1-Bowl Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

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Stirring a bowl of batter for Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

I have one of those super cool moms who brought in cupcakes for my class on my birthday. She always baked them in ice cream cones and she always topped them with tons of sprinkles.

Moms, birthdays, and sprinkles are the best (in that order).

Stirring sprinkles into Vegan Funfetti Cupcake batter

I’m so excited I finally got around to vegan-izing funfetti cupcakes.

Up until this point my favorite flavor of vegan cupcakes has been chocolate, so it was due time to try my hand at good old fashioned vanilla. Turns out, vanilla has my heart, especially when sprinkles are involved.

This recipe may look a little complicated, but I assure you it only requires 1 bowl and less than 1 hour!

The ingredients are basic as well. If you’re like me, you always have vegan butter and sprinkles on hand anyway. If not, you’ll probably start doing so after trying these babes.

Plates of partially frosted Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes
Adding sprinkles to frosted Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

Quintessential funfetti cupcakes have sprinkles inside the cupcake as well as on top of the frosting. If I could’ve figured out another way to infuse sprinkles into these babes, I surely would’ve. I’ll report back on any such discoveries.

Plate of Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes with frosting and rainbow sprinkles

These cupcakes are seriously dreamy. They’re

Fluffy
Moist
Perfectly sweet
Vanilla infused
Loaded with sprinkles
Topped with MEGA fluffy buttercream
Super shareable
& Slightly addictive

I may or may not have sampled one pre frosting…then another post frosting…then another just to ensure I hadn’t in fact gotten a wrong assessment. Turns out, I was right all along. These cakes are amazing!

Holding up a Vegan Funfetti Cupcake from a plate

Make these for book club and birthdays and anniversaries and casual Fridays and everything in between.

You and whomever you bestow them upon will not only experience a slight sugar high, but also the pure bliss that ONLY comes from eating a cupcake loaded with icing and sprinkles. Enjoy!

Batch of our Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes recipe
Partially eaten Vegan Funfetti Cupcake

NOTE: Recipe updated 3/20/19 to address crumbly texture and flat tops. We swapped the vegan butter for oil and it worked much better. 

One Bowl Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

1-bowl vegan funfetti cupcakes that taste JUST like the real thing! Fluffy, sweet, and loaded with vegan buttercream and sprinkles.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Holding a Vegan Funfetti Cupcake topped with frosting and rainbow sprinkles
4.54 from 393 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 (cupcakes)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3 Days

Ingredients

CUPCAKES:

  • 1 scant cup non-dairy milk (we used unsweetened plain almond milk)
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as avocado)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 scant cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles* (plus more for topping)

FROSTING:

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter (SOFTENED // 1 stick yields 1/2 cup – we like Earth Balance and Miyoko's brands)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar (SIFTED)
  • 1 splash non-dairy milk (optional // almond and coconut are best!)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard muffin holder with 12 paper liners (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Add non-dairy milk and vinegar or lemon juice to a large mixing bowl and let set a few minutes to curdle/activate. Then add oil and vanilla and whisk or use a hand mixer to beat vigorously to combine. Then add sugar and whisk or use a hand mixer to beat to combine/dissolve. It may splash so be careful!
  • Add dry ingredients (omitting sprinkles) to a sifter in this order: two-thirds of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and then the remaining third of the flour.
  • Sift over wet ingredients and use a whisk or hand mixer to blend until well incorporated and no large lumps remain. The texture should be somewhere between thick and thin. Not liquidy, but not scoopable (rather, pourable). Somewhere near a buttermilk pancake batter consistency. We had to add another 1-2 Tbsp flour to thicken slightly.
  • Add sprinkles and gently fold/stir with a rubber spatula or mixing spoon. Then divide batter evenly among cupcake holders making sure NOT to overfill. These do best at 3/4 of the way up.
  • Bake on a center rack for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. They will only have a very, very slight golden brown color.
  • Let cool completely on a cooling rack. In the meantime, prepare frosting (optional). Wipe clean your mixing bowl and add softened butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla and mix once more.
  • Add SIFTED powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Scrape down sides as needed. If it gets too thick or crumbly, add a splash non-dairy milk to thin (optional). You want this frosting to be very thick so it will hold its shape once on the cupcakes. If it gets too thin, thicken with more powdered sugar.
  • Once cooled, frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles. Serve immediately. Store leftovers covered at room temperature or refrigerated up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

