Vegan Caramel Cupcakes – Quick and Easy

Vegan Caramel Cupcakes

I’ve baked vegan caramel cupcakes to layered birthday cakes with this recipe and have found that it works everytime. My oldest child loves salted caramel as a flavour and requests it very often. These vegan caramel cupcakes rely on coconut sugar, dates and a hint of maple syrup to recreate the deep richness of caramel. These vegan caramel cupcakes are easily made with pantry ingredients 

We need,

For the CUPCAKES

1 cup Self Raising Flour

3/4 cup Coconut Sugar

1/3 cup Coconut Oil (melted)

1 cup Plant Milk (almond or Soy both work well) + 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1.5 teaspoons Vanilla Essence

For the CARAMEL FROSTING

15 – 18 large Medjool Dates, pitted

2 tablespoons Maple Syrup or, Date Syrup

4 tablespoons scoopable vegan butter ( I used Naturli at room temperature)

Pink Himalayan Salt flakes, to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions,

For the CUPCAKES:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (fan forced) and line a 12 cupcake pan with paper cases. Keep aside.
2. In a deep bowl add the plant milk, Apple Cider Vinegar, oil and coconut sugar. Mix until creamy. I used my Kitchen Aid whisk attachment and bowl.
3. Slowly fold in the self raising flour and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
4. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared pan.
5. Tap the pan before baking in the oven at 165°C for 15 to 18 minutes.
6. Bake until a skewer in the middle comes out clean and cool on the wire rack while making the icing.

My oven tends to run hot, so I end up using a lower temperature to stop the “muffin domes” from forming as I need the cupcakes to have flatter ‘heads’ to lay icing on.

For the CARAMEL Icing:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender jar or a food processor jar and mix until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour into a piping bag to swirl on the icing or use a flat spatula to spread onto the cooled cupcakes.
3. Sprinkle with Himalayan Pink Salt before serving.

These delicious cupcakes last well up to 3 days refrigerated in an air tight box, mine did not make it that far!

If you liked this vegan caramel cupcake recipe, please see here for a delicious Hummingbird Cupcake recipe.