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Mini Banana Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting (dairy-free)

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Bite-sized Banana Cupcakes topped with a delicious dark chocolate frosting made with Dutched cocoa! These mini treats are perfect for snacking or taking to share!

Mini Banana Cupcakes

I love a good chocolate banana combo. And since we seem to consistently have that one (or two) old banana at the bottom of our fruit bowl, I’m frequently in need of ways to use up a very brown banana. I took my favorite Banana Cupcake recipe and made it mini! Bring on the bite-sized cupcakes! And the dark chocolate frosting!! Made with a lot of cocoa powder, the frosting is less sweet than traditional American buttercream, so it’s perfect for any cake or cupcake. I truly love this frosting. It’s easy to make and tastes even better than the sweet chocolate frosting you may be used to. Yep. It’s that good!

What You’ll Need

  • Flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour. For healthier cupcakes, you can replace half of the flour with a white whole wheat variety
  • Leavening (baking powder + baking soda)
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Sugar: for these cupcakes, you can use coconut sugar, raw cane sugar, or white granulated cane sugar
  • Egg: for a vegan option, you can use flax egg as well. Mix 1 Tbsp of flaxseed meal with 3 Tbsp warm water; allow to thicken for 5 minutes
  • Plant-based milk: any kind of milk will work in the cupcakes and the frosting – plant-based or regular
  • Oil: I always use olive oil in my baking, but you can use any liquid oil. If you choose to use liquid coconut oil, it’s important that all of your other ingredients are room temperature so the oil stays a liquid
  • Vanilla extract
  • Plant-based butter: for this frosting, you can use any kind of  butter in stick form or from a tub. If you plan to use stick butter, it needs to soften at room temperature, but tub butter should be taken straight from the refrigerator (it’s already soft)
  • Vegetable shortening: this adds structure to the frosting. If you’d like to omit it, you can use more butter in its place, but you may need less “milk” for the frosting
  • Dutch process cocoa powder: for the dark chocolate frosting, you’ll need to use a Dutched cocoa powder; natural (or regular) cocoa powder won’t give you that dark chocolate taste
  • Powdered sugar: for the best frosting, I don’t recommend anything but regular powdered sugar
Yield: ~20 Mini Cupcakes

Mini Banana Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting

Mini Banana Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting

Bite-sized banana cupcakes topped with a decadent dark chocolate frosting. These small treats are perfect for enjoying at home or taking along to share.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or raw cane sugar)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tbsp plant-based milk
  • 2 Tbsp oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 heaping cup mashed banana (1-2 very ripe bananas)

Frosting

  • 1/4 cup plant-based butter (see note)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening (or more butter)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa (Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa is a great option)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp plant-based milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a mini muffin pan with mini liners (or spray with non-stick spray).
  2. In a large bowl, sift the flour. Then whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, milk, oil, vanilla, and mashed banana until well combined. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix just until there are no more streaks of flour.
  4. Scoop batter into the prepared mini muffin pan, filling each well nearly to the top - you should get 20-22 muffins. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with a few crumbs.
  5. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  6. Once the muffins are totally cool, you can make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the plant-based butter and shortening. Beat in the vanilla extract. Sift in the cocoa powder and beat until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar and add 2 Tbsp of plant-based milk. Beat, adding more milk until your frosting reaches a consistency that is stiff but easy to spread. It should hold it's shape, but you want it to be smooth enough to pipe.
  7. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice (I used a Wilton 32 tip). Pipe frosting onto cupcakes, 3 at a time, and top with sprinkles - don't wait until you've frosted all the cupcakes to add the sprinkles or the sprinkles won't stick!
  8. Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • If you're using a stick "butter", make sure to let it soften at room temperature. If you're using plant-based butter from a tub, then you can use it straight from the refrigerator
  • If you plan to replace the shortening with more butter, you may not need to use as much milk in your frosting as the shortening is a little more stable than the plant-based butter
  • To get a dark chocolate frosting, the Dutch process cocoa powder is necessary. Without it, you won't have that lovely dark chocolate taste. I like to use the Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa - it's affordable and more easily available
  • The frosting recipe makes just enough to pipe the frosting on as I did in the photos

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

21

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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Coffee Banana Layer Cake with Coffee Frosting (dairy-free)

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Banana cake layers flavored with both fresh and instant coffee – all wrapped up in a simple cake with a dairy-free coffee buttercream! A cozy slice of this Coffee Banana Cake will go perfectly with your favorite cup of hot coffee!