*Some brands of sprinkles aren’t vegan friendly, so be sure to check!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with frosting.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 cupcake Calories: 380 Carbohydrates: 56 g Protein: 1.7 g Fat: 17.4 g Saturated Fat: 6.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 276 mg Fiber: 0.5 g Sugar: 42.1 g

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  1. Carrie says

    I have made this recipe several times for family birthdays as my 2 year old niece has a severe egg allergy. Since she’s also allergic to nuts, sesame, etc., but ok with milk, so I use cow’s milk and butter. It’s delicious and the entire family loves it and can all share the same dessert.

  2. Ayelet says

    I’m having the darnedest time finding vegan sprinkles. They all have confectioners glaze, which comes from insects. Years ago I found some cegan sprinkles at a natural foods store but haven’t been able to find them again.

  3. Laurie says

    Made these for one of the children in my son’s class that has dairy allergies, along with some for the rest of the class from a store bought mix (Pillsbury). My husband tried both and he said the vegan ones were A LOT better and that I should just make these from now on. I like being a mom who bakes and brings special treats for the kids for special days and I am so excited to find a recipe that the ENTIRE class can enjoy!

  4. Taylor says

    I just made one batch with King Arthur GF Flour and one batch with Gold Medal Bleached All-Purpose Flour. The GF held up very well it was a little crumbly but it didn’t have a dip in the center like the ones with gluten did. Definitely worth trying with gluten-free flour.

  5. Jennifer says

    The best cupcakes ever! Baked them yesterday and I am overwhelmed! They taste better like the original of Sprinkles Cupcakes. ;-)

  6. Sara says

    These were awesome! Alas, I had no sprinkles so I used mini chocolate chips in the batter and put some chopped fresh strawberry on top. The cupcake and frosting recipes lend themselves to variations like thess quite nicely! I have to say, too, that the texture of the cake was even better the day after baking.

  7. Prisca A. says

    Hi. If you were to use dairy milk would you still add the vinegar or would you only do that with plant milk? Please respond soon I need to make them pretty soon :) Bye!

  8. Jillian Korp says

    Just made these and they were absolutely delicious! This was my first time making vegan cupcakes, and I was very pleasantly surprised! Yummy!

  9. Donna says

    I had all the ingredients for this recipe at hand so i decided to make this tonight. I am in love with this recipe! ! The BEST cupcakes i have ever had hands down. I am definitely making these again. So moist, light, fluffy, sweet, amazing. Only problem is i can’t stop eating them!

  10. nicole says

    Made these tonight with Molly B’s Cake and Muffin flour and Earth Balance and they turned out DIVINE!! My fav vanilla cupcake recipe by far!

  11. Laila says

    Thanks for a great recipe! I made these today with my friend and her 5 year old daughter. We created some Octanaut themed fondant decorations to go on top of the vegan buttercream. The cupcakes were as delicious, fluffy, moist and sweet as promised.

  12. Katie says

    I made these without sprinkles because I had none, and just wanted to make cupcakes. I thought these tasted like pancakes… Which is okay, but I wanted more of a cupcake taste. My sister loves pancakes, and loves these, so it’s all a tastebud and mind thing.
    Frosting is obviously sweet, which is okay because it’s frosting.
    This recipe is great. My tastebuds have just changed, so I didn’t really like these, but it’s not the recipe, it’s just me.

  13. Erin says

    Can you scale the dry ingredients? Mainly for the flour since volume isn’t always consistent. Also do you think confetti quins would work?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I think confetti would work – though I haven’t tried it myself. As for the dry ingredients, not sure exactly what you mean but I would recommend googling gram / ml conversions based on my cup / Tbsp measurements.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Maggie, there are now weight measurements available by clicking “metric” above the ingredients list.

