Easy Coffee Cupcakes

5 from 16 votes

Make moist and fluffy Coffee Cupcakes loaded with bold coffee flavor, and topped with silky, creamy frosting - with no dairy or eggs (+ you can’t tell!). A simple, crowd-pleasing treat!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 93kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of instant coffee, plus more for garnish
1 cup of warm water
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of white or apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
Homemade or store-bought vegan frosting, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Line a cupcake tin with silicone or paper baking cups.
In a cup, dissolve the instant coffee in the warm water. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer), mix together all the ingredients until smooth.
Pour the batter into each baking cup until it’s three-quarters full. Sprinkle a pinch of instant coffee on top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Test a cupcake by sticking a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick comes out dry, the cupcakes are done.
Place the trays on cooling racks and allow them to fully cool down before frosting.

Notes

Measure the flour accurately: First, fluff it up in the bag with a fork. Then, use a spoon to transfer it to the measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.

Don’t over-mix the batter: Mix the ingredients until just combined and smooth – a few tiny lumps are fine. Over-mixing leads to dense, gummy, sunken bakes.

For a stronger coffee flavor: Dissolve more coffee in the hot water or use espresso instead. If it tastes too mild after baking, a strong coffee vegan buttercream works wonders.

Make leftovers: They taste even better on day two!

Nutrition