These vegan banana cupcakes are fluffy and moist, you would never guess they were vegan! With simple ingredients, these easy banana cupcakes are the best!
They stay nice and soft in the refrigerator if you live somewhere warm too!
Vegan Banana Cupcakes
I originally made these vegan cupcakes when I couldn't find a fitting dessert for Earth Day. I wanted to take the opportunity to think about how I affect the planet and what I can do to help, like making vegan cupcakes in compostable cupcake liners.
Okay, maybe it's just another excuse to eat cupcakes.
It's delicious, okay?!
Banana cupcakes vs. Banana muffins
What's the difference between a cupcake and a muffin anyway?
For me it comes down to texture: cupcakes are soft and tender while muffins have more of a structure to them. Both can be sweet, fluffy, and moist, but there's an obvious difference in texture in my book: cupcakes are pillowy while muffins are denser.
Also, cupcakes are a dessert, while muffins are appropriate for breakfast, brunch, or a snack. They can also be savory at times.
Oh, and let's not forget frosting! Cupcakes should be topped with frosting! Or at least a glaze!
Ingredients needed for these cupcakes
Here are the ingredients you will need to make these vegan banana cupcakes:
- Cake flour - Cake flour is the key to soft fluffy cupcakes! If you don't have cake flour, feel free to use all-purpose flour. The texture might not be as soft, but it'll be just as delicious.
- Fine salt - I like using fine Himalayan pink salt, but feel free to use fine sea salt.
- Baking soda & baking powder - This vegan cupcake recipe calls for both baking soda and baking powder as leavening agents. The baking soda will react with the vinegar, and the baking powder will react to the heat of the oven.
- Granulated sugar - This recipe calls for good ol' granulated sugar. You can try lowering the amount, but it will affect the texture (and obviously flavor) of the cupcakes.
- Bananas - Make sure to use overripe bananas, as they have the most banana flavor!
- Olive oil - Use light olive oil to make these cupcakes, not extra virgin olive oil. You can substitute any neutral flavored oil you like.
- Non-dairy milk - I used almond milk, but oat milk works well, too!
- Apple cider vinegar - You might be weirded out adding vinegar to a cake batter, but don't skip it! You need the acidity to react with the baking soda.
- Vanilla extract - Make sure to use pure vanilla extract or paste, not imitation!
How to make Vegan Banana Cupcakes
Here is how to make the softest, fluffiest vegan banana cupcakes! There's a recipe card at the bottom of this post that has all the ingredient measurements.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, mashed bananas, olive oil, non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined.
- Line a cupcake pan with some paper liners and scoop out your batter evenly. Using an ice cream scoop makes this process super quick and mess-free!
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 340°F/170°C. If a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it's done. Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
What frosting goes with banana cupcakes?
These vegan banana cupcakes would be delicious with so many different frostings! In the original post from 2016, I had frosted them with a vegan chocolate ganache, while in this updated version I frosted them with a vegan cinnamon buttercream!
They'd also be absolutely delicious with a mound of peanut butter frosting too!
If you're not a fan of frosting but you still want to make these vegan cupcakes, you could leave them plain, or add some chocolate chips or chopped walnuts!
More vegan desserts to try
- Chocolate Banana Cupcakes (V)
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes (V)
- Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake (GF/V)
- Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies (GF/V)
- Matcha Tiramisu (V)
- Cinnamon Rolls (V)
- Chocolate Haupia Pie (GF/V)
Vegan Banana Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mashed banana
- ½ cup olive oil (any neutral oil will work)
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 340°F/170°C and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, mashed bananas, olive oil, non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined.
- Divide your batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Originally published on April 16, 2016.
CakePants says
Bananas always make for such moist and delicious baked goods - and these cupcakes are no exception! They look fantastic. I love how you used natural ingredients to create such lovely decoration, too.
Ai says
Thanks Mara! I love adding bananas to my desserts so I usually keep a couple peeled ripe bananas in the freezer 😉
Ashley says
I agree those decorations are so cute and creative but still doable for a baking novice like me 😀
Ai says
Thanks Ashley! The decoration is super easy! Much easier than piping out flowers with buttercream or rolling and cutting out fondant. Let me know if you try it out 🙂
Situ says
Would it work without the coconut oil? I don't have any food grade oil just the type for hair/body.
Ai says
Sure! Might be looser like ganache but it'll be just as delicious.
Sarah says
These look so charming! I'd love a bite of one of these 🙂
Ai says
Make them and take a big bite! And let me know how they turn out 😉
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
These cupcakes are so beautiful. They look delicious, too. 🙂 I am happy to see you at Fiesta Friday party. Have a lovely week. 🙂
Ai says
Thank you Jhuls! I just happened to stumble upon Fiesta Friday this past weekend. What a fun community! So glad to have found it 🙂
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
Those cupcakes are so adorable! Thanks for sharing them at Fiesta Friday! Welcome to the party, btw. I hope we'll see you again tomorrow! ?
Ai says
Thanks Angie! 😉
Beth says
I love everything about these!! Though I am going to try them with a gluten-free baking mix instead of the cake flour, and we've removed canola oil from our diet, these will work for our new egg-free existence and I'm so happy to see your frosting recipe. Yum.
Ai says
What's your favorite gluten-free baking mix? I think any neutral oil like grapeseed oil would work wonderful as a substitute! Hope you like them 🙂
Deandra says
Great recipe, currently in the oven. I added a rum caramel sauce I made into the batter, and roasted cashews. Going to frost with a Madagascar vanilla "whipped cream" frosting with coconut cream. I am very very excited.
Just a note though, baking soda is listed twice, instead of soda and powder!!
Ai says
Hi Deandra! I'm so glad you love this recipe, as it's one of my favorites 🙂 The addition of rum caramel and roasted cashews, and Madagascar vanilla frosting sounds INCREDIBLE!! I bet it was amazing! And thank you so much for catching that typo! Just fixed it 😉
Maraika says
Delicious and fluffy. Should have made a double batch:)
Ai says
Yay! So glad you loved it 🙂 Thank you so much for leaving a comment and rating!
Maraika says
Will try these with Gluten Free flour. Any pre mixed from Supermarket. With wheat flour they are 20/10 🙂
Ai says
Hi Maraika! Thank you so much for such a lovely comment and rating! So glad you loved them 😀 I haven't tried these with gluten free all-purpose flour (I should), but make sure you let the batter sit for about 20-30 minutes after you mix it, as gluten free flour tends to leave a sandy/grainy texture if you don't let it hydrate properly. Hope it works out!
Michelle Shaw says
Where is the frosting recipe? I can’t find it anywhere. Thanks!
Ai says
Hi Michelle! That.... is a good question! Apparently, my brain wasn't working in July 2020 when I updated this recipe because I didn't include the recipe for the cinnamon buttercream anywhere! I'm going to need to make the buttercream again before posting it to make sure it's perfect... but I would use 1 cup vegan butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Let me know if you try it!
Rose says
They always seem to deflate after taking them out of the oven :/ but they are tasty though!
Ai says
Hi Rose! Thank you so much for leaving a comment and rating! I'm so sorry to hear your cupcakes have been deflating. Cupcakes tend to deflate when you overmix the batter, so if you do try this recipe again, make sure to stop mixing when it's just combined. Hope this helps!