After more than 12 years of egg-free baking, these Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes have become a reader favorite for good reason. They’re light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet — made with simple pantry staples and no tricky steps. They freeze beautifully, adapt easily for dairy- or gluten-free needs, and are the kind of treat that brings smiles at birthdays, school parties, or anytime you just want a cupcake.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
Classic vanilla cupcakes never go out of style, and this eggless version is one of the recipes closest to my heart. These Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and full of buttery sweetness—the kind of treat that makes any birthday, school party, family gathering, or even just a “because I need a cupcake” day extra special.
When our daughter Victoria was first diagnosed with food allergies, I set out on a mission to recreate all the desserts she couldn’t safely enjoy. Over the years, I’ve tested and perfected hundreds of egg-free recipes, but these vanilla cupcakes have remained in our family’s top ten favorites. They’re simple, reliable, and loved by kids and grown-ups alike.
The best part? You don’t need anything fancy to whip them up. With a handful of pantry staples and just a few minutes of mixing, you’ll have perfect cupcakes ready for frosting. I topped mine with homemade vanilla buttercream, but honestly, they’re a blank canvas—pair them with chocolate frosting, cream cheese frosting, strawberry frosting, or whatever flavor you’re craving.
What I Love About This Recipe
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Amounts are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down). You’ll need:
- Sugar – Regular white sugar, also known as caster sugar.
- Butter: You can also use salted butter if that is what you have handy. In that case, skip the salt called for in the recipe.
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
- All-purpose flour – You can substitute all-purpose flour for self-rising flour. In that case, omit the baking powder and salt called for in the recipe.
- Baking Powder: Make sure it’s not expired.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half.
- Milk: For baking, I like to use whole milk. However, you can use any milk you have handy.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can also use white vinegar.
Food Allergy Swaps
This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, soy, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Step-by-Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Detailed instructions are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down).
Step 1 — Prepare Everything
Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Line the cupcake pans with liners. Measure all the ingredients.
Step 2 – Combine Dry Ingredients
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Step 3 — Mix Milk and Vinegar
Combine milk and vinegar in a small bowl.
Step 4 — Cream the Butter
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until creamy and pale. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
Step 5 – Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add the flour alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until smooth.
Step 6 — Bake
Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
IMPORTANT: these cupcakes won’t brown as the cupcakes made with eggs, so when you see the top set (after 15 min), check the cupcakes for doneness with the toothpick test.
Step 7 — Frost and Enjoy
Let them cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then remove. Allow cooling completely before frosting.
Frosting Ideas for Eggless Cupcakes
- Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting That Isn’t Runny!
- Easy Chocolate Frosting
- Strawberry Buttercream
- Coconut Frosting
- Eggless Meringue
Eggless Cupcakes Baking Tips
Measure the ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
Preheat the oven at least 15 minutes before you get started to give it plenty of time to reach the ideal recipe temperature.
The right temperature butter is KEY! Softened butter should easily bend without breaking and will give slightly when pressed. If your finger sinks into the butter and looks oily, it’s way too soft.
Don’t overmix the batter. Instead, mix just until you’ve evenly distributed the ingredients throughout the batter.
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. If you overfill the liners, they won’t rise properly.
Bake the cupcakes as soon as the batter is ready.
Don’t open the oven door until the cupcakes have set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time stated in the recipe.
Know your oven! Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time, so keep an eye on yours. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
These egg-free vanilla cupcakes always disappear so quickly that you might not even have leftovers to pack up! But if you do have leftovers or you’re planning on making these ahead of time for a party, here’s how to do so.
Store
The eggless cupcakes will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days as long as they’re unfrosted. If frosted, store it in the fridge well covered for up to 5 days.
Freeze
Allow the cupcakes to cool COMPLETELY before wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap. Place individually wrapped cupcakes in plastic double-zipper quart freezer bags.
To defrost, unwrap cupcakes and bring them to room temperature. Frost to your liking.