  14. Polly says

    I made these for my daughter’s 18 Birthday – Her and her Vegan friends loved them and non were left! I especially love the icing – Thanks for the great recipe!
    Since there were non left – I made another batch the next day turning it into vegan dark choc w/mocha icing. They also rocked heavily!

  15. Liz Moss says

    Very delicious! The batter was delicious and the frosting was to die for! The only compliant is that they were a little bit greasy. Gonna to try some minor minor tweaks next time. Thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Someone actually had success with that just recently! So yes! Just adjust (lengthen) the baking time and grease the pans. Good luck!

  16. Vanessa says

    I tried these cupcakes out after failed attempts at other cupcakes.I am in love the best textured cupcakes I have ever had! I will be making theses for my daughters first birthday.Thank you so much!

  17. Alix says

    Hey Dana these look delish! In my opinion, sprinkles are immediate happiness. For the frosting, do you think if I make a bigger batch of it it will work just as well on cake?

  18. Rachel says

    These were really delicious. I made them after a coworker was looking for something for her son’s birthday, who can’t eat eggs or dairy, Everything turned out perfect. I did make a slight change, mostly because I don’t much care for vanilla icing. I also hate making icing. Usually make them too sweet, but I liked this recipe. For the icing, on a whim at the last second, instead of the 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract, I added just a dash of vanilla and 1/4 tsp of raspberry extract and a bit of icing coloring to make blue raspberry icing. It went great with the funfetti colors and gave it a more atypical flavor.

    I think I will make this my standard base white cupcake recipe, but I’ll also try with soy instead of almond milk, for my friend with nut allergies and without gluten for my coworker who is allergic to gluten. (Seems like everyone is allergic to something these days)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks Alyssa! When making cupcakes, I turn my head away at the butter ;D Once in a while it’s OK!

  19. Rebecca says

    These are AWESOME. So easy, and SO yummy. However, mine came out really ugly! I may have over filled them a little bit, because most of them spilled over. Even the ones I didn’t overfill had craggy edges and just generally were not as pretty as yours. But no one cared when the frosting got slathered on. They were fluffy and so delicious. We put sprinkles in the frosting as well as on the top. So fun!

  20. Charlotte Lennon says

    Your measurements are 1/2 and cup and 1 cup. How big is a cup?

    You say serve immediately but will they be OK if I make them the night before or even the day before? It’s for my daughters birthday and I need to make them for school and a party the next day.

    Thanks Charlotte

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      They’ll be fine if made the night before! Not sure about the measurement question. Can you be more clear?

  21. Barbara says

    AWFUL
    These were some of the worst vegan cupcakes I ever made and I have been baking vegan for 6 years. They end up having a corn flavor. The texture is too light and falls apart. It sticks to the cupcake paper so much so that you have to scrape the cupcake off the paper with your teeth to even get a single good bite. The cupcakes didn’t rise- they only spilled over onto the cupcake tin and then hardened. Very, very disappointing. Now I have to rush to make my boyfriend another batch of birthday cupcakes before he gets home from work. I don’t usually leave comments but I don’t want anyone else to waste their time.

    • Barbara says

      I just want to add that I followed the recipe exactly. Also, while waiting for the cupcakes to bake I liked the entire bowl of leftover mixture and couldn’t get enough. Better to eat it raw!

    • Yolie says

      I had the same issue and my cupcakes were cooled. Also the cupcakes themselves arenot sweet enough for my taste. I was making them for an event tomorrow. I’m glad I only made a test batch.

  22. Jessica says

    I’m making these as a small, 6 in. cake right now. I hope this cake fares well! It’s my birthday and due to inclement weather, the birthday cake that was supposed to be my surprise is not coming until tomorrow, so this is my last hope! Eep. I wanted to know if you could link or share the type of sprinkles you’re using? I tried another recipe earlier and I think my sprinkles are the culprit of its demise, and maybe I can find the ones you’ve used. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Jessica! The sprinkles I used were a brand I don’t have the package for anymore! What brand did you try? I could try and look it up.

