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    Home » Desserts

    Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes

    Updated: Feb 29, 2020 by Verna Rindler · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

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    frosted pumpkin cupcake on a cooling rack

    Delicious and Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes that are Vegan! These cupcakes are Moist, fluffy, perfectly spiced and topped with a creamy pumpkin spice frosting. Eggless and dairy free!

    one vegan pumpkin cupcake on a cooling rack

    If you love pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, cookies or muffins than you'll absolutely love these vegan pumpkin cupcakes!! Full of flavour and pumpkin spices and topped with a creamy vegan cupcake frosting (made with cream cheese) and chopped pecans! Guaranteed to be loved by everyone! No one would guess they’re eggless and dairy free.

    Instead of adding the pecans to the cupcake batter I thought why not sprinkle the nuts right on top of the cream cheese frosting! I like the added nutty flavour and crunchy texture. It's the perfect touch they're delicious!!

    So there's no need to run to the store and buy a boxed cake mix (yes a lot of cake mixes are vegan) this simple pumpkin cupcake recipe is healthier and tastes better!

    This recipe makes 18 cupcakes. I always use large muffin liners for my cupcake recipes.

    pumpkin cupcakes on a cooling rack

    What are the ingredients in my Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes?

    • Canned Pumpkin purée
    • Applesauce
    • Plant milk
    • Oil
    • Brown sugar
    • White sugar
    • Pumpkin spices
    • Cinnamon
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Vanilla
    • 1 recipe vegan cream cheese frosting
    • Chopped pecans or walnuts

    unfrosted pumpkin cupcakes on cooling rack

    How to make my Pumpkin Cupcakes:

    Preheat the oven to 350° line 2 non stick 12 cup muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners

    Sift all the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

    Next add all the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth.

    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.

    Evenly divide the cupcake batter between the 18 muffin cups. Fill the remaining 6 muffin cups 1/4 the way full with water to prevent buckling and promote even baking.

    Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

    While the cupcakes are baking make the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.

    Cool in muffin tins for a couple of minutes and then remove cupcakes to a cooling rack. Once completely cool, frost your cupcakes. Enjoy!

    For full recipe ingredients and instructions see recipe card below.

    step by step photos how to make vegan pumpkin cupcakes

    frosted pumpkin cupcake unwrapped on a wooden cutting board

    Can you freeze Cupcakes?

    • Absolutely! Wrap cooled unfrosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap and or store in a large freezer bag or Tupperware container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cupcakes:

    • Always check to make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh and not expired, other wise your baked goods might not rise properly.
    • Spray muffin liners lightly with cooking spray. Cupcakes will be easier to remove (optional but recommended)
    • If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, fill the empty ones 1/4 to halfway with water. This will ensure the cupcakes bake evenly.

    pumpkin cupcakes in muffin tins

    Enjoy guys! Happy day to you? feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. I would love to hear from you.

    Follow me on PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more tasty Vegan Recipes❤️

    More Vegan Cupcake and Cake recipes:

    • Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Ever!
    • The Best Vegan Carrot Cake
    • Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
    • Vegan Black Bean Brownies (Healthy + GF)

    This recipe is adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

    Print
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    one vegan pumpkin cupcake on a cooling rack

    Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes


    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    • Author: Verna
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 18 cupcakes 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Delicious and Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes that are Vegan! These cupcakes are Moist, fluffy, perfectly spiced and topped with a creamy pumpkin spice frosting. Eggless and dairy free!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 recipe Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

    Dry Ingredients:

    • 2 cups flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Wet Ingredients:

    • 1 (15 oz) (398 ml) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 1/3 cup oil, I used grapeseed oil
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla

    Optional toppings:

    • chopped pecans or walnuts

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350° line 2 non stick 12 cup muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners
    2. Sift all the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
    3. Next add all the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
    5. Evenly divide the cupcake batter between the 18 muffin cups. Fill the remaining 6 muffin cups 1/4 the way full with water to prevent buckling and promote even baking.
    6. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    7. While the cupcakes are baking make the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting and set in the fridge until needed.
    8. Cool cupcakes in muffin tins for a couple of minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack. Once completely cool, frost your cupcakes and add some chopped pecans or walnuts. Enjoy!

