Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
If you're craving something sweet that is quick, easy, and delicious, then my dear friends, you have come to the right place. Incredibly moist, rich, and decadent eggless vanilla cupcakes topped with a luscious whipped cream frosting are perfect for birthdays, special occasions, or just for that special day in your life!
Plus, these eggless cupcakes come together in less than 30 minutes to satisfy those dessert cravings.
Do you love fruity cupcakes?
If the answer is YES, then you're straight-up going to L-O-V-E these eggless vanilla cupcakes.
I think there is something extraordinary about a cupcake that fascinates me.
Maybe there is something special about peeling off that liner before eating a cupcake that's so satisfying or the swirls of frostings that beautify a cupcake is what makes my mouth water!
Seriously, I can't decide which one is my favorite! What's your favorite?
Either way, these cuties are absolutely fantastic.
Honestly, if I had to bake one dessert for my kids, it has to be cupcakes. Why, because first of all, they are so cute,
- Perfect portions sized
- Can be created with different colors,
- Flavor combinations are endless, and
- Not to mention all those pretty frostings. Heavenly!
The best part, you can get creative and have fun with these cupcakes, just like I created these eggless key lime cupcakes, eggless marble cupcakes, eggless red velvet cupcakes, etc.
Eggless Baking!
Eggless baking is something that either discourages people or ultimately directs them away. But trust me, egg-free cakes or cupcakes can turn out as good as the real stuff with just the right ingredients.
And this recipe is one of those! It did require a lot of trial and error or my part. But over the years of practice, I can confidently say this eggless vanilla cupcake is my favorite go-to recipe that is fail-proof and ultimate.
It has been tested and tried in my kitchen endless time - every time with perfect results. Serve it to your friends, who relish cakes baked with eggs, and they would never tell the difference.
So here is my recipe for the perfect, most effortless, moist and easy eggless vanilla cupcakes. The best part is that these cupcakes have no artificial colors (minus the frosting) or flavors—just the pure taste of vanilla and a secret ingredient in every bite.
I had initially published this eggless vanilla cupcake recipe in 2015. Yes, it's a pretty old one.
But then I decided it demanded a face-lift. Here I am with a step by step tutorial on making egg-free vanilla cupcakes with better pictures and all the tips and variations.
Ingredients for Eggless Vanilla cupcakes!
These eggless cupcakes use basic ingredients to create tender and moist cupcakes, and they are-
» All-purpose flour- Flour provides structure to our cupcakes. Make sure you measure the flour correctly. I personally use a cup measurement to measure the flour. Then use a knife to scrape off the excess to get an even cup measurement.
» Baking powder - a chemical leavening agent adds bubbles to the batter that helps our cupcakes to expand (rise) during baking. It also gives these cupcakes the feather-like texture it needs.
» Salt - It balances the sweetness in the cupcakes and deepens the flavor.
» Sugar - well, of course! How can we forget about that? Sugar helps make our cupcakes tender, adds sweetness, and tons of flavor.
» Butter - Butter tenderizes our cupcakes. Use soften unsalted butter. Soft butter can properly cream with sugar.
» Milk - it provides moisture to the batter.
» The secret ingredient - is unsweetened, unflavored applesauce. It is an excellent substitute for eggs in baking. Not only it helps bind all the ingredients, but it also lends a wonderful texture and adds tons of moisture to our cupcakes. You don't have to add a whole lot; ¼ will do the trick.
» Vanilla essence - It will add richness and a nice vanilla flavor to these eggless cupcakes.
» Yogurt - Helps lighten the cupcakes and produces a moist and tender crumb.
» Now, do you need a simple frosting to top these vanilla cupcakes? Try making a super easy and stable frosting with heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and agar-agar powder.
How to make Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes?
Preparations-
Preheat the oven at @350 degrees F.
Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
Dry Ingredients-
In a large mixing bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Make sure you spoon and level the flour from the container.
Set aside.
Wet ingredients-
Combine sugar and butter in a separate mixing bowl. Beat the two until butter turns pale yellow, light, and fluffy.
While beating the mixture, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl's sides a couple of times.
Add milk, yogurt, and vanilla essence to the sugar mix. Mix to combine.
Add in the sifted dry ingredients and beat until a smooth batter forms. Do not over mix the batter.
Mix just until the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated together, and no dry flour is visible in sight. Overmixing will result in dense- textured cupcakes. So if you are in doubt, mix the ingredients by hand.
