There are more than a few cupcake recipes without butter that are worth giving a look.
I would even argue they are actually better than traditional cupcakes since they remain fresh for longer.
In any case, the recipes you will find on this list aren’t simply limited to the binary choice of vanilla or chocolate.
There are cupcakes made with caramelized orange peel, lemon zest and even ones made with beetroot.
I have also included two frosting recipes since the frosting for some of the recipes is made with butter.
14 Cupcake Recipes without Butter
My Simple Vanilla Cupcakes Without Butter
These simple vanilla cupcakes may not have any butter in them, but they have an amazingly tender crumb.
I have swapped with canola oil since it provides more moisture and keeps the cupcakes fresh for longer.
If you’re out of ideas for the icing you can try them out with this butterless vanilla frosting.
Get the recipe: My Simple Vanilla Cupcakes Without Butter
Vegan Lemon Cupcakes
These Vegan Lemon Cupcakes are perfect if you want to impress the guests at your afternoon tea party.
They pack a refreshing lemon flavor, light texture and an elegant presentation.
Whipping a batch only requires some dairy free milk, sugar, neutral vegetable oil and a few lemons.
These cupcakes are also easily customizable as you can add some lemon curd to their center or add some blueberries to the batter.
Get the recipe at: Rainbow Nourishments
Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes
Soft and pillowy as a cotton ball, these red velvet cupcakes are a proven crowd pleaser. Their amazing red color is achieved with pureed beets.
And since beets are slightly acidic, they also cause a reaction with baking soda which makes the cupcakes fluffy.
Naturally, if you get tired of making cupcakes, you can also use the batter to make a red velvet cake.
Get the recipe at: Carve Your Craving
Healthy Banana Cupcakes
You can turn around pretty much any dessert and make it lighter by adding some mashed bananas.
And these banana cupcakes aren’t an exception to the rule. They’re made without any eggs, butter or sugar and pack only 120 calories per cupcake.
All of this essentially translates into more cupcakes and less worries.
Get the recipe at: Amy’s Healthy Baking
Crazy Chocolate Cupcake
If you’re looking for a chocolate cupcake recipe without any dairy or eggs, then you gotta try these Crazy Chocolate Cupcakes.
They pack an intense cocoa flavor, a moist texture and a fragrant coffee aroma.
You can also use the batter to make a cake as the idea for these cupcakes is adapted from a chocolate cake recipe.
Get the recipe at: Aromatic Essence
Orange Cupcakes
These Orange Cupcakes are perfect if you’re looking for a more unconventional cupcake recipe.
They’re topped with candied orange peel which adds a refreshing citrusy aroma and makes them easier on the eye.
Making them isn’t exactly effortless since the candied orange peels require a bit of time and patience.
Nevertheless, I can assure you that the end result will be completely worthwhile.
Get the recipe at: The Gardening Foodie
Perfect Yellow Cupcakes
These cupcakes pride themselves in having the perfect yellow color and after trying them out I can attest that’s not an overstatement.
They’re also full of flavors thanks to the almond extract, vanilla extract and sour cream.
The original recipe is made with unsalted butter, but you can easily swap it out with vegetable oil.
You’ll also want to skip the frosting for the same reason.
Get the recipe at: I Am Baker
Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes
These vanilla cupcakes are not only made with no butter, but they also have no eggs as well.
The butter is substituted with oil and butter essence, while yogurt is used as a substitute for the eggs.
This results in soft and pillowy cupcakes that are simply begging for a bite.
Get the recipe at: Carve Your Craving
Easy Powdered Sugar Vanilla Frosting
I decided to include this simple powdered sugar vanilla frosting in the list since the frosting for some of the cupcakes includes butter.
The frosting is made with a few tablespoons of cream, cream cheese, almond extract, powdered sugar and non-dairy milk.
You can easily turn it into chocolate frosting by simply swapping out the vanilla extract for some cocoa powder.
Get the recipe at: Bite Sized Kitchen
Peanut Butter Cupcakes
If these Peanut Butter Cupcakes have passed under your radar, then you seriously have to give them a try.
They’re extremely moist, pack an amazing flavor and are super easy to make. And don’t worry, peanut butter doesn’t actually have any actual butter in it.
However, if you want to go completely butterless, you’ll need to swap the frosting with a butter free alternative.
Get the recipe at: Desserts On A Dime
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
This Cream Cheese Frosting is a healthier alternative to frostings which are made with powdered sugar.
It has a light airy consistency and a delicate sweet flavor.
To make the frosting you’ll simply need to mix some yogurt, cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth.
Get the recipe at: Fit Mama Real Food
Super Moist Vegan Cupcakes
Up until I tried these vegan cupcakes, I was quite skeptical if they would actually turn out moist.
However, my doubts proved to be groundless as the cuppies actually turned out extra moist and fluffy.
Make sure you try them out with some coffee or with your afternoon tea.
Get the recipe at: Shirley Cooking
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
Light, moist and fluffy, these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes are simply begging you to make them.
They’re made with vegan buttermilk, which in essence, is a combination of almond milk and apple cider vinegar.
If you’re allergic to almonds, you can swap out the almond milk for another plant based alternative such as oat milk.
This recipe also comes with a vegan frosting so you won’t have to waste any time rummaging the internet for frosting ideas.
Get the recipe at: Mindful Avocado
Vegan Gluten Free Cupcakes
These vegan cupcakes are perfect for anyone who has a gluten allergy or simply wants to cut out gluten out of their diet.
It’s made with a gluten free all-purpose flour blend, cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and white vinegar.
Even though it may seem unreasonable to some, these cupcakes actually turn out quite moist and fluffy.
Get the recipe at: The Big Man’s World
Wrapping up
Butterless cupcakes are a great dessert option if you have gone vegan or you simply want your cupcakes to last longer.
There are plenty of different variations from which you can choose from and in most cases the butter is substituted with oil.
Which is perfect since you can turn around pretty much any cupcake recipe by simply adding oil instead of butter.