Soft and fluffy zingy lemon cupcakes with dairy-free lemon buttercream on top.
Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C/325°F for fan or convection oven). Prepare a cupcake tin with 12 cases.
Mix together the soy milk and lemon juice and set it aside to thicken. This will be your vegan buttermilk.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and baking soda until there are no lumps left.
Use your spoon to make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add your buttermilk from earlier along with the oil. Mix well until you have a smooth cake batter.
Add in the lemon zest and mix again.
Divide the cake batter between the 12 cases and bake for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick through the centre should come out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mix the vegan margarine and icing sugar together until smooth. It's best to add a little icing sugar at a time to prevent mess.
Add the lemon extract and mix well. If you'd like your buttercream to be thicker, add more icing sugar. If you want it thinner, add a splash of plant-based milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Pipe the frosting onto your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!