Publised on 08/04/2024. Last Updated on 09/04/2024 by Richard
Game-changing vegan tiramisu cupcakes with the softest vanilla espresso swirl sponge and vegan cream cheese frosting. The best vegan coffee cupcakes ever!
Vegan tiramisu cupcakes are a guaranteed smash for anyone who adores the rich, intense flavour of coffee as much as they love cake (I'm talking about me obvs). Imagine your favourite Italian dessert shrunk down into a cute, edible cupcake form – that’s exactly what these little vegan tiramisu cupcakes offer.
My own love affair with tiramisu began on a chilly evening in Venice when, wrapped in a thick scarf. I was 18 and had booked my first solo vacation to the historic city! I tasted my first spoonful of the creamy, coffee-infused dessert at a tiny family restaurant and it was love at first bite. Fast forward a few decades and here I am with a vegan tiramisu cupcake in my hand and I guess you can say things have only gotten better!
This delightful twist on the classic not only satisfies the vegan criteria but also brings all the nostalgia and sophistication of tiramisu to a more casual, yet equally delicious, cupcake form. They're perfect for coffee catch-ups, special occasions, or just because every day deserves a little sprinkle of sweetness and the rich aroma of coffee.
Oh and don't forget, if you're looking for a classic vegan tiramisu, you can find my recipe here! It's super easy to make!
Jump to:
☕️ What is Tiramisu?
Before diving into the cupcakes, let's take a moment to appreciate the roots of tiramisu. Traditionally, tiramisu is an Italian dessert made from layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, cocoa, and a dash of liquor. It’s a dessert that’s both rich and creamy, with the deep, invigorating flavour of coffee at its heart.
Tiramisu literally means "pick me up" or "cheer me up", and trust me, it lives up to its name. Now, take that concept, blend it with the ethos of vegan baking, and you get vegan tiramisu cupcakes - a cheerful, uplifting treat that's bound to brighten up your day.
📝 Vegan Tiramisu Cupcakes Ingredients
The magic of vegan tiramisu cupcakes lies in their ingredients - a delightful assembly that ensures every bite is as indulgent and satisfying as its non-vegan counterpart. As always, find the full recipe at the bottom of the page, but for now, here’s what you’ll need:
- Plant milk (unsweetened and unflavoured)
- Vegan yoghurt (unsweetened and unflavoured)
- Vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Caster sugar (aka superfine sugar)
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Espresso powder or strong instant coffee powder
- Cocoa powder
- Vegan cream cheese (make sure you pick one without a savoury cheesy flavour. You want a plain tangy vegan cream cheese like Violife)
- Vegan butter (use a block variety, not margarine)
- Icing sugar (aka powdered sugar)
- More cocoa powder for decorating
🔀 Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps
Need to make some swapsies before baking your vegan tiramisu cupcakes? No problem! Here are my recommendations:
- Plant Milk: Any variety works, but I always recommend soy milk as it gives a lovely light texture. Just make sure you use an unsweetened unflavoured plant milk.
- Vegan Yoghurt: Coconut-based yoghurt adds a nice richness, but feel free to use your fave. Again, unsweetened and unflavoured is a must.
- Neutral Oil: Canola/rapeseed or sunflower oil are great alternatives.
- Espresso Powder: No espresso? No problem. Any strong instant coffee powder will do the trick.
- Vegan Cream Cheese: Some brands are tangier than others. Taste test to find your perfect match. I use Violife because it blends up very smooth and has a nice tang to it.
- Vegan Butter: Stick to block varieties for that desirable creamy texture in the frosting. Soft margarine will result in vegan cream cheese frosting that's too soft.
🍰 Why Use Cake Flour?
So why do I recommend you use cake flour over plain flour? Cake flour has a finer texture and lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour. This means it creates much softer, lighter cakes with a closer, whiter crumb.
You CAN use all purpose flour instead for this recipe, but you will notice a difference in texture and colour of your final bake compared to my photos. I'd really recommend getting some cake flour for your pantry if possible.
If you're in the UK and are struggling to find cake flour in your supermarket, here's a hot tip! Head to your local Asian supermarket and look for Purple Orchid brand Special Bun Flour. It's designed for making soft fluffy bao so is very finely milled and it has the exact same low gluten content as cake flour. In other words, Special Bun Flour = Cake Flour!
🧁 How to guarantee light and fluffy vegan cupcakes
Achieving the pinnacle of lightness and fluffiness in your vegan tiramisu cupcakes isn't just luck; it's all about your ingredients and baking process. Here are three golden rules to ensure your cupcakes are so airy, they might just float off the plate:
- Always use cake flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which means less gluten is formed during mixing. The result? A finer, lighter crumb that elevates your vegan cupcakes from good to ethereal. It's tricky to find in the UK so I buy Special Bun Flour from my local Asian supermarket, because it's the same thing!
- Swap butter for oil: Unlike butter, oil remains liquid at room temperature, ensuring your vegan cupcakes stay marvellously moist and tender from the first bite to the last. This simple switch makes all the difference in texture and mouthfeel.
