These vegan cardamom cupcakes are light, fluffy and full of warm cardamom flavor. They are simple to make and a lovely twist on classic vanilla cupcakes.
If you love easy eggless baking recipes, then try my Fruitcake Snowball Cookies, Italian Castagnelle, and Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins.
Quick Look: Vegan Cardamom Cupcakes Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 Minutes
- Servings: 10 Cupcakes
- Difficulty: Easy, perfect for any occasion.
- Dietary info: Vegan, egg-free, nut-free.
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What are cardamom cupcakes?
Cardamom cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and delicious cupcakes flavored with ground cardamom. Cardamom is a spice widely used in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes such as Lauki ki Kheer, Instant Pot Semiya Payasam, and Chestnut Cardamom Milk. Cardamom has a sweet aroma and it is a wonderful alternative to vanilla or chocolate flavors.
These cardamom cupcakes are made without eggs, milk, butter and nuts, making them suitable for vegan and nut-free diets. These can be paired with a simple vanilla frosting, cardamom frosting, coconut frosting or even a simple dusting of powdered sugar, so the cardamom flavor can shine through.
If you are looking for more eggless baking recipes using cardamom, try my Nankhatai, Rose Almond Cookies and Eggless Saffron Cookies.
Why you'll love this recipe:
- This recipe uses basic baking ingredients that are easy to find.
- Perfect for parties and any occasion.
- Simple, aromatic and delicious!
- Very easy to customize. You can dust them with powdered sugar or top them with your favorite vegan frosting.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Flour - You will need all-purpose flour or plain flour for this recipe. I haven't tried with any other flours. You can swap all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour but the texture of the cupcakes will be a little different.
Corn Flour - Also known as corn starch. A small amount of corn flour will make cardamom cupcakes lighter and softer.
Sugar - Regular granulated white sugar/caster sugar works well in this recipe.
Cardamom - Cardamom is the key flavor in this cupcake recipe. It gives them a warm and aromatic taste and flavor. Try to use a freshly ground cardamom or a good-quality store-bought cardamom powder.
Oil - It provides moisture and tenderness. Use a neutral oil like sunflower oil or vegetable oil.
Water - Water is used as a liquid component in this vegan cupcake batter. You can replace it with any dairy-free milk such as oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk.
Baking Soda - It helps the cupcakes rise and become fluffy. It reacts with the lemon juice to create air bubbles in the batter. Do not skip this.
Lemon - It activates baking soda, making the cupcakes soft and fluffy. It also adds a mild brightness to the flavor.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Variations
Vanilla Cardamom - Add a little bit of vanilla extract along with ground cardamom for a slightly deeper flavor.
Coconut Version - Replace water with coconut milk for a richer flavor. It pairs well with the cardamom flavor. Top the baked cupcakes with coconut frosting for a coconut cardamom variation.
Citrus Twist - Add a little bit of lemon or orange zest to the cupcake batter for a bright and fresh flavor.
With Nuts - Fold in chopped cashews, walnuts, almonds or pistachios for a bit of crunch.
How to make Eggless Cardamom Cupcakes
Line a cupcake pan / muffin pan with paper liners and set aside until use.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, corn flour, baking soda and salt and mix well to evenly distribute everything. Keep it aside.
Combine the sugar, oil, water, lemon juice and cardamom powder in a mixing bowl. Beat well until the sugar dissolves.
Add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently mix everything until you get a smooth batter. Do not overmix. Just mix everything until the batter shows no trace of flour.
Pour the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ full.
Immediately place the it in the preheated oven and bake for about 17-20 minutes at 180 degrees C, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the tray for a few minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once they are cooled completely, serve them as is or top with your favorite vegan frosting.
Tips & Notes:
- Use fresh and high quality ingredients for the best taste and texture.
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients come together. Overmixing will make the cupcakes dense instead of soft.
- Make sure you are not using expired baking soda. Since this is an eggless recipe, baking soda plays an essential role in helping the cupcakes rise. Use fresh baking soda always.
- Do not skip lemon juice. It reacts with baking soda and makes the cupcakes fluffy.
- Make sure you are measuring all the ingredients correctly. Too much flour can make the cupcakes dry.
- Do not use strong flavored oils. Stick to mild oils like sunflower oil or vegetable oil.
- Do not overbake the cupcakes, it will make them dry.
- Increase the cardamom quantity for a stronger flavor.
- Let them cool completely before serving or frosting them.
Serving suggestions
These cardamom cupcakes taste best once they have completely cooled. You can serve them as a tea-time treat with a cup of coffee or ginger chai.
These are perfect to pack for picnics and gatherings. They can be a great edible gift during festivals like Diwali, along with other cardamom-flavored Indian sweets like Mango Coconut Ladoo, Moong Dal Ladoo, Biscoff Ladoo, and Gulab Jamun Tea Sandwiches.
Dust the cooled cupcakes lightly with powdered sugar or frost with a simple vanilla or cardamom frosting.
If you enjoy making fusion Indian inspired desserts for Diwali parties, you can frost these cupcakes with saffron-infused butter frosting and serve them along with other Indian fusion desserts like Custard Rasgulla, Custard Gulab Jamun, and White Chocolate Jalebi Bark.
Storage suggestions
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before storing.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store them longer, refrigerate them for up to 4-5 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
You can also freeze them for 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Eggless Baking Recipes
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Vegan Cardamom Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Flour / Corn Stratch
- ½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- ½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Water
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- ¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1.5 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
- A pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Line a cupcake pan / 10 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
- Combine the all purpose flour, corn flour, baking soda and salt and sieve this together to ensure even mixing. Keep it aside.
- Combine the sugar, oil, water, lemon juice and cardamom powder in a mixing bowl.
- Beat until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the sifted flour in 2 batches and gently fold the mixture until the batter shows no trace of flour.
- Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with batter.
- Immediately place them in the preheated oven.
- Bake at 180 degree C for 17 - 20 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake and comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
- Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing as desired.
- Serve!
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients come together. Overmixing will make the cupcakes dense instead of soft.
- Make sure you are not using expired baking soda. Since this is an eggless recipe, baking soda plays an essential role in helping the cupcakes rise. Use fresh baking soda always.
- Do not skip lemon juice. It reacts with baking soda and makes the cupcakes fluffy.
- Do not overbake the cupcakes, it will make them dry. Let them cool completely before serving or frosting them.
