Lemon Buttercream Cupcakes | Vegan and Gluten-Free

by Alicia Schulz February 06, 2017

Love is in the air and if you want to make a treat for your Valentine or friends, try this recipe out. It'll be a surprise when you mention that these lemon buttercream cupcakes are gluten-free and vegan! If you're baking them for a Valentine, it'll be a sweet way to say, I care.

INGREDIENTS:

CUPCAKES

1 ¼ cups almond or soy milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 ½ cups gluten-free all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegan margarine or shortening
¾ cup organic cane sugar

FROSTING

½ cup vegan margarine or shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

CUPCAKES

Preheat over to 350 ° F and line cupcake pan with paper liners.

Whisk together soy or almond milk and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Beat until frothy. Whisk in vanilla and lemon zest.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl.

Combine margarine or shortening with sugar and beat on medium-low speed for about a minute. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated, then half of the milk mixture and beat until smooth. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture.

Spoon batter into the liners about ¾ full. Bake for 20 – 24 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool on cooling rack before frosting.

FROSTING

Add lemon juice and mix until incorporated. Add confectioners’ sugar a cup at a time and beat on medium speed until frosting is thick and smooth, about 3 – 4 minutes.

Frost the cupcakes!

Servings: 12