Easy Vegan Lemon Muffins

 Light and fluffy vegan lemon muffins topped with lemon icing.

EASY VEGAN LEMON MUFFINS

These vegan lemon muffins are light and fluffy with the flavour of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

To make them even more lemony, they are topped with lemon icing and finished with sprinkles.

The lemon flavour is fresh but mild with a sweet finish.

You're going to love these cute little muffins.

FRESH LEMON

When you're baking, it's essential to use fresh ingredients to get the best results and that includes lemons.

Don't ever be tempted to by lemon essence or flavourings, you'll just end up with bakes that don't taste right and an unpleasant after taste.

Fresh lemon is always best.

These muffins are flavoured with freshly squeezed lemon juice and finely grated lemon peel.

Lemon juice is also used to flavour the icing. Of course, you can always skip the icing if you like, but it does make them rather special.

WHAT NO EGGS OR DAIRY?

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need eggs or dairy to bake delightful cakes. 

You can still create light and fluffy bakes.

You still need fat to create the richness and help bind, but this can be achieved by using dairy-free spread or vegetable oil.

The rise is created by a chemical reaction of a raising agent and something acidic. In this case lemon juice.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VEGAN LEMON MUFFINS

• PLANT-BASED MILK - I like to use oat milk in my baking.
• LEMON JUICE - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is added to the milk to make vegan buttermilk. It will also create a chemical reaction with the baking powder.
• VEGETABLE OIL - For a moist bake.
• SUGAR - Caster sugar will sweeten the muffins/
• SALT - Just a pinch, but always add it, it will help with the flavour.
• FLOUR - Plain flour is used for these wee cakes. You can use self-raising flour, but I'd still add a little extra baking powder. Self-raising flour has raising agent in it, but it needs a wee bit more help for a good rise.
• CORNFLOUR - Also known as cornstarch. This will lighten the bake.
• BAKING POWDER - To give a rise.
• TURMERIC (optional) - Just a little to give a lovely yellow colour. You can skip this step.
• LEMON PEEL - Finely grated lemon peel will actually give more lemon flavour than the juice. It's all the lovely oil in the skin that gives the intense lemon flavour. Remember to wash your lemon well before grating.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMON MUFFINS?

These simple muffins don't need any fancy kitchen equipment to make. You don't need an electric whisk or stand mixer. A spoon or spatula will mix them just fine. Here's what you need:

• A BOWL - For the dry ingredients
• A JUG OR BOWL - For the wet ingredients
• A SPATULA OR SPOON - To mix the cake batter
• 12 HOLE MUFFIN TRAY - Or 2 x 6 hole muffin cases. If you only have one 6 hole tray, you can bake the cakes in two batches.
• 12 PAPER MUFFIN OR CUPCAKE CASES - You can just grease the muffin tray, but I like to use paper cases.

WHY ARE THESE MUFFINS SO GOOD?

1. They are super easy to make. 
2. They don't need any special equipment apart from a muffin tin.
3. They are light and fluffy.
4. They taste great!
5. They are the perfect lunch box treat, but they are also a good afternoon pick-me-up or after-dinner dessert.
6. They aren't the huge American style muffins, so they are lighter on the waistline.
7. They are vegan.

HOW LONG WILL LEMON MUFFINS KEEP?

The cooled muffins can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

CAN LEMON MUFFINS BE FROZEN?

The muffins (before they are iced) can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-proof tub for 3-4 months.

Take them out of the freezer and defrost in the fridge overnight.

MORE VEGAN MUFFINS TO TRY

1. VEGAN BLUEBERRY GINGER MUFFINS - Cupcake size blueberry muffins flavoured with ginger. This vegan treat is perfect for lunch boxes.
2. VEGAN STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE MUFFINS - Easy little vegan muffins with the flavour of strawberry milkshake. Perfect for lunch boxes.
3. VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS - Super easy vegan chocolate chip muffins. They are soft and fluffy and quick to make.

MORE VEGAN LEMON DESSERTS TO TRY

1. LEMON SELF-SAUCING PUDDING from The Vegan Pantry
2. VEGAN LEMON BARS from Nora Cooks
3. VEGAN LEMON SUPREME PIE from Rabbit & Wolves

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HOW TO MAKE VEGAN LEMON MUFFINS

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a printable recipe. If you don't have a printer, hit the print button on the recipe card and save as a PDF.

STEP 1

Preheat the oven and fill a 12-hole or 2 x 6-hole muffin trays with cupcake or muffin cases.

Measure the oat milk into a jug or bowl.

STEP 2

Add the lemon juice and lemon peel to the milk, stir then set aside.

Measure the flour into a mixing bowl.

STEP 3

Add the other dry ingredients to the flour. Sugar, salt, baking powder and turmeric (optional).

Mix well.

STEP 4

Add vegetable oil to the milk and mix.

Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

STEP 5

Mix lightly until just combined. Don't overmix the cake batter or you will end up with tough or rubbery muffins.

Pour the batter into the muffin cases. I use a spring release ice cream scoop. It gives you the perfect scoop.

STEP 6

Bake until golden and a skewer or toothpick comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the muffin tray for a few minutes, then move the muffins to a baking rack to continue cooling.

Add icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) and lemon juice to a bowl to make the icing.

STEP 7

Whisk the icing sugar and lemon juice to make a smooth icing.

Spoon the lemon icing over the cooled muffins and add sprinkles.

Enjoy!

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baking

vegan

Yield: 12

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Print

Vegan Lemon Muffins

Light and fluffy vegan lemon muffins topped with lemon icing.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

Lemon Muffins

• 200g/1 cup oat milk (or your regular milk)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• finely grated peel from 2 lemons
• 50 ml/ 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or other pale, mild oil)
• 200g/ 1 1/3 cup plain flour
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 50g/ 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt

Lemon Icing & Sprinkles (optional)

• 150g/1 1/2 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sprinkles 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/350f/gas mark 4 and fill a 12-hole muffin tray or 2 x 6-hole muffin trays with paper cupcake or muffin cases.
2. Measure the oat milk into a jug or bowl, add 2 tbsp lemon juice and the lemon peel and stir. Set aside.
3. Add the flour into the bowl and add the other dry ingredients (cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, salt and turmeric, if you are adding it). Mix well.
4. Add the oil to the milk and stir. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients then mix lightly until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin cases and bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes until a skewer or toothpick come out clean and they are springy to the touch.
6. Leave to cool in the muffin tray for a few minutes and then move to baking rack to cool completely.
7. While the muffins are cooling, make the icing. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice into the icing sugar and mix well until you have a thick, smooth icing. If it needs a little more lemon juice if you need it. It will need less than you think.
8. Spoon the icing onto the cooled muffins and add some sprinkles.
9. Enjoy!

Notes:

• DO NOT OVER MIX THE CAKE BATTER. You will end up with rubbery muffins. Don't worry if there are some lumps or stray flour, it will all be fine.
• The cool muffins can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• The muffins (before they are iced) can be frozen for 3-4 months in an airtight, freezer-proof tub for 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

Calories

161.39

Fat (grams)

5.08

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.40

Carbs (grams)

33.30

Fiber (grams)

0.93

Net carbs

32.37

Sugar (grams)

20.19

Protein (grams)

1.78

Sodium (milligrams)

43.66

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

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