Jun 3, 2022 by Lori Modified: Jun 3, 2022 · This post contains affiliate links.

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    These irresistible vegan strawberry cupcakes will please ANY crowd! Perfectly moist, sweet, and loaded with strawberries. Lightly adapted from my Vegan Strawberry Cake recipe, these beautiful pink cupcakes are easy to make and perfect for birthdays and other celebrations.

    frosted strawberry cupcakes lined up on a cooling rack.

    I share a lot of healthier, whole-food recipes on this blog, but at the end of the day, I'm a total sucker for cake. Decadent cake, healthy cake, doesn't matter to me. I love them all!

    There's just no other dessert that feels quite as special and exciting as cake and cupcakes.

    Ever since I shared this 3-layer Vegan Strawberry Cake back in 2019, it has consistently been one of top dessert recipes on the blog and brings in the most wonderful feedback.

    So I decided to simplify the recipe slightly and create this new vegan strawberry cupcake recipe, along with separate instructions for the 4-ingredient strawberry frosting.

    The primary difference between this cupcake recipe and the layer cake is that this one doesn't call for Simply Delish vegan jell-o. As much as I (and you) love the flavor it brings to the cake, I wanted this cupcake recipe to be more accessible, made with ingredients you can find at any well-stocked grocery store.

    Now let's get to it! If you're new to baking cupcakes don't be scared. I promise it's easier than you think, and I'm here to help along the way!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to Make Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Equipment Needed
    • How to Store Cupcakes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredient Notes

    labeled photo of ingredients needed to make vegan strawberry cupcakes.
    • all-purpose flour
    • baking powder and baking soda - these are our leavening agents that create tall and fluffy cupcakes; make sure they're fresh and active.
    • non-dairy milk - I like unsweetened oat or soy milk for these cupcakes.
    • strawberries - when in season, go for fresh. Frozen also works for the batter, but make sure to thaw first, and drain away the excess liquid.
    • neutral-tasting oil - for cakes I usually use organic canola oil; grapeseed is another option. I don't like to use coconut oil or vegan butter for cake batter because the saturated fat content makes the cupcakes more firm when chilled.
    • organic cane sugar
    • freeze-dried strawberries - you'll need these for the frosting and to add extra strawberry flavor to the batter.
    • almond and/or vanilla extract - the unique sweetness and flavor of almond extract is amazing with strawberry.
    • and 1 batch of my Vegan Strawberry Frosting

    See recipe card for quantities and full instructions.

    How to Make Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes

    2 photos showing sifting the strawberry powder into dry ingredients.

    Note: You'll need the powdered freeze-dried strawberries for both the cupcakes and the frosting. So after you use 3 Tablespoons of it here in the batter (step 2), set the rest aside.

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Blend approximately 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries until pulverized (the cupcakes use approximately .3 ounce and the frosting uses the rest). Pass this through a sifter, and discard the seeds and large bits.
    2. Into a mixing bowl sift the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and 3 Tbsp of the strawberry powder. Whisk to combine.
    3-photo collage showing steps of preparing cupcake batter.
    1. Blend the whole strawberries with the milk, oil, sugar, and extract.
    2. Pour wet into dry and stir just until there is no visible dry flour.
    3. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 19 to 21 minutes or until the centers lightly bounce back when pressed. You can also insert a toothpick in the center of one to check doneness.

    Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then move to a cooling rack.

    Now it's time to make the frosting while the cupcakes cool completely.

    Hint: Don't have paper cupcake liners? No problem! Lightly oil the cupcake pan, and you're all set. Refined coconut oil works well.

    cross-section of a cupcake to show the texture of the crumb and piped frosting.

    Equipment Needed

    Equipment plays an important role in baking cupcakes. For this recipe you'll need a blender to make the strawberry powder and to blend the whole strawberries with the other wet ingredients for the batter.

    You'll also need a sifter/strainer, large mixing bowl, standard cupcake pan, and paper liners (unless you don't want to use liners).

    And I always recommend a kitchen scale for weighing flour. There are a lot of inexpensive ones out there, and it's the easiest way to get consistent results in your baked goods.

    To pipe the frosting on top you'll need a tip and piping bag. If you're new to piping frosting, an inexpensive beginner kit like this one from Wilton ($6) is a great way to get started.

    How to Store Cupcakes

    The cupcakes are fine at room temperature for the day if you're carrying them somewhere (6 to 8 hours). After that keep cupcakes refrigerated for up to 5 days.

    Frosted cupcakes freeze very well. Arrange them in an airtight container tall enough to not squish the frosting. Freeze for up to 1 month.

    More vegan party desserts:

    • Vegan Strawberry Pretzel Salad
    • Fudgy Almond Flour Brownies (Vegan)
    • Vegan Chocolate Haupia Pie
    • Meyer Lemon Vegan Cheesecake

    If you try these Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes comment below to let us know. Your feedback is so helpful!

    📖 Recipe

    vegan strawberry cupcakes on a cooling rack with strawberries nearby.

    Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    These vegan strawberry cupcakes are a hit every time! Moist, sweet, and loaded with strawberries. A tried and true, easy vegan cupcake recipe. Perfect for birthdays and other celebrations!
    Servings: 12 cupcakes
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 35 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Cooling time: 45 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

    Equipment

    • blender
    • strainer
    • scale
    • standard muffin pan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 batch Vegan Strawberry Frosting - tap for the recipe
    • 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries - only about .3 oz is for the cupcakes, the rest is for the frosting
    • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour - tap "Metric" above to see weight in grams
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 7 ounces fresh strawberries, trimmed and cored (about 6 ounces after coring) - if using frozen, thaw, drain, then weigh 6 ounces
    • 1 cup organic cane sugar
    • ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk such as oat or soy
    • ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp neutral oil
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract
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    Instructions
     

    • Note: you can make the frosting first and chill it until ready to use, or make the frosting while the cupcakes cool.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a standard cupcake/muffin pan with paper liners.
    • Blend approximately 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries until pulverized (the cupcakes use approximately .3 ounce and the frosting uses the rest). Pass this through a sifter, and discard the seeds and large bits.
    • Into a mixing bowl sift the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the strained strawberry powder. Whisk to combine.
    • In a blender combine the whole strawberries, milk, oil, sugar, and extract. Blend until smooth. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until there is no visible dry flour. Don't overmix.
    • Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 19 to 21 minutes or until the centers bounce back somewhat when pressed. You can also insert a toothpick in the center to check for doneness. If it comes out clean the cupcakes are done.
    • Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.
    • If you haven't already, now it's time to make the frosting while the cupcakes cool completely. Decorate the cupcakes as desired and serve. See the Notes section below for tips on storing.

    Notes

    Measuring Flour
    Flour settles as it sits, so if you scoop a cup of flour straight from its container you will get more than is needed. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh flour, but if you don't have one, follow these steps:
    1. Use a whisk to fluff up the flour. 
    2. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup so that it's heaped up higher than the rim.
    3. Use a knife to level off the top, scraping the excess flour back into the container.
    Storage
    The cupcakes are fine at room temperature for the day if you're carrying them somewhere (6 to 8 hours). After that keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
    Cupcakes freeze very well, too, frosted or not. Arrange them in an airtight container tall enough to not squish the frosting. Freeze for up to 1 month.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 410kcal

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Did you try the recipe?I LOVE hearing from you! Comment below to let us know.
    « Simple Vegan Strawberry Frosting
    Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Less Oil, Whole-Grain) »

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    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

    Learn more about me →

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