Egg and Dairy Free Vanilla Cupcakes

Cupcakes, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart.
- Twitter

These pretty looking cupcakes don't look vegan at all, right? Believe me, they are :)

And you wouldn't miss the eggs. Not much really.

This recipe was long overdue. Ever since I shared the recipe for Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, which has been one of the most popular recipe on my blog, I got a couple of requests for a vanilla version. So you see, I wanted to share one since then. But all the recipes that I tried for a vegan vanilla cake wasn't up to the mark. They either called for egg replacer powder which is not accessible to everyone (what's the point of such recipe?) or condensed milk. The addition of condensed milk just gives a sticky, gooey and overly sweet mess. I don't understand how do people eat that stuff. Plainly speaking, I didn't like the taste, the texture...nothing.

I had almost given up hopes of finding a vegan vanilla cake recipe that lives up to my expectations.

However, sometime back I laid my hands on this wonderful book that's a treasure trove of cake recipes. It's by Rachel Allen and she is one of my favorite bakers. I have been an ardent follower of her TV show Bake on TLC and have watched the innumerable repeat telecasts :D (I am not affiliated to her in any way and neither is this post sponsored, this is just my opinion). So when I saw this cookbook of hers at a book store, I bought it immediately. It's got a small note on the cover, 'Every cake you'll ever need!' - so apt.

The texture of these cupcakes is soft and moist. In fact, they were rising in the oven like crazy, making them light and airy. The cupcakes are topped with an icing made with soya spread and powdered sugar which gives as light a frosting as one made with butter. If you want, you can replace the spread with butter.

Make 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients
For the Cake
225 grams / 8 ounces self raising flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda bi carb or baking soda
1/4 teaspoon regular salt
200 grams / 7 ounces caster or superfine sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
275 ml / 9.5fl ounces soya or rice milk
75 ml / 3fl ounces sunflower or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Icing
125 grams / 4.5 ounces soya spread
350 grams / 12 ounces icing sugar or confectioners sugar
pinch of regular salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
gel food color (optional)

Method
For the Cake
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners or grease and flour the tray.

In a bowl, sieve together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the dry mixture using a hand held whisk until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended, about a minute. Add the caster sugar and mix again.

In another bowl or measuring jug, beat the vinegar, milk, oil and vanilla extract using the same hand held whisk.

Create a small well in the dry ingredients and pour all the wet mixture at once into the dry ingredients. Fold the mixture with a spatula until all the ingredients are combined completely.

Divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake in the preheated oven until the cupcakes are golden brown and are springy to the touch, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Place the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely.

For the Icing
In a bowl, add the soya spread, salt and vanilla extract. Add one-third of the icing sugar and mix on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated well. Add the other one-third of the icing sugar and mix on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated well. Scrape the sides of the bowl in between the additions.

Finally add the last one-third of the icing sugar and mix on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated well. Increase the speed to maximum and beat until the frosting is light, airy and fluffy. If using, add the gel food color drop by drop until you get the desired food color, beating after each drop is added.

Using a spatula, spread the icing over the cupcakes or pipe the icing on the cupcakes.

Storage Suggestions: When stored in an airtight container or a ziplock bag, unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for upto 2 days, in the refrigerator for upto a week or frozen for upto 2 months. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 3 days.

Happy Baking!!!