Coffee Banana Layer Cake

This easy Coffee Banana Cake is like a dressed up version of my favorite banana bread: 2 layers of perfectly moist, coffee-flavored banana “cake” with loads of coffee buttercream. It’s the perfect dessert to save those brown bananas from being thrown into the trash bin. Please tell me I’m not the only one who’s constantly shuffling too-ripe bananas from the counter to the freezer in hopes that I’ll utilized them in a smoothie or banana loaf (real talk, I have a literal bunch of near-black bananas in my freezer currently. Plus a couple more.).

With a few staple ingredients, like bananas, coffee, flour, eggs, and powdered sugar, you’ll have a beautiful and unique cake to serve any way you’d like. And it all comes together quite easily. The batter mixes up like muffins or a quick loaf, and the buttercream frosting is a mix of standard ingredients with the addition of plant-based butter (in place of butter) if you’re dairy-free. Decorate the cake however tickles your fancy (or will impress your friends and family) and enjoy!

Some of the Ingredients You’ll Need + Substitutions:

  • All-purpose flour (I like to use unbleached) can be replaced with a 50:50 mix of whole wheat + AP flour or white whole wheat + AP flour. You can also make this cake with whole wheat pastry flour to make it extra fluffy (this is one of my fave flours!).
  • Granulated sugar is necessary, and I recommend coconut sugar, raw cane sugar, or white, granulated cane sugar. Brown sugar will probably work, too.
  • Eggs bind the cake, but if you’re looking for an egg-less recipe, flax egg should work in place of the eggs. 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water = 1 flax egg (so you’ll need 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 9 Tbsp warm water).
  • Coffee in two forms: fresh brewed and instant coffee granules for maximum flavor. If you can only use 1 kind of coffee, go for the granules as the concentration of flavor is necessary for this recipe! You can use the instant coffee to make coffee OR you can use plant-based milk in place of the fresh brewed coffee.
  • Oil adds moisture, and I recommend avocado oil or light olive oil for this recipe. You can also use melted coconut oil or vegetable oil.
  • Plant-based butter makes up the frosting. If you aren’t dairy-free, regular butter will work, too.
  • Vegetable shortening stiffens the plant-based frosting. Feel free to use more plant-based butter (or regular butter) in its place, but you may need more powdered sugar/less liquid coffee for the frosting.
  • Powdered sugar is necessary for that classic buttercream texture and flavor. I don’t recommend any substitutes.
Yield: 10-12 Slices

Coffee Banana Layer Cake with Coffee Frosting

Coffee Banana Layer Cake with Coffee Frosting

A simple layer cake that combines classic banana bread flavor with the decadent addition of real coffee! Take your banana baking up a notch with this easy cake!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Coffee Cake

  • 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup sugar (coconut, raw cane, or regular cane sugar)
  • 3 large eggs, room temp
  • 1/2 cup strong coffee
  • 3 Tbsp instant coffee granules
  • 5 Tbsp oil (I used light olive oil)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-4 medium bananas)

Coffee Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups plant-based butter, stick form, softened
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (or more plant-based butter)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup strong coffee, cooled
  • 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
  • ~6 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare two 8" cake pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper circles. I like to spray the pans, lay the parchment circles in the bottoms, and then spray the parchment.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, coffee, instant coffee, oil, vanilla, and mashed banana until everything is totally combined. Add liquid ingredients to dry and gently mix until no flour pockets remain - be careful not to over-mix the batter.
  5. Divide the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans (it's best to use a kitchen scale here for precision). Tap the pans on your counter to even out the batter.
  6. Bake cakes at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then turn each cake out onto a cooling rack and remove and toss out the parchment paper circles. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting + Build the Cake