  23. Barrie says

    So I commented on your southwest tofu scramble recipe and said I found your blog by looking for vegan funfetti cupcakes recipes. I, as I said in the other comment, have made these 3 times in 2 weeks now. My family, none of whom are vegan, have been devouring them so I keep baking more! They are incredibly simple to make, moist, fluffy, and so tasty. My mother in particular loves them as she is allergic to eggs, so she is grateful that I have been making so many egg-less dishes! My grandmother said tonight that they were as good as any professional made bakery cupcakes she has ever tasted, which is a highest Form of compliment to you!

    Also it’s super easy to use the butter cream frosting recipe and add in to make a different flavor. I tossed in some peanut butter in the recent batch and it was HEAVENLY.

  24. PniB says

    thank you, thank you :) Delicious! And that is even with all the substitutions I had to make due to what I had in my pantry… I only had salted vegan margarine so used 1/2 that and 1/2 coconut oil, I only had whole spelt and coconut flours so used 3/4 and 1/4 respectively, and added a bit more almond milk. The batter was very thick, more like cookie dough almost, but they baked up so yummy, with an excellent crumb I might add! I also whisked by hand as I did not want to wake up my light sleeper 4 year old with the electric mixer :) Yay altogether!

  25. Wendy Rees says

    Just made these tonight, used 1/3 cup olive oil as per the original recipe. Also used Dove’s gluten free flour, worked a treat!
    Had enough batter for a 13th cupcake, great for taste testing ;-)
    I’m sure the birthday girl will love these tomorrow.

  26. rama says

    Hello,
    Can I add some dry fruit bits like tutty fruity which comes in different colors like red, green orange( they are actually made out of papaya) and some cherries and raisons to this cup cake mix, if so what should be the quantity for the above recipe?
    Also can I use coconut milk instead of other non dairy milk?
    Do i need to grease the paper cup or they can be left without greasing?
    Are the the steel cups that are holding the paper cups to be greased or they can be left un- greased?
    Please reply soon as I am waiting to try this recipe.

  27. SD2SF says

    Just made these! They are pretty wonderful. The only thing that would make they super wonderful is if I hadn’t accidentally substituted white whole wheat flour. The flavor is a little too wheatey, but not bad at all. They actually taste healthier. Also if you aren’t a huge frosting fan like I am, you can easily make half of this butter cream and be fine. I only like a thin smearing. The butter cream is really delicious. Thanks for the recipe!

  28. Rachael says

    I just tried these for my son’s 2nd birthday. They taste great, but I was really disappointed otherwise. I followed the recipe exactly, filling the cups only 3/4 if that – in fact had enough leftover batter from 12 cupcakes to fill a mini pie pan about 5 in across! The batter still spilled over the top. They are extremely crumbly, one cupcake broke as I was getting it out of the pan. They would be impossible to frost without pipping. So I pipped the frosting – also followed that recipe exactly (used 2.5 cups powdered sugar). It turned out very dry and the sprinkles wouldn’t stick to it. Definitely not a keeper recipe, It needs some improvement.

    • PniB says

      Sorry :( I wonder why they turned out like that……… mine turned out with a perfect crumb, but holding together perfectly too and mine only rose a little bit. I think you might want to give them a second chance cuz they are that good :)

  29. Ashley says

    But regular granulated and powdered sugar (and the sugar and food coloring in sprinkles) aren’t vegan :( I know I can just find substitutes, but I don’t want other people to think they’re eating something vegan that actually isn’t vegan. Will you please specify this in the recipe or just change the name of the recipe to “dairy- and egg- free” rather than “vegan?” Don’t get me wrong; I do appreciate your effort to create alternatives. Again, I just don’t like misinformation.

  30. Natasha says

    I made these today and they were perfect and fluffy. I halved the sugar because I always do that with American recipes, but I stuck to the recipe otherwise.

  31. Daniela says

    My boyfriend (not vegan) wanted funfetti cupcakes for his birthday but I didn’t want to buy that Pilsbury box and tried this recipe instead. They came out DELICIOUS and he loved them :) and since they were vegan, I got to enjoy them as well. THANK YOUUUUUUUU!