- Bake at lower temperatures: Temperature precision is key. Baking your vegan tiramisu cupcakes at 160ºC/320f strikes the perfect balance between cooking them thoroughly and retaining their moisture. Too high, and you risk drying them out; too low, and they won't rise as they should. This sweet spot ensures they puff up beautifully without losing any of that precious moisture.
🤲 How to Make Vegan Tiramisu Cupcakes
Creating vegan tiramisu cupcakes is like painting with flavours; you blend the rich notes of coffee with the sweetness of cake and frosting. In no time you'll be a deliciously over-caffeinated Bob Ross! Again, the full vegan tiramisu cupcakes recipe is at the bottom of the page, but here's a quick visual breakdown for you! Let's get started:
Prepare the Batter: Mix the wet ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry, then divide the batter in two to add espresso and cocoa to one half. I found the batter weighed a total of 670g so 335g in each bowl.
Bake the Cupcakes: Layer the espresso and vanilla batters in cupcake cases then swirl together carefully (not too much) using a toothpick or skewer. Bake for 18 mins then let them cool down completely. You don't want to add frosting to a hot cupcake - trust me!
Whip Up the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat vegan butter until fluffy, add vegan cream cheese, then gradually incorporate icing sugar and vanilla extract. When I say gradually, I mean it! If you add the sugar too quickly, the frosting can split or become granular and crystalised, so take your time!
Decorate: Frost the cupcakes, then dust with cocoa powder for that classic tiramisu finish. Hey pretso! You're ready to serve!
🤷♀️ Vegan Tiramisu FAQs
A: Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert believed to have originated in the Veneto region in the 1960s. However, its exact origins are often debated, with various regions and chefs in Italy claiming to have invented it. The dessert traditionally consists of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers (Savoiardi biscuits) and a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, dusted with cocoa powder on top. My recipe is a vegan version of the classic!
A: "Tiramisu" translates to "pick me up" or "cheer me up" in Italian, reflecting the dessert's uplifting effect. Its rich layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone, and cocoa, often combined with a touch of liquor, offer both a caffeine boost and a luxurious treat, making it a perfect blend of comfort and indulgence.
A: Yes, some recipes replace coffee for fruit, like raspberries, or strong tea, including this vegan matcha tiramisu recipe.
There you have it, friends – a guide to making the dreamiest vegan tiramisu cupcakes. Whether you're a coffee enthusiast, a cake lover, or a vegan sweet tooth, these cupcakes are sure to hit the spot. And if you're in the mood for more vegan baking, why not try my Vegan Coffee and Walnut Cake, my Vanilla Latte Snickerdoodles or my Vegan Ladyfingers!
Vegan Tiramisu Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 12 hole cupcake tray
- stand mixer
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 145 ml plant milk unsweetened and unflavoured, at room temperature
- 85 g vegan yoghurt unsweetened and unflavoured, at room temperature
- 60 ml vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 210 g cake flour see “Why Use Cake Flour?” Section in blog post above
- 160 g caster sugar aka superfine sugar, or sub for plain sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon espresso powder or sub for strong instant coffee powder
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
For the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- 185 g vegan butter at room temperature, use a block variety, not margarine
- 150 g vegan cream cheese at room temperature, see “Ingredients” section in blog post above
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 450 g icing sugar aka powdered sugar
For Decorating
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
Instructions
To Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with liners (I use silicone ones).
- Place the plant milk, vegan yoghurt, vegetable oil and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.145 ml plant milk, 85 g vegan yoghurt, 60 ml vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, sieve then whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.210 g cake flour, 160 g caster sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just smooth. Don’t over mix.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into 2 bowls (I found the batter weighed a total of 670g so 335g in each bowl).
- Mix the espresso powder and cocoa powder into one of the bowls until just combined. Do not over mix. Give the vanilla batter a brief mix to remove any larger bubbles.2 teaspoon espresso powder, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- Add a teaspoon of the espresso flavoured batter to each of the cupcake cases, followed by a teaspoon of the vanilla batter. Continue layering the batter until you’ve used it all up. Use a toothpick to gently swirl the two batters together.
- Place the tray in the oven to bake for 18 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 mins.
- Remove the cupcakes from the tin and place them on a wire cooling rack to cool fully to room temp.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the cream cheese frosting.
To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the vegan butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for at least 3 minutes or until light and fluffy, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides. Alternatively use an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl.185 g vegan butter
- Add the vegan cream cheese and beat again until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and, working with a few tablespoons at a time, add the icing sugar, allowing the previous addition to become fully beaten before moving onto the next. Once all the sugar is added, add the vanilla extract and increase the mixer to medium/high speed and beat the buttercream for a further 30 seconds or until nice and fluffy.150 g vegan cream cheese, 450 g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a rosette nozzle.
To Decorate
- Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream then use a sieve to dust them with the cocoa powder.3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve. If necessary, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Jane from Darwin
Staggeringly good Richard. I'm so so impressed with these. The texture and flavour of the sponge are to die for! Thank you
Den Farleigh
I’ve made these three times already. Every time they’re perfect. Thank you!!
RT
I knew I had to try these straight away and they were so so good. I used Dutch process cocoa which made the coffee bit a little too dark but otherwise they were perfect. Thank you
Frances
Omg I’ve been WAITING for these and they DID NOT DISAPPOINT