Whether it’s a children’s birthday party, a wedding, or just a standard Tuesday night, you can’t go wrong with a cupcake (or several). These baked sweet treats are nostalgic, delicious, and fun to eat, especially when they’re covered in creamy frosting. Find out where to grab the best vegan cupcakes below.
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What’s in a vegan cupcake?
Just like regular cakes, cupcakes are usually made with a few core ingredients: eggs, flour, sugar, and butter. But while butter and eggs aren’t vegan, it is possible to find animal-free alternatives. Aquafaba, for example, can be added to replace eggs, while there are plenty of vegan butter products on the market. For more tips, check out our guide to vegan baking.
But if you don’t want to bake at home, why not let the experts work out all of the ingredients for you? Below, we’ve compiled some of the best places to find tasty, indulgent cupcakes across the US. But of course, this list is far from comprehensive. We also recommend supporting local businesses near you that offer vegan baked goods—you never know, you might find a new favorite sweet treat.
Where to find the tastiest vegan cupcakes in the US
Grab a fluffy vegan cupcake at one of these 16 bakeries.
1Erin McKenna’s Bakery
Multiple locations
With locations in California, New York, and Florida, Erin McKenna’s is spreading the vegan cupcake goodness all over the country. The bakery has a wide range of tasty flavors, including brownie, carrot, and vanilla. Plus, the bakery is entirely gluten-free and certified Kosher to boot. Don’t live by one of its three locations? Erin McKenna’s ships its sweet treats nationwide via Goldbelly.
find it here
Cake Girl
2 Cake Girl
Los Angeles, CA
For delicious, allergy-friendly cupcakes, Los Angeles’ Cake Girl is worth a visit. Located inside Saint Louis pharmacy on 1st Street, choose from flavors like strawberry churro, vanilla sprinkle, matcha strawberry, and from Thursday to Saturday, Mexican-inspired Gansito cupcakes, too. All are gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, nut-free, and vegan.
Find it Here
Pie, Pie My Darling
3 Pie, Pie My Darling
Chicago, IL
For an innovative twist on classic cupcakes, Pie, Pie My Darling is a must-visit. The vegan bakery churns out “cup-cakes,” miniature cakes complete with frosting and toppings galore all held together inside a cup. Flavors rotate monthly, but at the time of writing, options include Cookie Monster, berries and cream, and banana split.
Find it here
Baked By Melissa
4 Baked By Melissa
Multiple locations, NY
With multiple locations across the city, Baked By Melissa is a New York treasure trove of tasty cupcakes. Flavors include peanut butter, dark chocolate coconut, maple cinnamon bun, and triple chocolate chip. Can’t choose? We don’t blame you, but the good news is you don’t have to. Grab one of the bakery’s cupcake assortments and sample them all.
Find it here
Sticky Fingers
5 Sticky Fingers
Washington, DC
Doron Petersan, owner of Sticky Fingers, won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars not once, but twice with her delectable vegan cupcakes. For a taste of these championship winning treats, head to Petersan’s Washington, DC bakery for fun flavors including strawberry cheesecake, peach brown sugar, and cookies and cake.
Southern Roots
6 Southern Roots
San Antonio, TX
Southern Roots’ Volcano Cupcakes are “Texas-size,” according to the brand, so don’t worry about not having enough to share. They’re rich, moist, indulgent, and come in delicious flavors like red velvet and lemon blueberry. Plus, they each come with a velvety, buttercream surprise center.
find it here
Unicorn Bake Shop
7 Unicorn Bake Shop
Portland, OR
Portland’s Unicorn Bake Shop is entirely vegan, and, for those with gluten sensitivities, the home bakery also offers a selection of vegan and gluten-free treats. Place an order for custom cupcakes and choose from a wide variety of flavors including vanilla, Funfetti, chocolate, strawberry, lemon, and red velvet.
find it here
Sweet Vegan Bakes
8Sweet Vegan Bakes
Chicago and Richton Park, IL
Sweet Vegan Bakes is more than just a bakery. It’s also a vegan restaurant. Satisfy all of your savory cravings with the eatery’s diverse food menu, and finish off your meal with cupcakes in flavors like banana pudding, coconut, orange marmalade, and even cool ice cream cupcakes.
Yvonne’s Vegan Kitchen
9 Yvonne’s Vegan Kitchen
Pasadena, CA
French-trained chef Yvonne Ardestani is all about showing the world that delicious baked goods don’t need animal products. And the proof is in the cupcakes. Try everything from chocolate mocha to carrot cake to the aesthetically pleasing flower cupcakes.
find it here
Like Mom’s Only Vegan
10Like Mom’s Only Vegan
Cincinatti, OH
This family-owned business prides itself on making comforting baked treats that transport you to mom’s kitchen—only these are made without any animal ingredients. You’ll have to place cupcake orders a few days in advance, but trust us, they are well worth the wait. Choose from citrus cake with vanilla icing, blueberry cake with strawberry icing, vanilla cake with chocolate icing, and more for your next gathering.
Molly’s Cupcakes
11Molly’s Cupcakes
Multiple locations
Across its locations in Illinois, New York, Iowa, and Ohio, Molly’s cupcakes are baked fresh every single day in small batches. Vegan flavors include chocolate and vanilla, both of which come with frosting, too.
find it here
Shoofly Vegan Bakery
12Shoofly Vegan Bakery
Portland, OR
As well as tasty pies, cookie trays, and full-sized cakes, Portland’s Shoofly Vegan Bakery has an extensive range of delicious cupcakes on offer. Try flavors like chocolate peanut butter, s’mores, vanilla raspberry, and many, many more.
find it here
Mo’Pweeze Bakery
13Mo’Pweeze Bakery
Denville, NJ
Everyone deserves the satisfaction of biting into a sweet, fluffy cupcake, but when food allergies come into play, finding a delicious cupcake can prove difficult. Luckily, Mo’Pweeze Bakery is free of the top 10 allergens. It’s so good, it was named one of the 10 best gluten-free bakeries in the country by USA Today. Satisfy your cupcake cravings with flavors such as Mo’ Apple Pie, Moo’s Choc Choc, Rockin’ Red Velvet, and more.
Bunny’s Cake Shop
14 Bunny’s Cake Shop
Austin, TX
Everything at Austin’s Bunny’s Cake Shop is gluten-free and vegan, so good luck deciding on what to order. Honestly, maybe just go for the whole lot, but we suggest starting with the cupcakes. Dark Cocoa, Banana Mama, Raspberry Rose, and Sunshine Lemon are just a few of the delicious flavors on offer.
find it here
Wilma Bakes Cakes
15 Wilma Bakes Cakes
Washington, DC
Named after a very cute dog, Wilma Bakes Cakes opened in 2020 during the pandemic and is still going strong. Everything is vegan at this woman-owned business, and you can even build your own cupcakes, choosing from frosting flavors like mint, caramel, strawberry, and lemon.
find it here
Zucchini Kill Bakery
16 Zucchini Kill Bakery
Austin, TX
Inspired by the feminist punk rock band Bikini Kill, this vegan, woman-owned bakery is all about music and great-tasting sweet treats. Try its best-selling vegan cupcake flavors like s’mores, carrot cake, and German chocolate.
find it here
For more on vegan baked goods, read:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the vegan lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission. In no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
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