Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Small batch gluten-free chocolate cupcakes. Easy to make. Moist and delicious.

After creating a recipe for gluten-free vanilla layer cake, two things came to mind: cake is awesome and I should bake more cake.

My husband’s birthday gave me the perfect excuse to bake more cake! (Although, honestly, did I really need a reason?) I thought I’d try a dairy-free chocolate version of the yellow cake I recently made. So I replaced the butter with liquid vegetable oil, reduced the amount of potato starch, and added cocoa powder. Finally, I swapped the milk for coffee.

The results worked really well. Like the original, the batter came together quickly and the cake baked up high with a delicate crumb. The coffee adds a depth of flavor without turning it into a mocha cake. If you don’t like coffee, the cake works well made with water or a dairy-free milk. (Of course, if dairy isn’t an issue for you, just use milk.)

Since this is a small-batch recipe, it’s a perfect recipe to make whenever because…cake.

5 from 1 vote

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 16

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• Gluten-free non-stick cooking spray or 16 paper cupcake liners
• 1 1/4 cups white rice flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (7 1/2 ounces; 212 grams)
• 1/4 cup potato starch (1 ounce; 28 grams)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (3/4 ounce; 22 grams)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
• 2/3 cup coffee or water (5 1/3 ounces; 152 grams)
• 3 large eggs (5 1/4 ounces; 148 grams)

For the Fluffy Buttercream

• 1 stick butter, softened (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• 1 (7 1/2 ounce) jar marshmallow crème (I used Marshmallow Fluff)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded coconut, optional

Instructions

1. Make the Cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 16 standard cupcake cavities with paper liners. Set pan(s) aside.

2. In large mixing bowl, whisk together white rice flour, granulated sugar, potato starch, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add vegetable oil, coffee, and eggs. Using a handheld mixer, mix until a thick batter forms, about one minute. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan or spoon into cupcake cups. Fill each cavity about 2/3 full. Bake until cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool cake on a wire rack. Remove cupcakes from pan after five minutes. 

3. Make the Buttercream: In medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. (Use high speed on a handheld mixer or medium-high speed on a stand mixer.) Add marshmallow crème and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. Spread on cooled cake or cupcakes.

4. Frost when cool. If desired sprinkle coconut over cake or dip tops of iced cupcakes into coconut.