Bake a Batch of Vegan Cupcakes!
Bake a batch of vegan cupcakes using plant based ingredients, measure and mix safely with adult supervision, then decorate and taste your creations.
About this activity
Bake a batch of vegan cupcakes using plant based ingredients, measure and mix safely with adult supervision, then decorate and taste your creations.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C.
- 2
Step 2
Place 12 cupcake liners into the muffin tin.
- 3
Step 3
Measure and add 1 and a half cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder half teaspoon baking soda and half teaspoon salt into a large bowl then whisk to combine.
- 4
Step 4
Pour 1 cup plant-based milk into a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar then let it sit for 2 minutes to make vegan buttermilk.
- 5
Step 5
Add one third cup vegetable oil half cup applesauce and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the milk mixture and whisk until mixed.
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Step 6
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until there are no big lumps but do not overmix.
- 7
Step 7
Use a spoon or scoop to fill each cupcake liner about two thirds full with batter.
- 8
Step 8
With an adult place the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 9
Step 9
With an adult remove the muffin tin from the oven and set it on the counter to cool.
- 10
Step 10
When the cupcakes are cool enough to touch move them to a cooling rack using a spatula or your hands with adult help as needed.
- 11
Step 11
Make the frosting by beating half cup vegan butter with two cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla and one to two tablespoons plant-based milk until fluffy.
- 12
Step 12
Once the cupcakes are completely cool spread frosting on each cupcake using a spatula.
- 13
Step 13
Add sprinkles or other decorations to your frosted cupcakes and taste one to see how yummy your creation is.
- 14
Step 14
Share your finished vegan cupcakes on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I bake a batch of vegan cupcakes with my child?
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin. Whisk dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) in one bowl. In another, mix plant milk, oil, applesauce or a flax “egg,” and vanilla. Combine wet and dry until just mixed, fill liners two-thirds full, and bake 18–22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool fully before decorating. Always have an adult supervise oven and hot pans.
What materials do I need to bake vegan cupcakes?
You’ll need all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend), sugar, baking powder and/or soda, salt, plant-based milk (almond, oat, soy), oil or melted coconut oil, applesauce or flax egg for binding, and vanilla. For tools: mixing bowls, whisk or spoon, measuring cups and spoons, muffin tin, paper liners, spatula, cooling rack, and an oven. Optional: cocoa for chocolate cupcakes, frosting, piping bag, sprinkles, or fresh fruit for decorating.
What ages is baking vegan cupcakes suitable for?
This activity suits many ages with adult support. Toddlers (2–4) can pour pre-measured ingredients and decorate with help. Ages 5–8 can measure simple ingredients, stir, and practice counting; they need close supervision with the oven. Kids 9+ can follow a recipe more independently but should still let an adult handle heating, hot pans, and any sharp tools. Always supervise and teach safety habits around heat.
What are the benefits, safety tips, and easy variations for kids baking vegan cupcakes?
Baking teaches measuring, following steps, and fine motor skills while encouraging creativity. Safety tips: always supervise oven and hot trays, pre-measure anything with young children, keep handles turned inward, and teach handwashing. Easy variations include chocolate, lemon, or carrot cupcakes; swap applesauce for mashed banana or use gluten-free flour to accommodate diets. Decorating with fruit, dairy-free frosting, or sprinkles makes tasting extra fun and celebratory.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use if we don't have vegan butter, plant-based milk, or cupcake liners?
If you can't find cupcake liners, vegan butter, or your chosen plant-based milk from the recipe, grease the muffin tin with a little vegetable oil instead of liners, substitute 1/2 cup solid coconut oil or vegan margarine for the half cup vegan butter in the frosting, and use any neutral plant milk (soy, oat, or almond) for the 1 cup plant-based milk used to make the vegan buttermilk.
My cupcakes came out dense or full of tunnels—what step should I fix?
Dense cupcakes or tunnels usually mean you overmixed after pouring the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, so follow the instruction to stir gently only until there are no big lumps and stop mixing, then bake to the toothpick test for 18–22 minutes to avoid under- or overbaking.
How can I adapt this recipe for different age groups?
For toddlers and preschoolers let them pour sprinkles and stir the apple cider vinegar into the 1 cup plant-based milk while an adult measures and handles the oven, elementary kids can measure dry ingredients and scoop batter into liners with supervision, and teens can follow the full recipe, tweak flavors, and bake with minimal adult help.
How can we extend or personalize the cupcakes beyond the basic recipe?
Personalize the cupcakes by folding 2–3 tablespoons cocoa powder or a teaspoon of lemon zest into the dry ingredients before whisking, piping the frosting made from half cup vegan butter and two cups powdered sugar with a bag for prettier tops, or hollowing cooled cupcakes and adding jam or vegan chocolate as a filling before spreading frosting and adding sprinkles to share on DIY.org.