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Vegan Lemon Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

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A moist, light, deliciously tart cupcake made with coconut sugar, flour, and lemon juice is topped with a rich and creamy chocolate frosting made from cocoa powder, a hint of vanilla, and coconut milk.

One center lemon cupcake sitting on a brown napkin and a woven mat. More cupcakes are behind.

Cupcakes are one of those things that make people happy. They’re small, personal, and come in a wide variety of flavors and styles. Whether you like them simple or decked out with frosting and sprinkles, there’s a cupcake for everyone. And the best part is, they’re pretty easy to make at home.

Lemon cupcakes with chocolate frosting are the perfect summer dessert. The cake is light, moist, and fluffy, while the chocolate frosting is rich and creamy without being overly sweet. The tartness of the lemon cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate, making for a perfect balance of flavors. If you’re looking for a show-stopping vegan dessert, this is it.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Lemon Cupcake Recipe:

Moist And Flavorful- Moist, fluffy, and delicious. It is the perfect combination of sweet and sour that everyone will enjoy.

Easy To Make- They may sound complicated, but they’re surprisingly easy.

Light- These cupcakes are light, refreshing, and not overly sweet. They’re ideal for spring and summer entertaining.

Overhead view of four frosted desserts on dark brown napkins and a beige woven mat.

Equipment

  • 2 Small Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Mixing Bowls
  • Whisk
  • Muffin Tins
  • Cupcake Liners
  • Mixer
  • Baking Rack
  • Piping Bag

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes:

  • Coconut Oil
  • Coconut Sugar
  • Salt
  • Egg Replacer
  • Baking Powder
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Dairy-Free Milk
  • Lemon Juice

For The Frosting:

  • Organic Powdered Sugar
  • Vegan Butter
  • Coconut Milk
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • Organic Vanilla Extract
One center Chocolate Frosted Lemon Cupcake with spaced cupcakes scattered behind.

How To Make Moist Vegan Lemon Cupcakes

To make these cupcakes, prepare the egg replacer as directed on the package and set it aside in a small mixing dish. Add oil, sugar, salt, and lemon juice to a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Then add the egg replacer that was set aside earlier.

In a small mixing dish, whisk the baking powder and flour together. Alternate adding flour and coconut milk to the sugar mixture in the first mixing bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, fill muffin pans with cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes.

While the cupcakes bake, make the vegan chocolate icing. Cream the powdered sugar and vegan butter using a hand mixer. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly once creamed.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. The vegan cupcakes are topped off with the chocolate frosting using a piping bag and tip of your choice when they’ve cooled completely.

Popular Substitutions & Additions

You can make a few popular substitutions and additions to this cupcake recipe. Get creative and have fun with it!

  • Milk- Almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or soy milk would all work well in this recipe.
  • Chocolate Chips- Add vegan chocolate chips to the batter before baking for an extra chocolatey treat.
  • Zest- If you want to make these cupcakes even more lemony, you could add some lemon zest to the batter.
  • Lemon- Top the cupcakes with some fresh lemon slices for a beautiful and delicious garnish.
  • Nuts- Add some chopped nuts to the frosting for a little bit of texture.
A square photo with one Lemon cupcake filling the picture with raw sugar crystals sprinkled on the frosted top.

How To Reheat & Store Lemon Cupcakes

What Is The Best Way To Store Homemade Vegan Lemon Cupcakes?

These cupcakes are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

How Long Will Lemon Cupcakes With Chocolate Frosting Last In The Fridge?

When stored in an airtight container, your vegan cupcake will last up to 1 week in the fridge or 3 days at room temperature.

Can I Freeze Vegan Lemon Cupcakes? 

Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Be sure to store them in a freezer-safe container. Allow cupcakes to thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to eat.

How To Reheat Vegan Lemon Cupcakes?

You can reheat your vegan cupcake in the microwave. Just heat them for a few seconds until they’re warm. You can also reheat them in the oven, but be careful not to overcook them.

Chocolate Frosted Lemon Cupcakes with one sitting right in front with the swirly frosting being dotted with large raw sugar granules.

Lemon Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting

Ligia Lugo
A deliciously tart cupcake made with coconut sugar and lemon juice is topped with a creamy chocolate frosting to create a uniquely irresistible summer dessert.
5 from 3 votes
Print Save
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 12 Cupcakes
Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil – solid from the fridge if necessary
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs – I used an Egg Replacer – you may use any of your favorites
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free milk – I used coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice – if the batter does not taste as lemony as you like then you can add up to 1 teaspoon more

For the Frosting

  • 1 cup organic powdered sugar
  • 1/8 cup vegan butter
  • 1/8 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

Instructions
 

For the Cupcakes:

  • Mix the ‘eggs’ according yo your package directions. Some use more water than others. Set aside.
  • Beat together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, salt and lemon juice until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
  • Add the ‘eggs’ and beat in well.
  • In a separate bowl mix the baking powder with the flour.
  • Add the flour alternately with the coconut milk into the sugar mixture. Start and end with the flour. Mix until smooth.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
  • Spoon some of the batter into each liner until they are all pretty even.
  • Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the Frosting:

  • While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting.
  • Cream the powdered sugar and vegan butter together.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  • When you remove the cupcakes from the over – remove the cupcakes from the pan to a baking rack and let cool completely.
  • Scoop the frosting into a decorating bag with any tip you like, and frost the cooled cupcakes.
  • I sprinkled some raw sugar (turbinado) on the tops. That is what the little glistening decoration on top of the chocolate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1CupcakeCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 145mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  28. These cupcakes are delicious! I made them for my daughter’s birthday dinner a couple of nights ago and they got such rave reviews that I’ve made a double batch for a party she’s having tonight. I love the crunchy edge to the cupcake and the coconut / chocolate combo is perfect. I topped each one with a raspberry.

  29. That is fantastic Catherine! Thanks so much for letting us know. It is so great to get raves at a party! šŸ™‚ Love the raspberry top too. That is also a great added flavor.

  32. These cupcakes look amazing,
    As I am new to vegan cooking, may I ask what kind of vegan butter and egg replacer works best for this recipe?
    Thank you so much

  33. Hi Emma! I like ground chia seed for this as it isn’t as textured as flax seed meal. Any dairy free butter would work the same I happen to use Earth Balance.