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Zesty Lemon Dairy-Free Cupcakes — Light Vegan Recipe

What’s better than simple homemade cupcakes? Delicious Dairy-Free Lemon Cupcakes! Light and moist with bright lemon flavor, these cupcakes are easy to make and delightfully dairy-free—no one will guess they’re missing anything.

Dairy-Free Lemon Cupcakes

Why You Will Love These Simple Lemon Cupcakes

  • Delicious lemon flavor. These light, fluffy dairy-free lemon cupcakes have fresh citrus brightness that stands on its own or pairs beautifully with a lemon buttercream or dairy-free lemon curd.
  • Dairy-free. The entire recipe avoids dairy without sacrificing texture or taste.
  • Quick and easy. Made with pantry staples and minimal fuss, they’re perfect for weeknight baking or a last-minute dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Dairy-Free Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients for Lemon Cupcakes
  • Dairy-free butter (Earth Balance buttery sticks recommended; real butter can be used if dairy is not a concern)
  • Eggs
  • Lemons (you’ll use both zest and fresh juice)
  • Almond milk (unsweetened; any milk substitute or regular milk works if preferred)
  • Sugar
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • A pinch of salt
Mixing batter

How to Make Dairy-Free Lemon Cupcakes

STEP 1: Zest the lemon using a microplane or fine grater to capture the bright citrus oils.

STEP 2: Juice the lemon and set the fresh juice aside.

STEP 3: Cream together the sugar and dairy-free butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix well.

STEP 4: Add the flour and baking powder and mix until combined. Slowly stir in the almond milk until the batter is smooth. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, fill each cup about two-thirds full, and bake at 350°F for 19–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Baked lemon cupcakes

Pro tip: A microplane zester makes zesting citrus fast and easy. If you don’t have one, a fine grater will work—just be careful to avoid the bitter white pith.

Frost and Decorate Your Cupcakes!

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, then top with your favorite frosting or a spoonful of lemon curd. A dairy-free or vegan lemon buttercream complements these cupcakes beautifully.

Finish with sprinkles, candied lemon zest, or a thin lemon slice for a pretty presentation.

Frosted lemon cupcakes

Dairy-Free Lemon Cupcakes

Light and moist with fresh lemon flavor, these Dairy-Free Lemon Cupcakes are simple to make and sure to please.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free (vegan) butter (or real butter if not avoiding dairy)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
  • a pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
  • Cream together the sugar and dairy-free butter until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix until combined.
  • Add the flour and baking powder and mix until incorporated.
  • Slowly stir in the almond milk until the batter is smooth.
  • Fill muffin cups about two-thirds full and bake 19–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Oven times vary, so watch yours closely.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
  • Top with lemon frosting or dairy-free lemon curd and enjoy!

Notes

For a finishing touch, top with dairy-free lemon frosting or homemade lemon curd. Allow cupcakes to cool fully before icing to prevent melting.

Recipe yields 12 cupcakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 198 kcal
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 8 g
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it turned out!