One clever reader submitted this clever vegan blueberry cupcakes recipe for a recipe contest we held several years ago. Savannah Ziegler knows that the moisture and bulk of fresh or frozen blueberries quickly turn cupcakes into muffins. So she used dairy-free blueberry yogurt for the flavor instead.
Vegan Blueberry Cupcakes that are Infused with Flavor
We have updated this post with additional tips, substitutions, and other suggestions for these vegan blueberry cupcakes.
- Starch: If you need corn-free, you can substitute arrowroot starch or tapioca starch for the cornstarch.
- Milk Beverage: Almost any type will work well in this recipe. In baking, the results don’t vary much between brands.
- Oil: You can technically use your favorite baking oil – it doesn’t need to be coconut.
- Vanilla Frosting: We like to use the Decorator’s Option on our Dairy-Free Buttercream Recipe. But you can also buy it. You’d be surprised how many brands of canned frosting are made without milk, including many flavors of Duncan Hines. Savannah uses Pillsbury. Organic brands like Miss Jones are also available.
- Blue Food Coloring: Most brands are free of top allergens, but India Tree is a popular natural brand.
- Powdered Blueberry: This is our add on. You can process freeze-dried blueberries in a spice grinder into a powder. It’s okay if a few little bits remain. Stir that powder into the frosting. It will infuse the frosting with blueberry flavor and give it a purple-ish hue. I’d start with 1/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries and add more as desired.
Special Diet Notes: Vegan Blueberry Cupcakes
By ingredients, this recipe for vegan blueberry cupcakes is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the milk beverage and yogurt alternative that suit your dietary needs.
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup plain dairy-free milk beverage
- ½ (5.3-ounce) container dairy-free blueberry yogurt (Savannah uses So Delicious)
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Dairy-free vanilla frosting (use Decorator's Option; see post above for additional options)
- Blue food coloring or powdered blueberry (optional; see post above)
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a mixing bowl, blend the sugar, milk beverage, yogurt, coconut oil, and vanilla until combined.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined; try not to over mix.
- Divide the batter between your prepared cupcake tins.
- Bake the cupcakes for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- In a bowl, whisk the frosting and blue food coloring or powdered blueberry (if using) together. Pipe the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.