Add in the secret ingredients - unsweetened applesauce. Gently fold the applesauce until incorporated. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
Using a spatula, scrape the bowl's bottom and sides and make sure everything is thoroughly combined and smooth.
The batter may look curdled at this point. Don’t worry; it’s absolutely fine. This curdling of ingredients will not affect the cupcakes.
To prevent liners from sticking to cupcakes, spray them with nonstick cooking spray or brush with a little melted butter.
Use an ice cream scoop and add the eggless vanilla cupcake batter to the lined cupcake pan.
Fill each mold ⅔ of the way up with the batter. Give them some room to rise.
After filling the cupcake liners with batter, tap the pan on the kitchen counter a couple of times. This tapping will help get rid of air bubbles.
Bake the eggless vanilla cupcakes in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
The baking time was 20 minutes for me. But every oven is different; therefore, keep a watchful eye on the cupcakes and make sure they don't burn.
Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. After the resting time is over, remove the cupcakes from the pan.
Cool them on a cooling rack.
What kind of frosting Should I use to frost my eggless cupcakes?
As for the frosting, I have topped these eggless vanilla cupcakes with homemade whipped cream frosting. This whipped cream frosting is unbelievably creamy, fresh, and delicious!
Pipe this homemade whipped cream frosting over the cooled cupcakes, decorate with fresh fruits or sprinkles, and serve.
I have used whipped cream frosting to frost many of my cupcakes on the blog, such as Eggless mango cake, Eggless pineapple pastry, Eggless key lime cupcakes, and many more.
Give it a try, and I am sure you will like it.
Recipe Tips to make the Best Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
» Baking a cake is not complicated at all. But it does require some planning and forethought. So, here are some tips for creating the best eggless vanilla cupcakes without fail.
» Follow the recipe carefully - Measure your ingredients correctly. If the ingredients are not measured well, cupcakes will not turn out as expected.
» Don't skip the sifting of ingredients - This will not only keep the lumps out, but it also helps to incorporate air into the flour. Sifting results in fluffy cupcakes.
» Ingredients should be at room temperature - Cake batter will blend easily when all the ingredients are at a similar temperature, and the cupcakes will have a uniform texture. Make sure you set out your butter and yogurt 45 minutes ahead of time before mixing the ingredients.
» Makes sure you use the unsweetened, unflavored applesauce. If you only have sweetened applesauce on hand, reduce the sugar in the recipe by 2 tablespoons.
» Prevent over mixing - To avoid overmixing, wet and dry ingredients need to be mixed separately before combining. Overmixing will produce dense cupcakes. When in doubt, combine the ingredients by hand.
» Use an ice cream scoop to fill your cupcake liners.
» Tap your cupcake pan a couple of times on the counter before putting it in the oven. This will bring the trapped air bubbles to the surface.
» Be patient - keep that oven door closed during the entire baking time. Cupcakes require consistent heat to rise. Therefore, checking again and again on how your cupcakes are doing in the early stages of baking can cause the cupcakes to sink.
» Do the toothpick test - To tell if the cake is done, always perform the toothpick test. Meaning, insert a toothpick in the center of the cupcake. If it comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, it is ready. If not, then your cupcakes need a few extra minutes in the oven.
» Let the eggless vanilla cupcakes rest - Once baked and out of the oven, let the cupcakes cool for 8-10 minutes in the baking pan.
» Frosting cupcakes - Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before you begin frosting.
Can I replace applesauce?
You sure can! Applesauce adds a ton of moisture and produces a wonderful soft crumb. But if you are not an applesauce love, you can swap applesauce for an egg.
Can I replace yogurt?
Of course! Simply swap yogurt with sour cream. It will give the same results.
Let Me Know What You Think!
This eggless cupcake recipe is genuinely the simplest recipe, I have ever made.
Should you make these eggless vanilla cupcake or any variation of it, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.
And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
Craving for more, try my other eggless delicacies -
| This recipe post has been updated from the archives, first published on July 19th, 2015 |
Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
FOR CUPCAKES
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1¼ cups All purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter or oil
- ½ cup Milk
- ¼ cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence or Almond essence
- ½ cup Yogurt
FOR FROSTING
- 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Agar-Agar powder
INSTRUCTIONS
CUPCAKE PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oven 15 minutes before baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Make sure you spoon and level the flour from the container. Set aside.
- Combine sugar and butter in a separate mixing bowl. Beat the two until butter turns pale yellow, light, and fluffy.While beating the mixture, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl’s sides a couple of times.
- Add milk, yogurt, and vanilla essence to the sugar mix. Mix to combine.