  32. snenny says

    I made these earlier – the only thing I changed was to use a gf flour blend after seeing success by other gf-ers in the comments. Sadly the cupcakes didn’t cook through and remained all gummy inside – the sprinkles disappeared too! Cannot for the life of me figure out what I did wrong D: At least the gummy bits taste delicious ;) Really not sure what made these come out differently, esp as other gf commenters seem to have done well… Maybe it’s just me!

  33. Sarah says

    Hello! Thanks for the awesome recipe! I tried making them and although they tasted delicious they spilled out over the cupcake molds when baking. I went over the recipe again and couldn’t figure out where I’d gone wrong. Any idea? They were still super yummy but I’d like to make them pretty too on my next go around :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      It’s probably just that they were filled a little too much. Fill them between 1/2 and 3/4. Hope that helps!

  34. Olivia Mason says

    I made these for my non-vegan husband’s birthday, and they were fabulous! He wanted chocolate frosting so I added 1/2 c cocoa powder and an additional 1 1/4 t vanilla. So good…will definitely make again (& with the pretty white frosting for my birthday). Thank you! :)

  35. Savannah says

    The photos you took make the cupcakes looks so enticing! Definitely trying these to bring to a friend’s birthday dinner!

  36. mag says

    I made these recently and they were amazing! I have been making vegan cupcakes for 5 years now and i like to always try new recipe, I’m pretty sure i’m going to stick to this one. By far the best cupcakes i have ever had (my kids are pretty thrilled also!)

  37. Julie Beausoleil says

    I would like to make this recipe for my daughter’s birthday but I want to make a cake. Can I use this recipe but only adjust baking time ? I’m not too good when it comes to bakery =(

  38. Bess says

    Made these lovely cupcakes last night. Tore off the wrapper and shoved one in my gullet as soon as it was out of the oven, smelled delicious and tasted perfect!

    I thought they would have a bit more of a dome-top, but they seems a little flat-topped. Checked them against the pictures and they seems about the same. Nothing a big scoop of frosting won’t fix!

    Now I just have to explain the excitement of Funfetti to Europeans…

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Right? I was hoping for a dome shape too. But once I bit in and experienced the flavor and texture, I was totally OK with it! And the frosting plumped it right up. Glad you enjoyed these, Bess!

  39. Wendy says

    I live your recipes. Thank you. I want to try this as a cake for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. Any tips on how quantities/cooking time might be different to make a layer cake? I would experiment, but I don’t have a lot of time to get it right. Thanks again. I am a fan of you :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, I would recommend splitting this batter into two round pans and baking for slightly more time than the cupcakes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops are slightly golden brown. Then cool, frost and layer as desired!

  40. Amy says

    Fantastic recipe!! I’ve made these for 2 big events (over 120 cupcakes) and they came out great!! Super easy & delicious. People were super surprised to find out that they were vegan. Plus my 2 young kids (5 & 6) loved them also. Thank you!!

  41. ash says

    They are super yummy. I’m not vegan, but a coworker is and I wanted to make a treat that she could eat. Really easy to make (this includes supervising my 2 toddlers). Thank you!!!!!

  42. Jessi says

    I love your recipes! I’ll be making these for my son’s upcoming B-day 10/8 & Veganversary 10/9. Do you know what adjustments will I need to make into a two layer 8″ round cake?

    • Jayna says

      I know this reply is much too late for you, but perhaps it will help someone else. I divided the batter between two round pans, and they were perfect after 25 minutes at 350. The layers are quite thin, though, so if you’re looking for a tall cake, I’d double the recipe.

      • Susan D says

        Thank you! I was scrolling through the comments hoping to find this question answered before I asked and waited for a reply:-) Can’t wait to make these tomorrow with my daughter!

      • Tamara says

        Thanks for this info!! I was also scrolling through all the comments to see if there was one related to making this as a cake!

  43. Kathy says

    Do you if the frosting would freeze well? I’m wanting to make these for my kids to keep at school to have on hand for parties (they are gluten and dairy free). Thanks for your help!

