1-First, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, spraying them lightly with oil. This sets the stage for even baking and easy removal.

2-Next, in a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, stir, and let it sit to curdle into vegan buttermilk.

3-In a large bowl, whisk together 2 3/4 cups cake flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt for even distribution. Then, pour the milk mixture, 1/2 cup melted vegan butter or neutral oil, and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract into the dry ingredients.

4-Whisk until smooth, making sure there are no large lumps, but don’t overmix to keep the cupcakes tender. Fill the cupcake liners halfway with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. After baking, cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before adding frosting.

5-For the frosting, simply pipe or spread vegan vanilla frosting and decorate with sprinkles or sliced strawberries.