- Add in the sifted dry ingredients and beat until a smooth batter forms. Do not over mix the batter.
- Add in the secret ingredients – unsweetened applesauce. Gently fold the applesauce until incorporated. Be careful not to over mix the batter. Using a spatula, scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides and make sure everything is thoroughly combined and smooth.
- To prevent liners from sticking to cupcakes, spray them with nonstick cooking spray or brush with a little melted butter.
- Use an ice cream scoop and add the eggless vanilla cupcake batter to the lined cupcake pan. Fill each mold ⅔ of the way up with the batter. Give them some room to rise.
- After filling the cupcake liners with batter, tap the pan on the kitchen counter a couple of times. This tapping will help get rid of air bubbles. Do not let the batter-filled-cupcake-pan sit on the counter for long.
- Bake the eggless vanilla cupcakes in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Overbaking will result in dry cupcakes.
- The baking time was 20 minutes for me. But every oven is different; therefore, keep a watchful eye on the cupcakes and make sure they don’t burn.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. After the resting time is over, remove the cupcakes from the pan. Cool them on a cooling rack.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, before unwrapping the liner. Unwrap the liner and reveal the inner beauty.
- You can bake a cake out of this recipe. This cake is baked in a 8" x 1½" round cake pan. It's a thin cake pan; therefore, bake the cake for 30-35 minutes @ 350 degrees F.
- Or until the toothpick comes out clean. Top with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
- This recipe also bakes into a delicious 6-inch round cake.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. This recipe has not been experimented with a 8 X 3 inch round cake pan.
Disappointed! my cup cake was all sticky and uncooked. I baked them 15+8 min. 😭
Sorry to hear that Shivani. I can totally understand the disappointment. Would love to help you here as this is my most tried recipe with successful outcome everytime.
Let's look at all the possible reasons for sticky and under cooked cupcakes.
1. Cold ingredients. Ingredients were not at room temperature.
2. Over-mixing of the batter.
3. Oven was not preheated.
4. Cupcake liners were filled to the top, if so they will result in under cooked cupcakes.
Hope this helps!
hey Ruchi, thanks for ur reply. I baked after long time today, m still learning. I messed up as I reduced the quantities, so that I can have only ten cupcakes and later I read in comments, it can be only doubled. so after giving it few extra minutes, it did cook but was lil sticky. But it was very yummy. My kiddo, hubby n mil we finished almost all. I was upset to see the results but m gonna try again with correct measurements. Tq
Thanks for clearing that Shivani. Hope you give these cupcakes a try again with a successful outcome next time. 🙂
is it t ok to use all purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Shivani, instead of cake flour use 1 1/4 (one and one fourth cup ) cup + 2 tablespoon of all purpose flour mixed with 2 tablespoon of cornstarch. Cornstarch/cornflour is a must.
k. I did that. does butter and sugar after mixing stay coarse or it should be like a cream
Shivani, you need to mix more. Properly creamed butter-sugar will look like a fluffy and light mix. Hope this helps!
one cup is 250ml,ryt? sorry to bother u again n again. I just zoomed in ur pic, applesauce is 125ml in that one. as per my mc, its should be 250+125.
No worries Shivani. I too want your cupcakes to come out perfect.
1 cup is 250 ml and please go by that. Pictures of ingredients are just to give an idea.
Thanks a ton Ruchi for your patience. Offcourse ur recipe is perfect. Today I tried again with double quantity, made 30 cupcakes and a cake(bonus). My cc liners were small. Everything went perfect, they rose perfectly baked perfectly. When I took them out they went flat. But its yummy. sending all for my sons class, its his 3rd bdy. (u can understand my excitement) Thank you for everything. God bless
Thanks for your lovely feedback. A very happy birthday to your cutie pie, hope he has a wonderful birthday with all the effort his mom had put into baking yummy cupcakes.
Now coming on to the recipe - Problem of deflated cupcakes can easily be solved. Just keep this tips handy.
1. First and foremost, please do not over-beat the batter. Mix until combined. Over-beating pumps in more air into the batter resulting in flat cupcakes/cakes.
2. Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. If you fill them more than that, they’ll have no room to expand, and they will collapse.
Hope this helps. Enjoy your day!!
Hi
Tried the recipe with applesauce and followed the recipe
However my cupcakes went flat after coming out of the oven. Where could I have gone wrong.