    • Janene says

      Although the taste was nice I’ll have to work on this…. I replaced flour with cup4cup GF plain flour, rice milk with Apple cider vinegar but that didn’t curdle well, 1/2 cup coconut sugar, cup4cup nuttelex in place of vegan butter and just cooked a little longer. They are a bit ‘muffin-like’ looking so these will need more practise ;0)

  44. Mira says

    I love anything with rainbow sprinkles and am excited to recreate this recipe. It is amazing how with just a few changes, you have a vegan recipe for these fluffy and moist cupcakes!

  45. Kara says

    These look great! I’m hoping to make these for my daughter’s 2nd birthday. I would rather not use granulated sugar. Is there a substitute? (Coconut sugar, maple syrup, etc) If so how much. Thank you!!

    • Janene says

      I used 1/2 cup coconut sugar and found they were sweet enough, but I am in Australia so that may not be sweet enough for others.

  46. Anjali (Vegetarian Gastronomy) says

    Made these today with my two kids…loved them and loved the colors of the sprinkles! Of course the kids loved them as well. My brother has Celiacs, so I made them GF by substituting in Cup4Cup, which actually has milk powder in it, not making it completely vegan, but they tasted great, and I can’t wait to make them with regular flour next time around (completely vegan version). I’ve tried other vegan vanilla cupcakes before and this is by far the best I’ve had so far! The sweetness of the frosting complimented the cupcakes well. Thanks for the fun recipe! I’ll be sure to tag you on instagram.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I think “Let’s Do Organic” Sprinklez are going to be your best bet online. But check the ingredients in your local grocery as they may be vegan as well!

  47. Tori says

    Looks delicious! However I believe granulated sugar actually isn’t vegan. Is there something else I can use instead of the sugar? I thought of maple syrup but then I would have to alter the wet ingredients measurements

    • Courtney says

      Hey! Did you ever try making this without processed sugar or know a good substitute? I am looking for a sugar substitute as well :)

      • PniB says

        Hi :)
        I used organic whole unprocessed sugar, and whole grain flour. They were delicious! The texture was also perfect. The only downfall is that because the sugar and flour are darker in colour the sprinkles don’t look as pretty as they do in the original version. But seriously good recipe.

    • Barrie says

      Hello, if you are in the United States, the brand Wholesome Sweetners Organic is vegan and what is recommended by most websites for baking. They also have a powdered sugar! It should be available in most health food stores, but oddly enough even one of my local regional chain grocery stores here in Brooklyn, NY has been selling it in their sugar aisle. So check, you never know! You could also mail order it from Amazon or a site like Vitacost.

      Also, Sugar In the Raw has recently launched an organic sugar in a bag that is vegan and even says vegan on the back. I actually used that for these very cupcakes and it came out delicious!

      I don’t know how you feel about large brand names, but, this was interesting – when I was at my grocery store just a few days ago, I went to the sugar aisle for Wholesome Sweetners and apparently Domino (the huge refined sugar chain) has an organic sugar now? I used the Is It Vegan? product barcode scanner app on my phone and it said “Definitely Vegan”. That’s interesting to know they launched a vegan friendly sugar line now.

  48. sameena says

    Hi, I dont have apple cider vinegar, what can I use in place of that? Or can I leave that out completely?? Will it alter the taste much?

    Thanks,
    Sameena

  49. Gianna says

    These look perfect for my friend’s birthday! I’m a little confused about steps 4 and 5. It says you sift the dry ingredients in step 4, but then step 5 says to sift over the mixture alternating with the curdled milk. What are we sifting in step 5 if we sifted the dry ingredients in step 4?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Gianna! Sorry for the confusion. You ADD the dry ingredients (in the order I list) to a sifter and then in step 5 you sift over the butter-sugar mixture alternating with the wet ingredients. Hope that helps!

  50. susan says

    what brand of rainbow sprinkles did you use? the colors are so vibrant, so happy. thank you a thousand times for this recipe! i have two girls with food allergies – one to eggs and another to dairy and wheat. i love all your recipes but this one in particular is a gem – it is perfect for children who always like things that look pretty!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ah, thanks Susan! I’ve since used all my sprinkles so I’m not sure what brand they were! However, there are vegan and gluten free brands available, which should be available at most health food stores and online. Hope that helps!

  51. Emily @ Tips on Healthy Living says

    Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes may be the greatest headline of the month. Thank you for the recipe!

