Make these scrumptious vegan Irish Cream Cupcakes for St. Paddy’s Day or anytime and watch them go! The chocolatey cupcake has a wee bit of Irish whiskey in it and gobs of fluffy coffee buttercream on top.
If you love the idea of a cupcake with lots of chocolatey flavor, mounds of fluffy frosting and a touch of booze, these vegan Irish cream cupcakes are the dessert for you!
The cupcakes have all the delicious elements of a vegan Irish cream: coffee, vanilla, chocolate and Irish whiskey (an ingredient that’s seriously great in cakes, like this vegan chocolate whiskey cake).
When I’d make these cupcakes before we had a kid among us I’d add a teaspoon of Irish whiskey to the frosting and it was a showstopper. I don’t now because I don’t want to get my teenager drunk. You can certainly add the whiskey to the frosting if you are either cooking this for grown-ups only or don’t mind getting your kids drunk. 😉 The alcohol in the cupcake cooks off, leaving only wonderful flavor behind.
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Why you will love these cupcakes
- So scrumptious! Cupcakes are yummy, but these are yummier than most, and I don’t make that claim lightly. The wonderfully flavored cupcakes are moist and soft and topped with the coffee buttercream they are beyond delicious.
- Easy to make. The recipe is quite simple and quite foolproof if you follow instructions.
- Soy-free, nut-free and vegan. The cupcakes are friendly to most diets, and you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour to make them gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch. This helps with binding and with making the cupcakes extra tender.
- Leavening: baking soda and baking powder.
- Cocoa powder
- Instant coffee granules
- Sugar. I used turbinado sugar. Use any granulated sugar of your choice.
- Neutral oil. I used sunflower oil. Safflower oil, avocado oil and grape seed oil are all good choices.
- Non-dairy milk. I used oat milk. Use any non-dairy milk of your choice, including soy milk, almond milk and cashew milk.
- Irish whiskey. According to Barnivore, all Irish whiskey is vegan, so no worries there.
- Pure vanilla extract
For the frosting
- Vegan butter. Any brand vegan butter sticks are fine, including my homemade vegan butter.
- Vegan cream or non-dairy milk of choice. The cream adds an extra layer of richness but if you don’t want to use it a creamy non-dairy milk like oat milk or soy milk is just fine.
- Powdered sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
How to make vegan Irish cream cupcakes
Place all dry ingredients for cupcakes in a bowl: flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, coffee granules and salt.
Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients thoroughly.
Whisk all the wet ingredients in a bowl: oil, sugar, whiskey, milk and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry.
Use a spatula to mix until there is no dry flour in the bowl and the batter is fairly smooth. Don’t overmix.
Prepare a cupcake pan by lining it with paper liners. Divide the batter equally between the 12 cups. Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 22 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Place the cupcake tin on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes remove the cupcakes to the rack to cool thoroughly.
To prepare the frosting place the softened vegan butter, 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until the frosting is smooth, then add another cup of sugar and beat in. Taste and add as much sugar as needed: for me 2 ½ cups hits the perfect spot.
Stir the coffee granules into the vegan cream or milk until dissolved. Add to the frosting and beat in until smooth and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes once they are thoroughly cooled.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store the cupcakes in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: Store the baked and frosted cupcakes in a single layer in an airtight container for up to three months.
- Thaw the cupcakes thoroughly before serving.
More yummy vegan cupcake recipes
Love these vegan Irish cream cupcakes? Check out more scrumptious vegan desserts on Holy Cow Vegan!
Vegan Irish Cream Cupcakes
Equipment
-
Small bowl
-
cupcake pan
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used oat milk)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup Irish whiskey (use your favorite brand)
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup neutral oil (like avocado oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil or grape seed oil)
For the frosting
- 16 tablespoons vegan butter (2 sticks, softened, at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups powdered sugar (add more if you want to make the frosting sweeter)
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 2 tablespoons vegan cream (or creamy plant milk, like soy milk, cashew milk or oat milk. Make sure it is at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey (optional)
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
-
Place all dry ingredients for cupcakes in a bowl: flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, coffee granules and salt. Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients thoroughly.
-
Whisk all the wet ingredients in a bowl: oil, sugar, whiskey, milk and vanilla.
-
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Use a spatula to mix until there is no dry flour in the bowl and the batter is fairly smooth. Don't overmix. This is a fairly thin batter but don't worry–it will bake up nicely.
-
Prepare a cupcake pan by lining it with paper liners. Divide the batter equally between the 12 cups. Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 22 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
-
Place the cupcake tin on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes remove the cupcakes to the rack to cool thoroughly.
Make the frosting
-
Place the softened vegan butter, 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until the frosting is smooth, then add another cup of sugar and beat in. Taste and add as much sugar as needed: for me 2 ½ cups hits the perfect spot.
-
Stir the coffee granules into the vegan cream or milk until dissolved. Add to the frosting (along with the whiskey, if using) and beat in until smooth and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes once they are thoroughly cooled.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store the cupcakes in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: Store the baked and frosted cupcakes in a single layer in an airtight container for up to three months.
- Thaw the cupcakes thoroughly before serving.
Nutrition
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