JB, I’m sorry to hear that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. It is really important for me that you enjoy the recipe the way I do and many others who have tested and tried it. Below are the possible reasons-
1. Did the cupcakes rise during baking and deflate after removing from oven? Possible cause - Overbeating of the batter. It allows too much air to get into the batter and the air then collapses making your cupcakes sink in the center.
2. Did you use fresh baking soda and baking powder? Old baking soda or powder can cause the cupcakes to deflate.
3. Fill the cups no more than two-thirds with batter. This way the cupcakes will stay within their liners and not go flat.
I hope you give this recipe a try again with a more successful outcome next time. 🙂
Hi Ruchi, can i use thick yogurt instead of the applesauce? If yes, the same 1.25 cups?
Preeti, I myself haven't experimented with curd but my readers have and they got great results. This recipe still needs to be tested in my kitchen WITH CURD before I give it a go. If you still want to give it a try than the ratio for curd is 1 cup.
Or you can substitute applesauce with mashed banana (same quantity). Good luck and keep me posted. Thanks!
Hi Ruchi,
Thanks for replying. I have tried this technique but the powdered sugar did not melt and the frosting tested sandy. I tried the buttercream frosting with boiled flour technique as well, but I somehow don't like that buttery taste. So i was trying to find a tastier frosting which will have the same consistency.
Ashwini, there are two reasons for a grainy frosting.
1. if the ingredients were not at room temperature.
2. and how long the mixture was whipped? If the process was rushed through, frosting will be grainy.
The best way to fix a grainy buttercream frosting is to place a warm towel underneath the frosting bowl and beat on medium speed until the frosting becomes creamy in consistency. I am working on a frosting recipe for Halloween and will post in a couple of days.
hi Ruchi,
Thank a lot for replying. Will try this again. Also waiting for your new recipe.
Pleasure is all mine. 🙂
Hello, this is by far the best recipe I have come across but I just wanted to know how to make this in a microwave. if you could please help me out
Thanks Navya! I have not tried this recipe in microwave. But I do have a eggless chocolate cake microwave recipe on the blog!
Hi Ruchi,
Planning to make these with my son tomorrow. Just had a quick question-in your picture of the cupcake ingredients, the butter looks melted. So can we cream sugar with melted butter? Or did u just use butter at room temperature?? Please clarify. Thanks.
Please use butter at room temperature. It's the heat that has melted the top layer of my butter. 🙂
Hi Ruchi,
These look great! We are baking them with kids tomorrow/ Two questions how did you come up with the quantity of 15. I ask because all my cupcake pans are quantities of 2 (6, 8, 12, 48). I assume that you leave a "cup" empty? could you adjust it for multiples of two? Also when my friend sent the ingredient list I was confused about some quantities (3 1/5 C sugar, 12.8 t vanilla) I then saw the converter at the bottom of the recipe and that she had "adjusted the recipe to fit my 24 cup mini cupcake pans. Is there any kind of converter out there for standard baking measurements?
Thank for stopping by Herby James. I too have the same cupcake pans that bake 6,12 or 18 cupcakes.
This recipe bakes 15 cupcakes and they were baked in a cupcake pan of 12 and for the rest 3, silicone molds were used.
Unfortunately with my recipe converter, recipes can be doubled or reduced in half. For example this recipe can be doubled to 30 cupcakes but not 24. Sorry about that!
Feel free to email me if you have any other questions! Happy Baking!!
Hi I want to make cupcakes for my 1 year old son with this recipe. Can I reduce the amount of sugar? thanks!
Reducing sugar will have a great effect on the cupcakes - taste and texture will be affected.
Try using sweetened applesauce to balance the sweetness, without compromising the taste, or consistency of the cupcakes. Would love to hear back from you. 🙂
Hi ruchi, what to use instead of applesauce ?
Thanks for stopping by Gayatri! You can use either one of these -
1. Ener-G Egg replacer as an applesauce replacement.
2. Substitute applesauce with apricot puree or pureed banana or peach puree.
How much Energ replacer should I use for this recipe?
Stara, use 3 teaspoon of egg replacer mixed with 4 tablespoon of warm water.
Hello Ruchi,
I desperately wanna try cupcakes for my daughter's 3rd birthday and trust me I am as scared n nervous as a child would be. I have never made any cupcakes before. Going through this site has given me half the confidence, the other half would be after they come out atleast presentable. I just have a few queries:
1. substitute for applesauce.
2. my family is a strict maida no no. they only like cake from wheat flour which i have tried before. Can the same be done in this. we have homemade butter so i can use that loads but just the confusion of flour.
thanx
Thanks Pratibha for your kind words. Archana, I have played around with many ingredients and one that gave me perfect results are listed in the recipe. You can substitute applesauce with eggs.