  1. Once the cakes are totally cooled, you can make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened vegan butter and vegetable shortening. Beat in the vanilla extract and instant coffee granules.
  2. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat. Then beat in the 1/4 cup of coffee. Continue adding powdered sugar until the frosting forms. You may need to add a little more or less powdered sugar depending on how your frosting is coming together. You want the frosting to be smooth and spreadable but also thick enough to hold its shape.
  3. Frost the cake by placing one cake, right-side up, on a cake stand or plate. Add roughly 12 Tbsp or 3/4 cup of frosting to the top of the cake and spread evenly across the cake surface, leaving 1/4" of cake around the edge.
  4. Place the second cake layer on top, right-side down so that the flat, smooth bottom is facing up. Begin adding frosting to the side of the cake where the two layers meet, generously filling in the gap. Then continue frosting the cake all the way around and on top, swirling as you go along (or smoothing with a bench scraper).
  5. Decorate the cake however you'd like, or simply swirl the frosting for that classic, home-baked look.
  6. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator if your storage area is warm.

Notes

  • To keep your cake stand or plate clean while frosting the cake, cut large parchment paper triangles and gently slide/shimmy them under the cake until the stand/plate is covered (see photos above)

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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Chocolate Birthday Cake (dairy-free)

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This classic, two-layer Chocolate Birthday Cake is just like mom used to make! Okay, not quite, because we do use plant-based butter for the frosting. But I’m telling you, this cake is delicious, and no one will be able to tell it’s dairy-free!

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Chocolate cake is the quintessential American birthday cake: two layers, loads of buttercream frosting, and chocolate on chocolate. If you’re anything like me, you grew up on boxed cake mix with homemade American buttercream frosting. And to this day, I think boxed cake mix just can’t be beat. Yeah, I said it. Actually, when my mom volunteered to bake my wedding cakes, I requested none other than simple, two-layer cakes made with boxed mix and topped with homemade frosting. Nathan and I had a picnic wedding at Golden Gate Park, and the cakes were perfect. Truthfully, I will never not defend box cake mix!

But if you’re looking for something a little less…processed, then I’ve totally got you covered! This chocolate cake is not only perfectly moist, it’s sweetened with low glycemic index coconut sugar and unsweetened applesauce! Yeah, and you can’t taste the apple! Though my love for boxed cake hasn’t waned, I don’t believe I’ve personally baked a cake from a box since marrying Nathan five years ago. This exact chocolate cake has been my go-to for quite some time. It’s simple and just as delightful as the chocolate cakes I grew up eating.

Some of the Ingredients You’ll Need + Possible Substitutes:

  • All-purpose flour is the bulk of the cake. For an extra fluffy cake, try whole wheat pastry flour.
  • Natural cocoa powder gives both the cake and frosting their chocolate flavors. For a deeper, darker chocolate, you can use Dutched cocoa powder.
  • Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI sugar. And it doesn’t taste a thing like coconut! You can definitely use raw cane sugar or white granulated sugar in its place.
  • Instant coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor of the cake. This is totally optional but recommend. Espresso powder is a great substitute.
  • Oil adds moisture to the cake. I recommend a neutral oil (one with little to no flavor) like avocado, light olive oil, or melted coconut oil. Vegetable oil can also be used.
  • Eggs act as a binder for the cake. I haven’t tried this recipe with any egg replacements, but if you’re looking for an egg-less cake, you can try flax eggs: 1 flax egg = 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water (mix and allow to thicken for five minutes).
  • Applesauce helps sweeten this cake and lends a hand to its moistness – I don’t recommend any substitutes. Unless you like banana and you want to mash some for a banana chocolate cake!
  • Vegetable shortening adds structure to the vegan buttercream. You can use more vegan butter in its place, but I highly recommend the shortening.
  • Powdered sugar is necessary for the correct texture and flavor of the classic American buttercream frosting. I don’t recommend any substitutes.
Yield: 10-12 Slices