My #1 Tip to Handle Egg Allergy in Special Celebrations
Everyone knows that there is no celebration without dessert! These situations are very difficult to handle when you have a kid with food allergies. So this is what I do:
When my daughter has to attend a birthday or school party, I defrost a cupcake, add some icing and lots of sprinkles, of course, and pack it in this super convenient and cute cupcake container. This way, she won’t be left out during celebrations and get to enjoy an eggless cupcake.
Recipe Card
Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
Video
Equipment
Important
• For best results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (2 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk (you can substitute with any plant milk you like)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C). Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl.
- In a mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine milk and vinegar.
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy and pale on medium-high speed, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed and pale, scraping down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add vanilla; continue beating to combine, about 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until just combined, about 30 – 45 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly among liners, filling only 3/4 full each.
- Bake for 18 – 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the pan on wire racks for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the pan, place back on the cooling rack, and cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour. IMPORTANT: These cupcakes won't brown as much as the cupcakes made with eggs, so when you see the top set (after 15 min), check the cupcakes for doneness with the toothpick test.
- Let the cupcakes cool COMPLETELY.
- Wrap cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap.
- Place individually wrapped cupcakes in plastic double-zipper quart freezer bags.
- To defrost, unwrap cupcakes and bring them to room temperature. Frost to your liking.
- Use your favorite dairy-free milk. Make sure to use an unflavored, unsweetened variety of non-dairy milk. In my opinion, soy and oat milk have the best consistency and very neutral flavors.
- Use the same amount of vegan butter substitute. For baking, my fave dairy-free butter substitutes are Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks.
- Measure the ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Preheat the oven at least 15 minutes before you get started to give it plenty of time to reach the ideal recipe temperature.
- The right temperature butter is KEY! Softened butter should easily bend without breaking and will give slightly when pressed. If your finger sinks into the butter and looks oily, it’s way too soft.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Instead, mix just until you’ve evenly distributed the ingredients throughout the batter.
- Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. If you overfill the liners, they won’t rise properly.
- Bake the cupcakes as soon as the batter is ready.
- Don’t open the oven door until the cupcakes have set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time stated in the recipe.
- Know your oven! Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, and that will all affect baking time, so keep an eye on yours. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
The recipe was originally posted in August 2017; the post content was edited to add more helpful information, and no changes were made to the recipe in August 2025.
Thanks sensational!!!
Hello Jule! You’re so welcome! 😊 I’m thrilled you loved it — sensational is the best compliment! 🎉❤️ Happy baking!
These were perfect! I made them with a group of kids (one of which couldn’t eat eggs) and they turned out so well. I’ve also made a batch myself, and they turned out perfectly moist and fluffy! I usually don’t like cupcakes, but these are so much better than any kind of cupcake I’ve eaten before!!
These were perfect! I made them with a group of kids (one of which couldn’t eat eggs) and they turned out so well. I’ve also made a batch myself, and they turned out perfectly moist and fluffy! I usually don’t like cupcakes, but these are so much better than any kind of cupcake I’ve eaten before!
Hi Kira! Wow, thank you so much for your amazing feedback—it makes me so happy to hear that the cupcakes were a hit, especially with the kids! 🧁❤️ Knowing they turned out perfectly moist and fluffy, and even converted a non-cupcake fan like you, is the best compliment I could ask for. Thank you for giving the recipe a try and for sharing your experience. Happy baking!
Hi Oriana!
Would I be able to add any oil to keep the cupcakes moist? Or would that affect how the cupcakes bake? Thank you!
Hello Rachel! If you want a cupcake without butter you can use this recipe > Easy Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan)
Hello, what would the baking time be for jumbo cupcakes? Thank you.
Hello Laura! Thank you for your question! 😊 I haven’t tried making jumbo cupcakes with this recipe yet, so I’m not sure of the exact baking time. I’d suggest starting with the original bake time and then checking for doneness since jumbo sizes might require a bit longer. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Happy baking!
Thank you so much! I tried this eggless cupcake recipe and your eggless banana cake recipe and both were absolutely lovely. I was wondering if you have an eggless pancake recipe.
