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Fluffy, moist, lemon-y cake packed with juicy and sweet blueberries and topped with creamy vanilla cream, these Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes are one of my most beloved creation. They are gluten-free, vegan, and so delicious!
Story behind Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
The combination of lemon and blueberry has always been one of my favorite flavors, especially when it happens in a fluffy cake! I crafted this cupcake recipe based on my Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake.
These cupcakes are so fluffy and moist, with a hint of lemon flavor and juicy blueberries inside. They are, by so far, my favorite cupcake recipes I’ve written. Both my husband and I are in love with them.
What’s special about these Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes?
- Super fluffy and cakey!
- Vegan, no dairy, no eggs
- Gluten-free, made with oat flour and almond flour instead
- Spot-on sweet, no more no less
- Made with healthier ingredients like oat flour and coconut sugar
- Freezer-friendly, frozen up for a rainy day
What Do We Need for These Cupcakes
- Oat flour & Almond flour: Makes these cupcakes super fluffy and moist. You can use store bought oat flour or make your own by grinding some instant oats in a blender. Just make sure it’s super fine.
- Sugar: Here I use a combination of organic cane sugar and coconut sugar to create more depth of flavor and colors. You can just use cane sugar for a simpler version.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Makes the cupcakes fluffy and airy.
- Salt: Just a pinch to bring out all the flavor.
- Fresh lemon: We’re going to use both the zest and the juice to make these cupcakes naturally lemon-y.
- Unsweetened soy milk: Bring all ingredients together with extra creaminess. You can also use other non-dairy milk, but I like soy milk the best!
- Coconut oil: Adds some moisture to our cupcakes. I like to use extra-virgin coconut oil. You can also use refined coconut oil.
- Blueberries: I use fresh ones as they are easier to mix in without affection the dough color.
Some extra ingredients for vanilla cream frosting:
- Raw cashews: Create the rich, creamy dream to compliment the cupcakes. We will blend them with some ingredients mentioned in the ingredient list for the cupcake batter.
- Maple syrup: Makes the cream sweet and moreish.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
This cupcake recipe is a delightful symphony of textures and flavors. The oat flour and almond flour create a light and fluffy cake, perfectly balanced by the tangy lemon zest and pops of sweetness from the blueberries. The creamy vanilla cream adds a touch of luxury to make these cupcakes more satisfying.
We will start with the cupcakes…
- First, make our ‘buttermilk:’ Simply mix the lemon juice and soy milk in a bowl or a jar. Set it aside.
- Then make the dry mixture: Mix together all the dry ingredients, including oat flour, almond flour, sugar(s), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. And zest in one lemon.
- Then add all the wet ingredients, including coconut oil, lemon juice, and the ‘buttermilk’, to the dry mixture. Whisk until everything is marrying together. Gently fold in the blueberries. Be careful not to burst them.
- After that, bake the cupcakes to fluffy perfection: Divide the batter into a 6-cup muffin tray with liners inserted. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (176°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely: Let the cupcakes sit in the muffin tray for 20 minutes before taking them out. And wait until they are cool completely on a wire rack before adding the cream frosting.
How to Make the Vanilla Cream Frosting
We can make the vanilla cream frosting while we wait for the cupcakes to cool down. Here I make a healthier version by blending soaked cashews, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and some soy milk together until smooth. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for 3 hours, or until it’s set.
Or if you prefer old-fashioned frosting, you can make a simple one by whipping together vegan butter or softened vegan cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of non-dairy milk until smooth and creamy.
Use a pipping bag to add the frosting on top of the cupcakes or just spread on top because it’s equally delicious (wink wink).
You can top up with fresh blueberries for an extra burst of flavor. They also make them so pretty! And it’s time to enjoy these delicious Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes!
Extra Tips for Success
- Weight your ingredients. I wrote down the measurement for people like using measuring cups. But I highly recommend using a kitchen scale for measuring to make sure you get the right amount of the ingredients.
- Adjust your oven as needed. Some ovens work differently from the others. So you might need to adjust the baking temperature and baking time according to your oven’s ‘temperament’.
These Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes are so moist, fluffy, and delicious! They are also freezer-friendly too! This is a small batch recipe as there are only two people in our household. But feel free to double the recipe to make a bigger batch and freeze some for the next week!
I hope you will love this recipe as much as I do! Let me know if you got any questions by commenting down below. — Love, Nora
What else can I make?
If you love this kind of healthy sweet snacks, check out more deliciousness:
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes (Gluten-free, Healthier)
Ingredients
Cupcake batter
- 68 g oat flour, (3/4 cup)
- 50 g almond flour, (1/2 cup)
- 2 Tbsp organic cane sugar
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar, or use all cane sugar
- ½+¼ tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 90 ml soy milk, unsweetened (3/8 cup)
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted & cooled
- 22 g lemon juice, freshly squeezed (1.5 Tbsp)
- 60 g blueberries, fresh (1/2 cup)
Vanilla Cashew Cream*
- 90 g raw cashews, soaked in water for 3–5 hours (~2/3 cup)
- 1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
- 45 ml soy milk, unsweetened (3 Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
Instructions
To make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 176°C / 350°F. Line a 6-cup muffin tray with liners.
- Make the ‘buttermilk:’ Mix the lemon juice and soy milk in a bowl or a jar. Set it aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: To a big bowl, add oat flour, almond flour, sugar(s), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Zest one lemon into the bowl. Use a fork or whisk to mix everything together evenly.
- Add the wet ingredients: To the dry mixture, add coconut oil, lemon juice, and the ‘buttermilk’ we made earlier. Whisk until everything is incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries. Be careful not to burst or squash them.
- Bake: Divide the batter into a 6-cup muffin tray with liners inserted. Bake in the preheated oven at 176°C (350°F) for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes sit in the muffin tray for 20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the Vanilla Cream
- Blend everything: Drain out the water from the cashews and give them a rinse. Then add them to a blender, along with maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and soy milk. Blend all together until smooth. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for 3 hours, or until it’s set.
Assemble
- Transfer the cream into a pipping bag with a nozzle inside. Add the frosting on top of the cupcakes, or just spread on top as it’s equally delicious (wink wink).
- You can add more fresh blueberries on top for extra flavor or aesthetic value. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- *Vanilla Cashew Cream Frosting: Because this frosting needs at least 2–3 hours to set, I recommend you can make it first, then make the cupcakes. Also, please be noted that this frosting is different from regular frosting made from (vegan) butter. The texture is runnier, so they cannot stay at room temperature for too long without collapsing down.
- Adapted from my Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake
- Storage: Store the cupcakes and the vanilla cream in different containers. The cupcakes can stay at room temperature for 1–2 days depending on the storage environment. Or they can be frozen up to 2 weeks. For the cream, store it in the fridge and consume within 4 days.