Substituting maida with wheat flour will require a lot of adjustments in this recipe and without experimenting I can’t comment on the results. Sorry about that!
Please visit this link for other eggless cupcakes – https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/8-eggless-cupcakes-and-cake-recipes/
Can I use condense milk in place of apple sauce what will be the quantity. Plz tell us how to make apple sauce. Thanks
Thanks for stopping by Archana! I have not tried this recipe with condensed milk so can't comment on the texture.
To make applesauce at home -
In a pan add finely chopped 4-5 apples without skin. To it add 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 3 - 4 tablespoon sugar. Boil until apples are soft and mushy. Take it off the flame and puree in a mixer. Homemade applesauce is ready. Feel free to substitute sugar with honey. Add honey once the boiled apples are cooled.
Thanks Ruchi if i want to try condense milk what would be the ratio 1-1/4 cup
Archana, I have played around with many ingredients and one that gave me perfect results are listed in the recipe. You can substitute applesauce with mashed banana.
Substituting applesauce with condensed milk will require a lot of adjustments in this recipe (sugar + liquid) and without experimenting I can't comment on the results. Sorry about that!
Please visit this link for other eggless cupcakes - https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/8-eggless-cupcakes-and-cake-recipes/
Tried cup cakes for the first time with ur recipe n they were just wow..Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Pooja, glad to hear that you liked the cupcakes. 🙂
Hey Ruchi, nice recipe. Can i replace applesauce with banana puree? Alsi, i get amul butter here which is slightly salted. Can i use it instead of the unsalted one?
Tanya, you can replace applesauce with mashed banana.
Skip the salt in the recipe and continue with Amul butter.
Thanks dear!
You are welcome Tanya!
Just a question can I use cocoa powder instead of applesauce n if I use cocoa powder what other liquid should be increased thxx.. 🙂
Ankita, I would not suggest substituting cocoa powder for applesauce as it will result in flat or dense cupcakes. For this recipe, I have played around with buttermilk, yogurt,sour cream and the ingredients mentioned in the recipe gave me perfect results. Please visit my eggless baking section and select the recipe that meets your need - https://www.ruchiskitchen.com/category/recipes/desserts/cakes-and-cookies/
Hi !!
Just wondering what you mean by this ?? - NOTE - applesauce adjusted from 1/2 cup to 1- 1/4 cup and milk was adjusted to 1/2 cup (milk is added to adjust thickness of the batter).
Thank you
Oops! so sorry for the confusion, Hannah. When the recipe was published last year, my ingredient section had some issue so had to update the following information in the "METHOD" section. Will take care of this, please ignore and continue with the recipe. Thanks again for pointing that out. 🙂
IT looks super fab.. very nice recipe
Hellomomy.blogspot.com
Thanks Rupali. 🙂
First time here, loved this eggless vanilla cakes..You have explained the recipe so well with great tips and great pics:)
Thanks for stopping by Shubha! Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
This didn't work for me sadly... The were sticky and oily inside and flat when they came out, looked great and rose when they were cooking, the only thing I changed was I used a sunflower dairy free version of butter...
Thanks for trying the recipe Sophie. So sorry to hear that this recipe didn't work for you. This recipe uses 1/2 cup of unsalted butter and replacing it with dairy free version is what caused it to fail. Butter is the main ingredient in baking (unless stated). Creaming of butter with granulated sugar is what aerates the fat that results in light and fluffy cupcakes. Dairy free butter fails to do so. Dairy free butter works best in recipes that uses liquid sugars like honey or maple syrup. Hope that helps!
Hey thanks for your reply I only just checked back now, I did try it with less apple sauce I think it was about 1/4 cup and sunflower oil I can't remember if I adjusted the amount of flour but that ended up working out for me O can't remember exactly I should have written it down when I had success as I tried a couple of changes, thanks again.....
So happy to hear that after a few adjustments the recipe finally worked for you. Thanks Sophie for sharing your experience with me. 🙂
you guessed my mind! I wanted applesauce in my cupcakes and i got it!
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Hi.
Thanks for sharing. I'm a little confused when you say 1-1/4- does that mean 1.25? Or 1 'minus' 1/4 ?
Just want to make sure I'm using the right amount of ingredients ..
Harsha,sorry for the confusion. It's 1 and 1/4 cup (1.25). Happy Baking!!
Thanks :))