Hello Ashika! Thank you for your lovely feedback! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed both the eggless cupcake and banana cake recipes. It means a lot to me! I do have an eggless pancake recipe that I think you’ll love! In fact, I have so many recipes, so if you’re looking for something specific, just type the recipe name in the search box on my site. If you have any other questions or need help, feel free to reach out!
1st time amazing
2nd time waaaaay to thick
Hello Leaf! Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like you nailed it the first time but had a bit of a hiccup the second time around. Sometimes small differences in ingredient measurements or mixing can change the consistency. Maybe try double-checking your measurements and mixing technique next time. I’m sure you’ll get that amazing result again, since the issue wasn’t the recipe.
Hi Oriana, so glad to have found your site! I would like to make these for my daughter’s birthday and was hoping to make mini cupcakes. Do you have any advice for that, such as a minimum time to bake or anything other considerations that going mini might affect? Thanks so much!
Hello Mary Ellen! I’m so glad you found the site and are thinking of making these for your daughter’s birthday! 🎉🧁 For mini cupcakes, you’ll want to bake them at the same temperature, but they’ll need less time— around 15-17 minutes should do it. Just do the toothpick test to make sure they’re baked through, but keep an eye on them very oven is different. Other than that, you’re good to go! Thanks for reaching out, and I hope the mini cupcakes are a big hit at the party! 😊🎂Bake for 15 – 17 minutes at 350º F, but keep an eye on them very oven is different. Thanks for reaching out, and happy baking! 🧁🎉
Hi, I am curious to know that how many mini cupcakes does this recipe makes?
Hello Aswini! It makes about 48.
Won’t the vinegar curdle the milk? Can use this recipe to make mini cupcakes?
Hello Dina! Vinegar actually helps to curdle the milk just a little bit, which is key to making the recipe turn out perfectly! And yes, you can absolutely use this recipe to make mini cupcakes! Bake for 15 – 17 minutes at 350º F, but keep an eye on them very oven is different. Thanks for reaching out, and happy baking! 🧁🎉
Hi! I made these for children’s birthday and they were a huge hit! Amazing recipe. I was wondering can the butter be substituted for a neutral oil?
Hello Tamu! It’s great to hear that it was a hit! Yes, you can but the flavor will slightly change. Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
I wasn’t expecting so much flavour!
Hello Hannah! I’m thrilled to hear that you were pleasantly surprised! It’s always a joy when food exceeds expectations. If you ever need more flavorful recipes or cooking tips, feel free to ask!
I made these for our gender reveal party and they were delicious! (They actually tasted better than the small gender reveal cake that we bought from a bakery!) Now it’s my son’s birthday and I’d like to bake these as a cake. Do you have recommended bake times for a standard 9×12 pan? Thanks!
Hello Nicole! I’m so glad you both loved the cupcakes! If you want to bake a cake I recommend using this recipe > https://mommyshomecooking.com/egg-free-vanilla-cake-recipe/ Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
This was easy to make, the muffins actually browned and they were so delicious!!! It won’t be my last time to make them…😋Thanks for sharing!
Hello Kim! I’m so glad you both loved the cupcakes. Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
I have family who don’t eat eggs and these cupcakes exceeded my expectations for an eggless recipe!
Hello Ad! I’m so glad you loved this cupcakes recipe. Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
These cupcakes and your vanilla buttercream frosting are absolutely delicious!! My son cannot have eggs and I’m so thankful for this recipe because he can actually have cupcakes that are just like regular cupcakes! I’ve tried following so many other baking recipes and they never end up as moist as these cupcakes did. Thank you thank you!!
Hello Farah! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
I separated the flour into three parts, and the milk in two, as per instructions but then the video only has flour in two parts and added the milk all at once. Is this why my cupcakes didn’t rise as much as I thought they would? Or do they not ride very much?
Hello Kat! I don’t know how much you thought they might rise, but they rise as much as a regular cupcake. You can read more about the most common eggless baked goods mishaps, causes, and solutions here >>> Ask Oriana…Your Eggless Baking Questions Answered! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe. xo
How many cupcakes does this recipe make?
Hello lily! This recipe makes 16 cupcakes.