These vegan Christmas cupcakes with a brandy frosting bring all the classic Christmas flavours into the humble cupcake. Think warm spices with a little orange lift. Then there is the Brandy frosting: a silky vegan buttercream inspired by classic Christmas Brandy butter, but light enough to pile high on top of the cupcake. These cupcakes are dairy-free and egg-free and ideal for parties, gifting or as a holiday table dessert.
Why you'll love these vegan Christmas cupcakes.
- 100% vegan: No eggs, no dairy.
- The brandy frosting is smooth, silky, pipeable, and party-ready.
- Easy to follow method.
- Classic Christmas flavours: Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, orange and brandy.
- Don't spend hours making a Christmas cake - these Christmas cupcakes are small and cook much faster, but still give you that Christmas cake hit.
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Key Ingredients and Notes
The ingredients are split into two groups: The cupcakes and the brandy frosting.
Cupcakes
- Soft brown sugar - the molasses in soft brown sugar holds moisture, helping give structure and helping the cupcakes stay tender. Adds a caramel flavour note.
- Plain flour and Baking powder - for structure and lift in the cupcakes.
- Vegan block butter - I use Violife brand.
- Ground almonds - helps the cupcake crumb feel richer and less dry, and provides a nutty note to the cupcakes.
- Flaxseed powder - Makes a flax-egg when mixed with water. Helps bind the cake batter together in the absence of eggs.
- Alcohol-infused fruits - give the cupcakes a Christmas cake vibe and provide moisture. Prepare these beforehand yourself. I show you how in my Calcutta Christmas cake recipe.
- Candied orange - The citrus notes pair well with the Christmas spices and alcohol infused fruits. I make my own.
- Clove powder, Cinnamon powder & ground nutmeg - Classic Christmas flavours.
Brandy Frosting
- Vegan whipping cream - Vegan whipping creams are formulated with fats/stabilisers to trap air and form peaks.
- Icing sugar - a fine-grained sugar that dissolves quickly and yields a silky, smooth frosting texture.
- Brandy - You will only need a little.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vegan Christmas Cupcakes with Brandy Frosting
To begin:
- Line your muffin tray with the paper cupcake cases.
- Roughly chop the candied orange.
- Preheat your oven to 150ยบC
- Add water to the ground flaxseed. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes to thicken. This is your flax-egg
- Cream the butter and soft brown sugar until it is pale.
- Add the Flax Egg and ground almonds, and mix to incorporate.
- Then add the plain flour, baking powder, spices, chopped candied orange peel, and alcohol-infused dried fruits.
- Gently fold together to mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, to the top of the muffin tin. These cupcakes do not rise too much.
- Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Make the Brandy Frosting
- Add the vegan whipping cream and brandy to a bowl, then gradually add the sieved icing sugar, whisking with an electric whisk until the mixture forms peaks.
- Transfer the brandy frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle.
- Rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Pipe onto the cupcake and decorate.
Decorating ideas for vegan Christmas cupcakes.
- Cranberry jam with a rosemary sprig (very "Christmas table").
- Gold candy stars and sprinkles (good for parties)
- Crushed vegan ginger biscuits.
- Dried cranberries or sugared cranberries.
- Candied orange strips dipped in chocolate.
- Orange tuiles.
Variations and Substitutions.
If you want more booze in your cupcakes, don't add brandy to the frosting, as it introduces unwanted liquids. Instead, add to the cake mix.
To make a less boozy cake, you could soak the dried fruits in orange juice and zest, apple juice and cinnamon, or even a spicy syrup made with equal parts water and sugar, warmed with cinnamon and cloves.
For a no-booze, kid-friendly cupcake, boil the dried fruits until soft, then use them as directed in the recipe. For the frosting, instead of brandy, add ยฝ teaspoon of your choice of essence, such as vanilla or orange blossom.
Would you like some extra spice? Add a quarter teaspoon of ginger powder.
Equipment
All you will need for these vegan Christmas cupcakes is:
- Muffin tray.
- Paper cupcake cases.
- Electric Whisk.
- Piping bag & star-shaped nozzle.
Storage
You can store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze them for up to 2 months.
The frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Make sure they are at room temperature before serving for the best texture.
The frosting can be made ahead of time. Transfer it into a piping bag and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Clip the piping bag above the nozzle, then seal the top with another clip or a rubber band so the frosting does not leak out.
