These easy Vegan Marble Muffins are soft and fluffy, with cocoa and lemon. They’re quick to make and have a tender, moist texture without being overly sweet!
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Ingredients for Vegan Mable Muffins:
- Plant Milk
- Flour
- Oil
- Cocoa
- Lemon
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Soy Yogurt
FAQ about these Vegan Marble Muffins:
What can I use instead of soy yogurt? I would substitute it with another plant yogurt like cashew, almond or oat yogurt.
How sweet are these Vegan Marble Muffins? They are pleasantly sweet, not overwhelming or absurdly sweet. I like to keep the sugar levels on the lower end, they will turn out really nicely with 90 grams (3.17 ounces (oz)).
What plant-based milk works best? I personally love using soy milk, as it has a bit of a creamy texture and I feel like the higher protein content creates a soft and fluffy crumb. Of course, you can also use other unsweetened plant-based milks, such as oat, cashew or almond milk.
Can I use cocoa powder or melted chocolate for the chocolate batter? I usually use raw cocoa powder for the chocolate batter, and that’s what I recommend for this recipe. When I’m feeling fancy, I like to add a few vegan chocolate chunks or pieces to the chocolate part. You could also experiment with melted chocolate, but I haven’t tested the recipe that way, so I’d stick with cocoa powder for the best results.
How do I know when these marble muffins are done? As always, the easiest way to check is with a toothpick or a fork. Insert it into the center of a muffin, and if it comes out clean, they’re ready. If there’s still wet batter sticking to it, give them a few more minutes in the oven. Usually they need to be baked for around 20 to 25 minutes.
How do I create the marble effect?
If you want clearly separate vanilla and chocolate parts in your Vegan Marble Muffins, spoon one batter into the muffin cases first and then add the other one on top. If you prefer the classic marble effect, alternate small spoonfuls of the vanilla and chocolate batters, then gently swirl them together with a tool you have in your kitchen. I like to use a chopstick or the end of a fork. Don’t overdo it, just a few swirls will give you that marbled look once they’re baked.
How could I make them more fancy?
To make your Vegan Marble Muffins extra fancy, I’d either add a lemon or chocolate glaze. For a simple lemon glaze, let your muffins cool completely and mix ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar with 1–2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, adding the juice little by little until you have a smooth, drizzleable glaze. Drizzle it over the muffins and finish with a little lemon zest if you like. You could also give them a light dusting of powdered sugar but keep in mind that this will hide the beautiful marble pattern on top! Of course, there’ll still be a lovely marble pattern inside when you take a bite. And if you’re a chocolate lover, you could always add a simple chocolate glaze instead using your favourite couverture.
How do I make these Vegan Marble Muffins super fluffy?
For really fluffy and moist Vegan Marble Muffins, I have a few little tricks that make a big difference. I like to make a quick soy buttermilk by mixing soy milk with some lemon juice or vinegar. This adds some acidity to the batter, which helps the muffins rise and keeps them nice and soft. I also add soy yogurt, which gives them extra moisture and makes the texture super soft. And most importantly, don’t overmix the batter! Just mix everything until it’s combined, since overmixing can make the muffins dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy. Finally, make sure you don’t overbake them, because that’s an easy way to lose all that lovely moisture.
Vegan Marble Muffins with Lemon and Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup/ 250ml Soy Milk
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 2½ cups/ 300g Flour (spelt or wheat)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Sugar
- ½ cup/ 90g Sugar
- pinch Salt
- ¼ cup/ 70ml Oil (vegetable/rapeseed)
- ⅓ cup/ 100ml Soy Yogurt
- ¼ cup/ 20g Cocoa
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Lemon Zest
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the soy milk and vinegar together and whisk well. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, and baking powder.
- After 5 minutes, add the oil and yogurt to the soy milk and vinegar mixture. Whisk until combined. Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, or it will get dense.
- Divide the batter evenly between two separate bowls. In one bowl, add the lemon zest and lemon juice. In the other bowl, add the cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of soy milk. Mix each batter until well combined.
- Either line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners or skip them if you're using stainless steel like me! Add about 1 tablespoon of the light batter to each muffin cup, followed by about 1 tablespoon of the cocoa batter. Use a fork or skewer to gently swirl the two batters together.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool before enjoying.
How long will they stay fresh?
As with most baked good, these Vegan Marble Muffins are best when they’re fresh, so I’d recommend enjoying them the same day or the next day. After that, they can start to lose their moisture and get a little dry. If you want to keep them for longer, freeze them instead. Once they’ve cooled completely, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how these Vegan Marble Muffins turned out for you, I’m super curious! You can leave a comment below, I really appreciate you taking the time and helping others feel more confident int trying this recipe or help me improve this recipe or instructions, if there are any uncertainties! You can also tag @lordsoftheplants on Instagram and hashtag it #lordsoftheplants for me to see your creation, which is always super fun to me!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like these super fluffy gluten-free Banana Chocolate Muffins!