  52. Darcie says

    Holy crap, these look amazing! I never would have even thought to veganize funfetti cupcakes, but it’s really a brilliant idea. Definitely adding these to my never-ending to-bake list.

    PS: I also taste test cupcakes pre- and post-frosting. It’s important to make a proper assessment. :D

  53. chris says

    Thank you so much for this perfect recipe! I have been looking for the perfect vegan white cupcake for my little girl’s 4th birthday party, and this is it, with sprinkles for a bonus! She helped me make them tonight and we both approve. :)

  54. Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes says

    Yay! Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes! Pinning these now for my Birthday. I’ll see if my husband can make these for me :) Beautiful pictures as usual!

  55. Audrina says

    Wow, these look amazing! Thank goodness for your recipe, I was missing my childhood funfetti cupcakes. Can’t wait to share this with my family!

  56. VeganBunnySlave says

    You have bought back of my childhood of Funfetti cupcakes! Thank you for creating such an awesome recipe! I just took the cupcakes out of the oven and I cannot wait to frost ’em and eat ’em!

  57. Mariana says

    Hello Dana!

    I can’t wait to try these! Do you think I can use powdered jaggery instead of powdered sugar?

    Thanks!

  58. Joanna says

    I am always stalking sites with vegan recipes because with my daughter having an egg allergy, I find vegan recipes so much more adaptable to her and our diet. This is one that I can’t wait to give a whirl! They look like the perfect thing to bake up for those birthdays and celebrations, since we can’t run to the store and buy cupcakes any longer. I didn’t have a mom like that, but I am one! I am always the first to volunteer for things that involve baking something for the class. I will be taking this cupcake to my daughters Halloween party in class for sure! Thank you so much for sharing!!

  59. Caitlin says

    confetti cupcakes were the only type of cupcake i liked growing up. thanks for making my childhood dreams a reality! now, where do i find vegan rainbow sprinkles…

  60. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says

    You nailed the vegan vanilla cupcake – a feat I thought was impossible!! Can’t wait to try these because they look seriously aammmaaazing! :) Pinned!

  61. Hannah says

    I have been craving yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing for weeks, so your recipe was perfect timing! I didn’t have sprinkles (who am I?!), so I omitted them. And added cocoa powder to the icing. Absolute perfection! Thank you!

  62. Rhea {Hot Dog It's a Food Blog} says

    These are simply dreamy! When it comes to dessert, vanilla and sprinkles are my jam! I am allergic to chocolate, so thank you for sharing this since about 99/100 dessert recipes are always chocolate. These look like perfection!

  63. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    Funfetti is the best! Plain vanilla cupcakes have got nothing on funfetti :) The buttercream looks so fluffy and delicious :)

  64. Ana says

    Ways to incorporate more sprinkles? Add them too the frosting (as well as sprinkling on top) and I’ve also seen sprinkle patterned cupcake cases in stores…

  65. Katie M says

    Gorgeous photographs, and brilliant recipe! Do you think I could replace the vegan butter with coconut oil without overwhelming the flavour with coconut?

  66. D says

    Hi! Love your site and all you do. You help me to feel like I am not the only one who cooks or bakes vegan, but still eats meat. So I was wondering if you have tried these in an ice cream cone yet? My daughter wants these for her party at school. She is deathly allergic to dairy. Once again thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      These would likely work in an ice cream cone! Though I haven’t tried it myself, so let me know how it goes if you do! Thanks for the sweet comment, D!

        • Monica Gehman says

          Thank you for leaving the comment. I’m going to make these today for my daughter’s school b-day treat tomorrow and was hoping that would work! Hopefully they won’t get soggy the day before!

        • DeeDee Lavinder says

          This is what I am reading the comments for!!! Please tell us everything: which cones, how much per cone, what temp in the oven and for how long?

  67. Bird says

    Ohmahgosh I’m coming over right now. I just had some serious awesome childhood flashbacks there. Thank you dearest for the memories and the amazing recipe.

