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coconut and pecan cupcake recipe vegan

Vegan Italian Cream Cake Cupcakes

There's nothing quite like the magic of a cupcake. This recipe is one that's sure to be a new crowd favorite you'll get asked to bring to every party.

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 10 cupcakes

Ingredients

Vegan Italian Cream Cake Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup aquafaba liquid from 1 can cooked garbanzo beans aka chickpeas
  • 3/4 cups cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup organic vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter or organic vegetable shortening melted
  • 2 tablespoons applesauce can sub pumpkin puree if you don't mind a little more golden color
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour For gluten free replace with 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted
  • 2/3 cups shredded coconut flakes I've used sweetened and unsweetened before so adjust to your taste for sweetness

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 - 7 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegan "butter" or organic vegetable shortening room temp
  • 1/2 vegan cream cheese softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk or any plant-based milk
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Pour aquafaba into bowl of stand mixer and beat until its begins to look light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Slowly drizzle in sugar while beating on high and continue until it forms stiff peaks (it should take about 5 more minutes). In separate bowl, stir together the lemon juice, applesauce, melted butter, oil, and vanilla extract.

  2. Now, while continuing to beat the aquafaba mixture, slowly pour in the liquids and beat just until evenly combined (the volume of fluffiness will fall a bit but don't worry, it was still worth it for the end result).
  3. Now in another separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and add the sifted dry ingredients. Use a large spatula to gently fold in the ingredients just until fairly combined. (It's actually better to leave some small lumps then to overmix and lose volume.) Add the pecans and coconut and fold in well.

  4. Divide batter into the paper liners as evenly as possible (you can make 12 smaller ones but I usually get 10 from this recipe). Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges are lightly golden. Remove the cupcakes from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting:

  1. Beat vegan butter and "cream cheese" in a large mixing bowl until creamed. Add vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add milk beat until light and fluffy. You may need to add more milk as needed for frosting consistency to be light and fluffy.

Assembly

  1. Once cupcakes are cooled, fit a pastry bag with desired tip. Fill the pastry bag with cream cheese frosting and pipe onto each cupcake. Alternatively you can simply frost each cupcake with a knife or spatula. Top with chopped pecans if desired.

  2. It's best to store the cupcakes in something such as a cake dome or container to prevent them drying out and keep in the fridge.