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Classic chocolate birthday cake made dairy-free! This two-layer cake is moist, fluffy, and topped with a traditional chocolate buttercream frosting - the perfect landscape for a birthday candle or two!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, warm
  • 1 heaping tsp instant coffee granules
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil (like avocado or extra light olive oil)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temp
  • 1 heaping cup unsweetened applesauce

Chocolate Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups vegan butter (stick form), softened
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (or more vegan butter)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup natural cocoa powder
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp plant-based milk

Instructions

Make the Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare two 8" cake pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper circles. I like to spray the pans, lay the parchment circles in the bottoms, and then spray the parchment.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt until totally combined; set aside.
  4. Mix together the warm almond milk and instant coffee granules. Then, in a large bowl, beat together the milk/coffee mixture, coconut sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs, and applesauce until combined.
  5. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet until batter is well combined, about 1 minute on medium speed. Divide batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans (it's best to use a kitchen scale here for precision). Tap the pans on your counter to bring air bubbles to the surface.
  6. Bake cakes at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then turn each cake out onto a cooling rack and remove and toss out the parchment paper circles. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting + Build the Cake

  1. Once the cakes are totally cooled, you can make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the vegan butter and shortening. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  2. Sift in the cocoa powder and half of the powdered sugar and beat. Sift in the remaining powdered sugar and add 2 Tbsp of milk. Beat until combined, adding a bit more milk if needed. You want the frosting to be smooth and spreadable but also thick enough to hold its shape.
  3. Frost the cake by placing one cake, right-side up, on a cake stand or plate. Add roughly 12 Tbsp or 3/4 cup of frosting to the top of the cake and spread evenly across the cake surface, leaving 1/4" of cake around the edge.
  4. Place the second cake layer on top, right-side down so that the flat, smooth bottom is facing up. Begin adding frosting to the side of the cake where the two layers meet, generously filling in the gap. Then continue frosting the cake all the way around and on top, swirling as you go along (or smoothing with a bench scraper).
  5. Decorate the cake however you'd like, or simply swirl the frosting for that classic, home-baked look.
  6. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

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Fluffy and moist Banana Cupcakes topped with a simple vanilla buttercream and mouthwatering (and optional) caramel pecans! These dairy-free cupcakes can easily be made vegan or gluten-free, and if you like banana bread then you will love these!

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting

Who doesn’t love a fresh piece of banana bread? Top that with a delicious buttercream frosting and portion it into individual little cakes? Yes, please! These banana cupcakes are the perfect way to utilize your browning bananas, and they’re made extra special with the frosting and caramel pecans.

If you’ve made banana bread before, then you’ll find this recipe to be very similar. The dairy-free frosting comes together like any other American buttercream – you’ll beat the plant butter with vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and plant milk. I promise it’s very simple!

How to make the caramel pecans:

For the caramel pecans, you’ll whip up a simple dairy-free caramel by boiling water and sugar until it reaches a deep amber color. You’ll want to use a medium heavy-bottomed sauce pan, and once the water and sugar are in your pot, you don’t want to stir it or touch it at all (this prevents unwanted crystals from forming).

Once the water and sugar caramelize to a deep amber color, you’ll remove your pot from the heat and immediately (and slowly) pour in the coconut cream. I like to shake my can of coconut cream and have it all measured out and ready to go.

Then you’ll put the caramel back on the heat and bring the temperature up to between 235°F and 245°F (soft ball stage) – this will make the caramel set to a chewy texture. Immediately toss your pecans in the caramel and then lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet to set. Do your best to separate the individual pecans while the caramel is still hot, so separate them right away – I like to use a fork (don’t touch the hot caramel!). The caramel will cool/set quickly, so your pecans will be set by the time you’re ready to frost your cupcakes.

