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Last year a close friend of mine was diagnosed with several food allergies after having health problems and discomfort for years. Turns out she’s allergic to eggs, dairy and yeast, foods she used to eat on a regular basis. A few weeks ago she came to visit, which coincided with me receiving a bag of Meyer lemons from my brother’s tree. I knew I wanted to bake something, but I had to avoid some major players in baked goods.
You probably know where I’m going with this, since you’ve seen the title of this post, but the easiest way to avoid eggs and dairy is…bake vegan! I actually have a great vegan cupcake cookbook, but it doesn’t have a simple lemon cupcake recipe. I was pretty set on using my surplus of Meyer lemons, so I found a vegan lemon cupcake recipe on another blog and adapted it.
By just tasting them, I don’t think anyone would guess that these cupcakes are vegan. They’re extremely light and fluffy and have a subtle lemon flavor. By topping them with a simple lemon glaze, the cupcakes remain light and lemony, a satisfying dessert that won’t leave you feeling weighed down. I garnished them with candied Meyer lemon peels for an extra lemon punch. You can make this with regular lemons too, and I’m sure it would be just as good. (If you’re not familiar with them, Meyer lemons are a cross of lemons and oranges, so they’re a bit sweeter and milder than regular lemons).
Do you bake for any people with food allergies or special diets?
Recipe:
Vegan Meyer Lemon Cupcakes
Adapted from Livvie’s Limelight
- 1 cup milk alternative (I used almond milk; soy or rice would work too)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice*
- 1 Tablespoon Meyer lemon zest*
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with liners.
- In a small bowl, stir together milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, combine milk, oil, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and zest.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until well combined.
- Pour batter into lined muffin tin until each is 3/4 full.
- Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Meyer Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 Tablespoon Meyer lemon juice*
- Candied Meyer lemon peel for garnish (optional)
- Combine powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
- Add additional sugar or lemon juice to taste and to reach desired consistency.
- Spoon onto cooled cupcakes and top with candied peel.
*You could use regular lemon instead of Meyer lemon
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19 Comments on Vegan Meyer Lemon Cupcakes
1Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Vegan Meyer Lemon Cupcakes
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[…] of these lemon-orange hybrids, which are sweeter than regular lemons. I’ve used them in vegan lemon cupcakes, candied their peels, and used them with limoncello to make […]
Karen
January 19, 2012 at 12:38 pm (13 years ago)These look so good! I can’t wait to try them, but can you tell me what the cider vinegar does in the recipe?
Stephanie
January 19, 2012 at 3:38 pm (13 years ago)@Karen – great question! You’ll find that a lot of vegan cake recipes call for adding vinegar to the milk alternative. It helps the cake rise and create a tender crumb. You can also use regular vinegar if you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand.
Kristina
January 19, 2012 at 3:51 pm (13 years ago)This recipe is the answer to my prayers! I just bought a bag of meyer lemons last night without having an intended purpose for them, and I need to bring something fun into work to celebrate! I’ll be making these this weekend for sure. Thanks!
Kristina recently posted Simple Yet Gourmet Filet Mignon
Stephanie
January 20, 2012 at 8:00 am (13 years ago)@Kristina – perfect timing! I hope you enjoy the cupcakes 🙂
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
January 19, 2012 at 5:20 pm (13 years ago)These look wonderful, and so great of you to make them for your friend. I have never baked with lemon, but I really need to try it sometime!
Stephanie
January 20, 2012 at 8:02 am (13 years ago)@Erin – you should try a lemon dessert sometime. I like this one because it’s a lot lighter than say a chocolate cupcake with buttercream.
Living The Sweet Life
January 20, 2012 at 5:50 pm (13 years ago)These look delicious!! I love how you presented your cupcakes – – it reminds me so much of spring :$
Living The Sweet Life recently posted Melt in your mouth Eggnog Bread
Stephanie
January 21, 2012 at 8:34 pm (13 years ago)@Living the Sweet Life – thank you! I was sort of channeling spring. It’s been sunny and warm here, not like winter at all.
Maryka
January 23, 2012 at 9:44 am (13 years ago)These cupcakes look great! I too developed allergies and sensitivities later in life. My list right now is no dairy, eggs or gluten. And I was an avid baker before I discovered my baked goods were slowly distroying my insides. Now I am a vegan, gluten-free baker and it has been an adventure re-learning the ropes. Luckily, my boyfriend faces the same allergies. We often joke that we should start a dating service for allergy suffers- it’s nice to have to look out for the same things at restaurants and to bake special treats for someone who really appreciates them.
Stephanie
January 23, 2012 at 2:50 pm (13 years ago)@Maryka – a dating service for allergy sufferers might just take off! I know more and more people discovering allergies or sensitivities to foods, especially the ones you’re allergic to. Good luck learning the ropes. I’ve done a bit of vegan baking but gluten-free always throws me. I have several flourless cake and cupcake recipes on my site though. I’m not sure how replacing the dairy and eggs in them will work, but it’s worth a try!
Valerie
January 25, 2012 at 1:40 pm (13 years ago)These cupcakes look spectacular! (I love anything involving lemons!)
Valerie
January 30, 2012 at 3:09 am (13 years ago)I’m thrilled to find this recipe. I have 2 huge bags full of Meyer Lemons & a kid with severe food allergies. I’m always hunting for vegan recipes for her..but nuts are an issue along with eggs. So now I can surprise her with Lemon cupcakes…my favorite!!!
Stephanie
January 30, 2012 at 7:39 am (13 years ago)@Valerie – this recipe is perfect for you! I hope you and you kid enjoy it 🙂
Kate
July 28, 2012 at 1:23 pm (12 years ago)I just took these out of the oven! I have made several different kinds of vegan cupcakes and honestly, these are the best! They even rose, which I can’t get many other kinds to do. I made with a vegan raspberry buttercream icing and they were a huuuuge hit! And most of the people eating them weren’t vegan. You will be satisfied with this recipe.
Peregrine
October 20, 2012 at 2:51 pm (12 years ago)You do not list the temperature for the oven nor the quantity that this recipe makes.
Otherwise, yum
Peregrine
October 20, 2012 at 2:54 pm (12 years ago)Sorry, realized the temperature got cut off in my print out while reviewing the online version
Sarah
January 28, 2013 at 12:06 pm (12 years ago)Amazing! These were so simple and I loved that, unlike lots of vegan recipes, these did not call for a lot of odd ingredients. I used organic baby food (pureed apples and strawberries) in place of most of the oil so I’m sure mine are a bit denser than the original recipe but they are still delicious. And healthy!
Renee
March 27, 2013 at 3:35 pm (12 years ago)Great site! Have you ever frozen these? Curious how they freeze.