Description

These vegan coffee cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and bursting with rich coffee flavor. Made without butter, eggs, or milk, they use simple pantry ingredients including instant coffee, oil, and lemon juice for leavening. Topped with a smooth coffee glaze made from powdered sugar and coconut oil, these cupcakes are perfect for coffee lovers seeking an egg-free, dairy-free treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes

2 Tablespoons instant coffee powder
1 cup water (room temperature)
1 cup white or brown sugar
⅓ cup neutral flavored oil (canola, sunflower, or vegetable)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
2 ¼ cups cake or all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
½ teaspoon salt

Frosting

1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup liquid coconut oil (measured after melting)
3 Tablespoons hot water
1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder

Instructions

Make the coffee base: Whisk the instant coffee powder with water in a large bowl until the coffee is fully dissolved.
Add wet ingredients: Stir in the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Whisk for about 30 seconds to combine thoroughly.
Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add these sifted ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk gently until just combined, about 30 seconds. Avoid overmixing to prevent dense cupcakes.
Prepare muffin pan: Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Optionally, spray or brush the liners with non-stick cooking spray or melted butter to prevent sticking.
Fill cupcake liners: Spoon the batter into liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
Bake cupcakes: Place the pan in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) or 160°C with a fan. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to retain a light texture.
Make the frosting glaze: In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, liquid coconut oil, instant coffee powder, and hot water. Mix well with a rubber spatula until a thick, smooth glaze forms.
Frost cupcakes: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, spread the coffee glaze evenly over each cupcake using a spoon or spatula.

Notes

Use instant coffee powder for best flavor as it dissolves quickly.
You can substitute white sugar with brown sugar for a richer taste.
Neutral oils like canola or sunflower work well to keep the cupcake moist without overpowering flavor.
Ensure cupcakes are fully cool before frosting to prevent glaze from melting.
To measure liquid coconut oil, melt solid coconut oil first then measure ¼ cup for icing.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: coffee cupcakes, vegan cupcakes, dairy-free cupcakes, eggless cupcakes, coffee dessert, easy cupcakes