  68. Taylor says

    I already have plans to make these when I get home! They look delicious! Although, I think it may be a typo that you put 2/5 – 3 cups powdered sugar for the frosting since you start with a 1/2 cup.

    xoxo
    Taylor

  69. Danielle @ Chits and Chats and Chocolate says

    Funfetti is the best thing that can happen to a cupcake! These look awesome!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I do! I haven’t tried it myself, but a trusty GF blend should work! Report back if you try it :D

      • Jessica says

        I made these GF, and they were great! I used the Duncan Hines GF flour blend and added about a teaspoon of extra baking powder.

        • Heather says

          Yay! My 3 year old was just diagnosed with several allergies including wheat and egg. She loves white cake, and it seems like I can find mostly chocolate cake recipes that are vegan/GF. Can’t wait to make these for her, and the rest of us!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

          It’s natural for them to sink a little! Next time, up the leavening agent a little more. I also want to experiment using aquafaba (chickpea brine) as the egg replacer in here. I speculate that will fluff them up!

        • Elizabeth says

          These are delicious! Fluffy! I followed the. recipe exactly except I substituted bourbon for vanilla extract in the frosting because I ran out. Still delicious. Great easy recipe. Don’t skip the sifting!

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Elizabeth! Thank you for sharing! xo

      • punkchef says

        Add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 2 cups of flour if you’re baking gluten free and vegan. It will help keep your cake moist and from going all crumbly.

    • Kristin H. says

      Did you ever try the GF version? I am hoping that Dana’s gluten free flour mixture will work, just looking for some feed back first :) Thank you in advance!

  70. Irene says

    Omg, yum! I may have to make these for my sister’s birthday soon! Is it possible to use regular butter or does it have to be vegan?

      • mel says

        That is a matter of opinion! ;) I now this is a plant-based site, but I will happily use grass-fed butter any day of the week! Especially anything over vegetable (corn, soy, cottonseed, canola, etc) oils which are primarily omega-6 linoleic fatty acid (PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid) which is a problem for several reasons: it disrupts the omega-3 to omega-6 equal ratio that we all should be aiming for and excess omega-6 actually produces compounds in the body that can unnecessarily signal hunger to the brain and also cause inflammation in the body. Also, these fatty acids from vegetable oils are not very heat (or even shelf) stable and go rancid very quickly which is one of the reasons they are highly processed and deodorized before packaging. A little common sense will tell us that there is not much oil in an ear or corn or soybean – so to extract them, they go through a very heavy processing only possible at industrial plants. That said, I do LOVE coconut and avocado and olive oils and cook with them often and am happy to sub these oils for butter when the need arises! (If you think about it, there is a LOT of oil in these plants and they require VERY LITTLE processing (just pressing) to extract copious amounts of oils which are much more stable.) I often go to the recipes on Minimalist Baker which I love, in order to avoid some allergens for guests that i cook for often. So thanks for this recipe! Looks yum!

      • Cleopatra says

        Well, in the ingredients it says Vegan Butter not real butter. So, in a way you are correct but it has nothing to do with the recipe above.

        • Carolina Medina says

          Hello, I attempted this recipe for the first time and it was not successful. The caved and were very ugly looking. Once they were cool, I commenced to decorate and noticed they were very greasy. I broke one in half and they were extremely oily. I ended up disposing of them all. What did I do wrong?
          The only difference was, I had EARTH FRIENDLY BALANCE tub not a stick. I warmed it up a bit to soften prior to creaming with sugar. Is that it? Please help

          • Amy says

            Mine didn’t turn out at all either but I had all the correct ingredients. So frustrating

          • Ariel says

            I know that the Earth Balance tubs generally add water to make them spread easily – so they bake differently than the baking sticks. Hope this helps!

          • Liz says

            I actually used the earth balance tub and they turned out fine. The rise wasn’t great, but I think that’s more because I didn’t realize I was out of baking soda. I’d be more inclined to question the temperature of the butter.

          • JJ says

            I had the same problem! And this is after several years of making this recipe successfully. I am wondering if Earth Balance changed their stick butter formula? So disappointed. I needed these cupcakes for this afternoon and now need to start all over with different recipe. :(

            Also, trying to rate this as 1 star and website won’t let me. Defaults to 5 stars and won’t change…