Looking for a recipe for Gluten Free Cupcakes? These Sprinkles Cupcakes are the best Red Velvet cupcakes ever! They are fluffy, moist, and topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting. People will want seconds, so don't be lazy: prepare a second batch!
Candace Nelson, the founder of the first cupcake bakery, Sprinkles Cupcakes, shared this delicious Red Velvet cupcake recipe with me that I know you will love. And I converted the recipe she shared for Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcakes to gluten-free.
Want to learn more about the Godmother of The Cupcake Bakery?
How many gluten free cupcakes does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 12 delicious cupcakes!
How long do gluten-free cupcakes last?
Gluten-free products have a lower shelf life than baked foods that contain gluten do.
Usually, cupcakes are good for two to three days.
Only frost the cupcakes you intend to eat immediately away because they will hold much better without it.
What ingredients will I need for the cupcakes?
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Gluten-free Flour Blend
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Whole or Coconut Milk
- White Wine Vinegar
- Red Food Coloring
- Gluten Free Vanilla Extract
A word about gluten-free flour
The King Arthur Measure for Measure or Pamela's Gluten-Free Artisan Blend blend would be my go-to gluten-free flours. Both of these produce airy, fluffy baked items free of gluten. They are also free of nuts and dairy, making them suitable for everyone.
The gluten-free flour from Cup4Cup has a similar flavor and texture to regular all-purpose flour but also contains corn/maize and powdered milk. Therefore, you shouldn't use it if you're vegan, lactose intolerant, or corn intolerant.
Please, for the love of God, do not purchase blends with bean flour while looking for gluten-free flour to use in baked goods, such as Bob's Red Mill original all-purpose flour.
If you choose to use bean flour in your baked goods, they will end up being too dense & usually will taste like hummus. Gross.
When one gluten-free red velvet recipe isn't enough:
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Brownies. Yum.
I don't know about you, but I love me some red velvet. Red Velvet Cake, Red Velvet Cupcakes, and especially these gluten-free Red Velvet Brownies. It's like having the best of both worlds. A vanilla base with a touch of cocoa and then that bold red hue. What's not to love?
What ingredients will I need for the cream cheese frosting?
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Salt
- Gluten Free Vanilla Extract
Lets talk about gluten in frosting:
Certain frostings can contain gluten. Some traditional frosting recipe calls for a paste composed of wheat and milk, and some national brands of prepared frosting contain gluten-containing ingredients.
So if you are avoiding gluten, it is often best to make your own frosting. If you decide to buy frosting from the store, make sure that it is gluten-free!
Dairy-free? No problem.
If you want to make a dairy-free version of this gluten-free cupcake recipe, swap the butter for coconut oil and use coconut milk. Then top the cupcakes with our Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Dairy-Free Fluffy Frosting.
Recipe For Gluten Free Cupcakes: Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 muffin tin
- cupcake liners
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks) or coconut oil
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2½ cups gluten-free flour blend (cup for cup style, add 3 teaspoons xanthan gum if not included in your blend)
- 4 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups whole milk (or coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon red food coloring
- 2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 oz butter softened (1 stick)
- 3¾ cups powdered sugar sifted
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl using a hand mixer or standing mixer. Once those are fully incorporated, add the eggs and mix to fully incorporate.
- Stir together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Mix together remaining wet ingredients (milk, vinegar, food coloring, vanilla) in a medium bowl.
- Alternately add and mix in the ingredients to the butter mixture, stirring just to fully combine, in this order: ½ of the dry mix, all of the wet mix, remaining ½ of the dry mix.
- Fill 1 dozen cupcake cups and bake for 18-22 minutes or until tops are just dry on top.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Mix cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer or in a standing mixer on medium-high.
- Add salt and vanilla and mix.
- Slowly add in powdered sugar, mix to combine.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
More from gluten-free recipes from Sprinkles Cupcakes:
The Best Gluten-Free Recipe For Strawberry Cupcakes from Sprinkles!
Your new favorite sweet treat is this Gluten-free Recipe For Strawberry Cupcakes with a Strawberry Buttercream Icing, which is overflowing with rich strawberry flavor from strawberries in the cake and the frosting.
The Best Dark Chocolate Frosting Buttercream from Sprinkles Cupcakes
If you are a chocolate lover, you will love this Dark Chocolate Frosting Buttercream recipe direct from Sprinkles Cupcakes. For sobbing out loud, who doesn't love chocolate frosting?
One more recipe that you might find helpful:
Gluten-free Self-Rising Flour:
Self-rising flour is a must-have to make some of your favorite goodies gluten-free, but it's not so easy to find in stores.
So, I make my own. You can too - it's pretty easy!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe For Gluten Free Cupcakes:
A traditional Red Velvet Cupcake will contain some cocoa powder in the batter, along with vanilla and tanginess from buttermilk or vinegar. The tang is intensified by adding traditional cream cheese frosting.
The flavor of red velvet cake is quite tangy, slightly acidic, and has a trace of both chocolate and vanilla. Even though that flavor combination is somewhat unusual, adding cream cheese icing intensifies the tanginess of the cake.
There is a widespread belief that red velvet is simply devil's food dyed red. This couldn't be further from the truth; each traditional recipe calls for distinct components that create two whole different cakes. A thick, dense chocolate layered cake is called devil's food cake.
King Arthur Measure for Measure or Pamela's Gluten-Free Artisan Blend gluten-free flour blends are go-to gluten-free flours for baking. Both of these produce airy, fluffy baked items free of gluten. They are also free of nuts and dairy, making them suitable for everyone.
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