Chef's Tips
When making the flax-egg, let it thicken for 5-10 minutes before using.
Don't be tempted to use vegan spreads - the vegan block butter is formulated for baking.
It can be challenging to get a satisfying frosting with vegan ingredients. Here are some tips to ensure you do:
- Chill the vegan whipping cream before use to help it whip to a thicker consistency. Overnight ideally.
- Put the bowl and whisk in the fridge for 10 - 15 minutes before making the frosting.
- If your kitchen is warm, set the mixing bowl in a larger bowl with ice while whipping.
- Sift the icing sugar.
- Add the icing sugar gradually as the whipped cream becomes foamy, not all at once.
- Aim for texture, not fixed amounts. Stop when it reaches soft peaks, then add just enough to reach firm peaks. Do not over-whip, or else it might split.
FAQs
That is completely normal - and in this recipe, it is actually a good thing. Vegan cupcakes often rise less than their dairy counterparts. With these cupcakes, we aim for a tender, cake-like crumb rather than a bouncy "muffin" rise. Also, the flat tops provide an ideal surface for the brandy frosting.
It is important to choose a vegan butter formulated for baking. Don't be tempted to use vegan spreadable butter. There are lots of brands out there with different fat contents, which give different baking results, so do some research. Here are some examples to illustrate:
Stork vegan baking block - 70% fat - lighter, fluffier cakes.
Flora plant butter unsalted - 79% fat - gives a more buttery crumb.
Naturli vegan block - 75% fat - good for pastries.
Violife Vioblock - 79% fat - gives a tender crumb.
I use Violife to give these cupcakes a Christmas cake feel.
It is a subtle addition to the frosting. It is noticeable but not overpowering. Start with a little if you are not sure. Do not add too much liquid to the frosting, though, or it will become increasingly runny.
No, the frosting is a no-cook mix. You can make these cupcakes kid-friendly by replacing the brandy with an essence of your choice - perhaps vanilla essence or orange blossom essence. Instead of the alcohol-infused dried fruits, you can boil them before using them in the recipe, as instructed.
Not really. Icing sugar provides the frosting with structure, and if you reduce it, the piped frosting will not hold its shape. Use less frosting per cupcake instead.
Absolutely. Best to bake them the day before and store in an airtight container. You can prepare the frosting beforehand, too, and frost them on the day for freshness. After frosting, chill them for 20 minutes before transferring to your cupcake carrier. These little cupcakes travel well!
๐ Recipe
Vegan Christmas Cupcakes With Brandy Frosting
Equipment
- 12 Paper cupcake cases
- Electric whisk
- Digital scales
- Piping bag and star shaped nozzle
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 275 g Plain Four
- 275 g Soft brown sugar
- 275 g Vegan block butter
- 30 g Flaxseed powder
- 75 g Ground almonds
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 50 g Candied orange
- ยผ teaspoon Clove powder
- ยฝ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ยผ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 250 g Alcohol infused fruits
- 135 ml Water
Brandy Frosting
- 250 ml Vegan whipping cream
- 50 g Icing sugar
- 60 ml Brandy
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Roughly chop the candied orange.
- Line the muffin tray with the paper cupcake cases.
- Pre-heat the oven to 150ยบC (fan assisted)
- Add the water to the flaxseed powder and let stand for 15 minutes to create the flax-egg.
- Cream together the vegan block butter and the soft brown sugar until pale.
- Add the flax-egg and the ground almonds and mix thoroughly.
- Add the flour, baking powder, spices, chopped candied orange and alcohol-soaked dry fruits. Fold gently to mix everything thoroughly.
- Spoon the cupcake batter into each of the paper cupcake cases to the top of the muffin tin (this cupcake does not rise too much)
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
- Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Then remove from the muffin tin and cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.
Brandy Frosting
- Add the vegan whipping cream and brandy to a bowl and gradually add the sieved icing sugar whilst whisking with an electric whisk.
- Whisk until soft peaks form.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle. Rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, use a spiralling motion to create a large swirl, then pipe the frosting onto the top of each cupcake.
- Finish with a decoration of your choice.
Food Safety
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food.
- Wipe down countertops and high-contact points regularly.
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 ยฐF (74 ยฐC).
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours).
- Store food correctly.
Margaret says
These were great because it was like a Christmas cake in a perfectly sized portion. Will make again before next christmas, definitely