    They will keep covered in the fridge for up to a week.

    Notes

    Can you freeze Cupcakes?

    • Absolutely! Wrap cooled unfrosted cupcakes individually in plastic wrap and or store in a large freezer bag or Tupperware container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cupcakes:

    • Always check to make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh and not expired, other wise your baked goods might not rise properly.
    • Spray muffin liners lightly with cooking spray. Cupcakes will be easier to remove (optional but recommended)
    • If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, fill the empty ones 1/4 to halfway with water. This will ensure the cupcakes bake evenly.
    • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 Minutes
    • Category: Sweets,
    • Method: Bake/Oven
    • Cuisine: American, Canadian

    Keywords: vegan pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, moist, fluffy, spiced, eggless, dairy free, vegan,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cheeky_chickpea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #cheeky_chickpea_

     

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    • Vegan Pecan Pie
    1230 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rita

      November 04, 2021 at 2:12 pm

      So tasty and moist

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        November 05, 2021 at 7:01 am

        Glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    2. Jill

      September 18, 2021 at 8:59 pm

      Absolutely scrumptious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        September 19, 2021 at 5:43 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Helena

      August 25, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      I wanted to know if I can substitute oil. On a fat free diet. Thank you

      Reply
      • Verna

        August 25, 2021 at 5:02 pm

        Try plain vegan yogurt or smashed banana- Enjoy Helena!

        Reply
    4. Wendy

      April 10, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      Can I use the same quantity of pumpkin if I cook my own?

      Reply
      • Verna

        April 10, 2021 at 2:26 pm

        Hi Wendy, I only use canned when I make these so it all depends on how thick/thin your pumpkin puree is. Hope this helps- enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Alice

      November 18, 2020 at 7:24 am

      Wow! First time ever trying a pumpkin related recipe, and these came out wonderful! Moist, fluffy and a really pleasant aroma. I tweaked it a bit (less sugar and half of the flour switched to spelt), nonetheless a great recipe! Thank you so much!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        November 18, 2020 at 8:40 am

        You are so welcome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Alice. Thank you so much for your kind words! Happy day to you!

        Reply
    6. lorie

      October 07, 2020 at 3:38 am

      Hi there these look delish I am planning on making a vegan cheesecake for Thanksgiving but I also want to make these yummy muffins.
      Just an FYI you have high lighted the vegan cream cheese in the recipe but when you click on it, it takes you to Vegan butter chicken although that also looks delish I thought you may want to correct that.
      I see you do have the recipe for vegan cream cheese further down with the suggestions
      Thank you 😊

      Reply
      • Verna

        October 07, 2020 at 1:01 pm

        Thanks for heads up Lorie! Enjoy all the pumpkin goodness!!

        Reply
    7. Zulema

      March 03, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      Hello Chickpea, what flour could I use to make it GF?

      Reply
      • Verna

        March 03, 2020 at 9:41 pm

        Hi Zulema, I have not made this recipe with gluten free flour so I don't know how the outcome would be. You could try a gluten free blend such as Bob's Red Mill

        Reply
    8. Jane

      August 31, 2019 at 11:05 pm

      First time making them. Now to fight the urge to eat them all at once! Soooo yummy!! Thank you Chickpea!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        September 01, 2019 at 3:06 am

        haha yes that's the hard part! glad you're enjoying them Jane. Thank you for your comment!

        Reply
    9. Mary

      August 28, 2019 at 3:17 pm

      We made these and they are so good and moist.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        August 28, 2019 at 3:32 pm

        Oh yay! So good to hear. Thank you so much for your comment Mary

        Reply
    10. Emma

      August 26, 2019 at 4:14 am

      OMG these look so good! Cannot wait to try! The rhubarb muffins were a total hit with my kids.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        August 26, 2019 at 7:07 pm

        Thanks Emma! Enjoy! Nice to hear everyone liked the rhubarb strawberry muffins.

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Verna! Major foodie of all things vegan! Welcome to The Cheeky Chickpea; here, you’ll find hundreds of restaurant-worthy easy vegan recipes. Some oil-free and gluten-free, from veggie-powered plant-based comfort foods to decadent desserts. Lots of tricks and tips up my chef sleeve…Grab your apron let’s get cooking!

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