Some of the ingredients + substitutions for these Banana Cupcakes:

All-purpose flour can be replaced with a GF all-purpose blend. For extra fluffy cupcakes, you can use 3/4 cup AP flour + 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (one of my faves!).

Cinnamon adds depth to these cupcakes and I don’t recommend skipping it! I like to use Saigon cinnamon.

Sugar adds necessary sweetness. You can use coconut sugar, raw cane sugar, or white granulated (cane) sugar.

Eggs add fluff to these cupcakes. For vegan or eggless cupcakes, you can use 2 flax eggs instead. Mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp warm water; mix and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.

Coconut cream (for the caramel pecans) is my favorite dairy-free milk for caramel. If you don’t follow a DF diet, you can use regular cream.

Yield: 12 Regular Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Buttercream

Banana Cupcakes with Dairy-Free Vanilla Buttercream

Moist and fluffy banana cupcakes topped with a classic vanilla frosting and mouth-watering caramel pecans! These simple cupcakes are just the excuse you need to put those bananas on your counter to use.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Cupakes

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 1/4 cup plant-based milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 heaping cup mashed banana (3-4 medium bananas)

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) plant-based butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4-5 Tbsp plant-based milk

Caramel Pecans

  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream (from a shaken can)
  • 1 cup whole pecans

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar and eggs. Whisk in the milk, oil, vanilla, and mashed banana. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix until no flour pockets remain.
  4. Fill the cupcake liners/wells 3/4 full with the batter. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out with a few crumbs.
  5. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then carefully pull them out and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the caramel pecans (optional):

  1. Prepare your coconut cream by shaking the can or (if solid) heating it until it's liquid. Measure out the coconut cream and set it up next to a folded dish towel/hot pad holder and wooden spoon (to mix the hot caramel).
  2. Set up a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside (to cool the caramel pecans later).
  3. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and water, swirling gently until the sugar is soaked. Bring the mixture to a boil and heat until it reaches a deep amber color - this can take up to 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on the sugar because once it begins to darken, it cooks quickly and can easily burn. Do not, at any point, stir or agitate the sugar while it's boiling (this prevents crystals from forming).
  4. Immediately remove from the heat and place on your folded towel. Slowly pour the coconut cream into the mixture, stirring gently as your pour. Be careful as the hot caramel will bubble up!
  5. Once the coconut cream is mixed in, place the caramel back on the burner and bring to a boil, using a candy thermometer to monitor the heat. Bring to the soft ball stage, 235°F to 245°F, and then immediately remove from the heat.
  6. Add the whole pecans and gently toss in the caramel. Spoon them onto your parchment-lined baking sheet and use a fork to separate the pecans. Allow the pecans to set.

Once the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting:

  1. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar. Beat in 3 Tbsp of the milk until combined.
  2. Continue adding milk by the teaspoon until your frosting reaches a smooth, pipe-able, and stiff consistency. I like to take a knife or icing spatula and swirl the frosting in the bowl to test the consistency. If you're able to create swirls that stay in place, then your frosting should be good to go. If your frosting isn't stiff enough, add a little more powdered sugar, or add a little more milk if you can't easily swirl it.
  3. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and immediately top with the caramel pecans or other toppings. I recommend frosting and decorating these cupcakes the day you plan to serve/eat them.
  4. Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • For a stiffer frosting, replace 2 Tbsp of the butter with vegetable shortening
  • For less frosting, cut the recipe by 1/3: 1 stick butter + 3 cups powdered sugar + 1 tsp vanilla extract + 3-4 Tbsp plant-based milk
  • For vegan cupcakes, use flax eggs in place of eggs. Mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp warm water; mix and allow to thicken for 5 minutes
  • For gluten-free cupcakes, replace the all-purpose flour with a GF all-purpose blend

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing (dairy-free)

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Sweet and tangy lemon cake in donut form! These Lemon Cake Donuts are topped with a simple (and equally tangy!) Lemon Icing. They’re quick and easy to make, and they’re a perfect treat any day of the week. Donuts on a Wednesday, anyone?

