Vegan recipes may seem daunting, but a few simple ingredient swaps are all it takes to make a delectable dessert without any dairy or eggs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cupcake pan with paper liners or coat with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine maple syrup, canola oil, applesauce, vanilla and 1 cup of the soy milk. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

Scoop  ¼ cup batter into each cupcake pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.

For the frosting, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and place in a large bowl along with coconut oil. Beat on low speed, adding sugar ½ cup at a time until well combined. Add 2 tablespoons of soy milk or more to reach desired consistency. Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: Calories: 248; Total Fat: 10 grams; Saturated Fat: 6 grams; Total Carbohydrate: 40 grams; Sugars: 27 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Sodium: 181 milligrams; Cholesterol:  0 milligrams; Fiber: 0 gram

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »