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–+ servings
A health vanilla cupcake topped with icing and sprinkles.
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5 from 8 votes

Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes

These healthy vanilla cupcakes are light and fluffy, but made with whole wheat flour and less butter and sugar than traditional cupcakes. They're easy to make and perfect for any celebration!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Total Time31 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy vanilla cupcakes
Servings: 12
Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

  • ½ cup almond milk at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • ¼ cup butter softened, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • ¼ cup applesauce at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners.
  • Whisk almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl and let curdle for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
    Almond milk and apple cider vinegar mixed together in a bowl.
  • Add sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl and whip with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.
    Sugar and butter whipped together in a bowl.
  • Add eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract and whisk until combined on low medium speed.
    Eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract added to the sugar and butter mixture in a bowl.
  • Slowly add almond milk mixture while mixing on low.
    Adding the almond milk and apple cider vinegar mixture to the sugar and butter mixture.
  • Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined and batter is smooth.
    Cupcake batter in a bowl.
  • Pour batter evenly between 12 muffin tins. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean and edges are slightly golden brown.
    Six healthy vanilla cupcakes in a 6-cupcake baking pan.
  • Let cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes or so, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost, top with sprinkles and serve.

Notes

  • Butter: You can use ¼ cup avocado oil instead of butter. Just beat the eggs and sugar together and then add the oil and remaining wet ingredients.
  • Looking to make these cupcakes gluten-free? I have tested these cupcakes with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour, and they turned out, but were a little more dense. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake without icing | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g