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

These lemon donuts are everything you want in a lemon dessert: tangy, light, and perfectly sweetened, and I love them. You all know how much I love chocolate (see here), but these donuts are irresistible – even for a chocolate lover like me! If you like lemon, then I have a feeling you will love these and also find them hard to resist!

These donuts come together by mixing the dry and wet ingredients separately and then combining them. If you’ve made baked donuts before, then you may be used to a thick, pipe-able batter. This batter, however, is thin enough to easily pour into your greased donut pan. I promise these donuts couldn’t get easier! And if you’re wondering, yes, these donuts are basically cake, which makes them totally delicious (and more fun to eat!).

Some of the ingredients + substitutes to make Lemon Cake Donuts:

All-purpose flour is the only flour I’ve tried for these donuts. If you’re wondering how to make them gluten-free then I recommend a GF all-purpose flour blend.

Cornstarch creates a more tender, cake-like donut. Instead of looking or feeling like a muffin, these donuts really are like cake!

Eggs bring fluffiness to these donuts. I haven’t tried any egg alternatives in this recipe, but I recommend using flax eggs if you’re looking for a vegan/egg-less recipe. 2 flax eggs = 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water; mix and allow to thicken for five minutes.

Oil adds much needed moisture. I’ve tested this recipe with melted coconut oil and olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite vegetable oil. If you decide to use melted coconut oil, it’s important that the rest of your ingredients be room temperature, including the eggs and milk.

Agave adds both moisture and sweetness. It’s sweeter than cane sugar and has a low GI. It’s better for you than honey or maple syrup, though either of those liquid sweeteners would be a fine replacement.

Sugar adds necessary sweetness. Feel free to use your favorite granulated sugar – raw cane, refined white cane, coconut, etc.

Lemon juice + zest add lots of natural lemon flavor! I recommend buying 5 or 6 lemons to juice and zest for this recipe. Zesting involves using a microplane or fine grater to grate/zest the yellow lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white underneath. Feel free to add as little or much as you’d like – you can even add it to the icing.

Yield: 12 Regular Donuts

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

Lemon Cake Donuts with Lemon Icing

Sweet and tangy baked donuts flavored with fresh lemon juice and zest! These irresistible lemon cake donuts are topped with a simple lemon icing and couldn't be more delicious!

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Donuts

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk
  • 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup agave
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest from 2-3 lemons

Lemon Icing

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

Instructions

  1. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your donut pan(s) with nonstick spray (I used olive oil spray).
  2. In a large bowl (I like to use a large glass bowl with a pour spout for easy transfer of the batter to the donut pan), sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a large whisk and then set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the milk, oil, agave, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Add liquid ingredients to the dry and gently mix with a large spoon or spatula until no flour pockets remain; stir in the lemon zest.
  4. Pour the batter into the donut pan wells, filling them nearly to the top. Bake donuts at 350°F for 8-9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out with a few crumbs.
  5. Let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn the pan over onto a cooling rack, banging the pan lightly on the rack (or in the air) until all of the donuts release. Turn donuts right side up and allow them to cool. If you have more batter, bake the rest of the donuts now.
  6. Once your donuts are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Mix until no sugar lumps remain, adding more lemon juice 1/2 tsp at a time until you have a thick but pourable icing. When you lift your spoon up, the icing "ribbons" should take around 3 full seconds to disappear.
  7. Dip the top of each donut into the icing, submerging it until the icing fills the hole. Lift up, shake the excess icing off, and then flip the donut right side up to set on the cooling rack. Alternatively, you can spoon the icing over the tops of each donut (this method is definitely easier!).
  8. Top your donuts with lemon zest (I used dried lemon zest that had been zested the day before), sprinkles, or coconut flakes and enjoy!
  9. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

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© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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