With the price of butter still high, and an increasing demand for dairy-free bakes, I've had a go at making my best vanilla cupcake recipe without butter, and I'm going to say it may be even better than my classic recipe.
Jump to:
- Bronya's Notes
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
- Ingredients and Substitutions for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
- Technique for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
- Hints and Tips
- Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter FAQ
- Pro-Tip
- If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like these:
- Easy Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
- Have you Tried this recipe?
Bronya's Notes
At the moment the price of butter is very high. It has come down a little, but it has got me thinking of ways to make more dairy free bakes.
My usual easy vanilla cupcake recipe with butter and milk is foolproof. So, I set about making that same recipe but firstly with oil, and secondly dairy-free milk. It's a very easy cupcake recipe. I purposely make my recipes easy as I'm baking for business, and I need them easy to follow. I have used my usual recipe for years and have made hundreds, possibly even thousands, of fluffy vanilla cupcakes with it. So, I knew it had to be this go to recipe that I adapted.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
Firstly, its a super easy cupcake recipe using simple ingredients. It can be mixed by hand, or it can be scaled up to make hundreds of cupcakes at a time in a stand mixer. I regularly used to make hundreds of cakes for fairs and markets, and I could scale this recipe and would always get delicious, moist vanilla cupcakes.
Secondly, it very adaptable. You can substitute many ingredients out. Such as plant-based milk or nut milks instead of dairy whole milk. You can use gluten-free flour without any other changes as the cupcake batter is very wet and will hydrate the flour very well.
These aren't vegan cupcakes as the recipe has egg in it. However, if you're looking for a vegan cupcake recipe you can try my Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes.
Ingredients and Substitutions for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
Sugar
I use a white sugar, either caster or granulated. I prefer caster as the crystals are finer. You can read about the difference between caster and granulated sugar here.
Fat
My usual cupcake recipe has butter or baking spread. However, I swapped that out for oil in this recipe. Make sure you use a fairly neutral flavoured oil, such as vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil or canola oil. These oils won't change the flavour of the cake. I would advise against using olive oil as it has a strong flavour when baked and may over-power the vanilla flavour.
Flour and Raising Agent
I always use plain or all-purpose flour and add my own raising or leavening agent. This gives me more control over the rise. However, if you only have self-raising flour use that and don't add the baking powder.
Egg
I use 1 UK large free range whole egg. I haven't yet tried this recipe with an egg substitute, which would make these vegan vanilla cupcakes. However, I currently have some egg substitute in the fridge, so will try it out and report back soon.
Milk
My usual recipe calls for milk. I would usually use whole milk or semi-skimmed milk. However, if you are wanting to make these dairy-free, then use a nut milk such as almond milk. Soya milk or oat milk will also work very well. I would advise against coconut milk.
Vanilla
To get a good vanilla flavour into your cupcakes use as good a quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste as you can afford.
Frosting
I haven't added a frosting or glaze to these cupcakes. If you are wanting to add a dairy free buttercream, I would make your usual buttercream recipe, but use a plant-based block butter such as Flora Plant B+tter.
Technique for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
I followed the same technique I would usually use for any baking. However, as this recipe is without butter and there is no creaming involved it is quite easy to hand mix small quantities in a large mixing bowl. If you are scaling the recipe up and making larger quantities, I would recommend using an electric mixer or stand mixer, just because it'll be easier on the muscles.
For best results I always weigh my ingredients using a kitchen scale. I also weigh my liquids; however you can use cups if you are more comfortable doing so.
Start by making sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
In a large bowl add the sugar and oil and mix together.
Then add the flour and baking powder and mix until it's the texture of fine breadcrumbs.
Add the egg, vanilla and milk and mix to a loose batter. The cupcake batter will resemble that of a thick pancake batter.
Line a cupcake pan, or muffin pan with 8 cupcake cases. Using a ice-cream scoop, or large cookie scoop equally distribute the batter between the cupcake liners.
Bake at and oven temperature of 150c fan, 170c, 325f or GM4 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and well risen. Don't open the oven door until they have been baking for at least 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Hints and Tips
Always remove your cupcakes from the cupcake pan immediately they come out of the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Leaving them in the cupcake pan risks your cupcakes becoming soggy as the condensation as they cool will make too much moisture in the small cupcake pan indents. This can also cause your cupcake liners to peel away from the cake.
I recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring your ingredients accurately for the best results.
Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter FAQ
Yes. I don't think you can tell there is no butter in these cakes.
Use a nut milk, soy milk, or oat milk for the same results.
Use an oil with little flavour, such as rapeseed or vegetable oil. Don't use olive oil as the flavour when cooked is too strong.
Don't overmix the cupcake batter. Over working the gluten in the flour will make it become chewy.
Yes. Swap out the flour and baking powder for gluten-free alternatives.
Cupcakes will last up to 5 days in an airtight container. However, be aware the cupcakes liners may peel away as there may be too much moisture getting between the cake and the case.
If frosted, with the frosting completely covering the top of these moist cupcake, they will last a day or 2 out of an airtight container.
Yes. There are just like normal cupcakes so can be frosted the same. If you are making them dairy free choose a plant-based block butter to make a buttercream frosting.
Pro-Tip
These moist cupcakes can be made in bulk, and they can be made different flavours.
Swap out 25% of the flour for cocoa for chocolate cakes.
Infuse the milk before adding it with different flavours, such as coffee, earl grey tea or chai.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like these:
Easy Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter
Equipment
- Large Bowl Electric or Stand Mixer
- 1 12 hole cupcake pan
- 8 Cupcake Cases
Ingredients
- 120 gms White sugar
- 40 ml Oil Rapeseed, Sunflower or Vegetable
- 120 gms Plain or All-Purpose Flour
- 1.5 tspn Baking Powder
- 1 UK Large Egg
- 1 tspn Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
- 120 ml Milk Whole, semi skimmed, nut milk, soya milk or oat milk
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM 3
- Line a cupcake pan with 8 cupcake cases
- In a large bowl, or stand mixer, mix together the sugar and oil
- Add the flour and baking powder and mix
- Add the egg, vanilla extract and milk and mix to a runny cake batter
- Evenly distribute the batter between the cake cases
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cake are well risen and are golden brown
- Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Video
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