Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

These Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes are so easy to make. Mix everything in one bowl and you have cupcakes in less than an hour. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Corn-Free.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes: The Flour

You can whip up a batch of these cupcakes in minutes. Minutes! Measuring the flour is the most time consuming part of the recipe. And, if you know me, I prefer to use a custom mix of gluten-free flours.

This allows me to totally control the final texture of my baked goods. And since gluten-free baked goods often suffer from a texture problem (gummy, heavy, dense), I’m sure you understand this.

However, now there are many gluten-free flour blends on the market. So if you don’t feel like measuring out flours, that’s totally fine. Replace the flours, starches, and xanthan gum in this recipe with an equal amount of Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour or your favorite gluten-free flour blend.

Question: My flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum. What do I do?

Answer: If you’re flour blend doesn’t include xantham gum, add it. Use the same amount of xanthan gum called for in the recipe.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes: Mixing

This is a one-bowl recipe. Woot! Woot! Put all the dry ingredients, the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, etc., into a large bowl. Give it a good whisk. If you skip this step, the cocoa powder can clump when you add the liquid.

Once you’ve whisked the dry ingredients, add the vegetable oil, coffee, and eggs. (Sorry, this recipe doesn’t work without eggs.) Whisk until smooth and you’re done.

Question: I don’t like coffee. What can I use?

Answer: Replace the coffee with either water or milk. Both work great in this recipe.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes: Baking

Use a muffin scoop and scoop the batter into paper-lined muffin cups. When you use a scoop, each cupcake is the same size and the job goes so fast.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Or you could tap the top of the cupcake. It should feel firm, not squishy.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes: Frosting

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before you slather them with your favorite frosting. If you frost warm cupcakes, the frosting melts into a greasy mess. Whomp-whomp.  

But if you frost cooled cupcakes, the frosting stays perfect. All you need to do is unwrap the cupcake and enjoy.
Shop the Recipe

Shop the Recipe

Links listed below are affiliate links. GlutenFreeBaking.com earns a commission if you use them to shop.

Mixing Bowls
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour
Muffin Scoop
Cupcake Pan
Handheld Mixer
Rubber Spatulas
Cocoa Powder
Sprinkles

4 from 1 vote

Print

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

These Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes are so easy to make. Mix everything in one bowl and you have cupcakes in less than an hour. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Corn-Free.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 16 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) white rice flour*
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) potato starch*
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum*
• 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) cocoa powder, regular or Dutch process
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup coffee, milk, or water
• 3 large eggs

Frosting

• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened or vegetable shortening
• 2 cup (8 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons milk or water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the Cake
   

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 16 standard cupcake cups with paper liners. Set pan aside. 

2. Whisk together the white rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. (If using a gluten-free flour blend, whisk the flour blend together with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.)
   

3. Add the vegetable oil, coffee, and eggs. Whisk until the batter is smooth. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cavity about 2/3 full.

4. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 

5. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

6. For the Frosting

   Combine the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk, using a handheld mixer, until smooth. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
   

Recipe Notes

*To use a gluten-free flour blend: Replace the white rice flour, potato starch, and xanthan gum with 1 1/2 cups of a gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum. If it doesn't, add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum to the recipe.