Vegan Gluten Free Cupcakes
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My vegan gluten free cupcakes are fluffy, moist, and have the perfect tender crumb. Made with simple ingredients, they’re quick and easy to make.
About ten years ago, my sister reached out to see if I could develop a vegan and gluten free chocolate cupcake for her friend’s baby shower. I had just finished a module on gluten-free baking at culinary school, so I went to the kitchen to see what I could do.
I started with my vegan chocolate cake, and then experimented with different gluten free flour blends and liquid ratios until I landed on ones that baked up moist, fluffy, and full of rich chocolate flavor.
The trick is to use a flour that contains xanthan gum, which gives baked goods extra stability and structure. For me, that was either Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Ever since then, I’ve kept making these even without a celiac guest in sight- they’re that good.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Made in one bowl. No fancy ingredients or mixers are needed, just one mixing bowl, which means cleanup is kept to a minimum.
- Easy to customize. I kept the base simple on purpose so you can switch them to vanilla, different frostings, or fold in mix-ins without the recipe falling apart.
- Texture that rivals traditional cupcakes. The texture is indistinguishable from a traditional chocolate cupcake- moist, fluffy, and with a proper tender crumb.
Ingredients needed
- Gluten free all-purpose flour blend. When it comes to gluten-free flour blends, stick to one with a simple ingredient list and make sure it includes xanthan gum (or add ½ teaspoon). I like to use either Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Avoid using plain rice flour or almond flour, as they won’t yield the best texture.
- Cocoa powder. I used Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder which yields a fluffier middle than raw or natural cocoa powder. If you like rich flavors, use dark cocoa powder (my favorite).
- Sugar. I used white sugar because it makes for fluffier cupcakes and doesn’t distract from the other ingredients.
- Baking soda. Baking soda is activated by the vinegar in this recipe, which gives the cupcakes lift without eggs.
- Salt. Just a dash to elevate the sweet flavors.
- White vinegar. Vinegar interacts with baking soda, helping the cupcakes to rise and become fluffy. Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice can also be used, but they’re more overpowering in flavor.
- Vanilla extract. I’m only using a teaspoon, but it balances the cocoa flavor well.
- Oil. To add moisture and richness. I like to use either vegetable or canola oil, but any neutral oil will work.
- Water. To form the batter. You can also use non-dairy milk, but I didn’t notice any difference.
- Chocolate frosting. Most grocery stores stock vegan gluten free frostings, but I like to use Miss Jones (from Amazon), which pipes beautifully.
How to make gluten free vegan cupcakes
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 2- Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3- Add wet ingredients. Form 3 wells in the dry mixture. In each well, add the vinegar, vanilla extract, and oil. Whisk to combine, then add the water and mix until you have a cohesive batter.
Step 4- Assemble and bake. Pour the cupcake batter into the liners, approximately ⅔ full. Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 5- Cool. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack until cooled completely.
Recipe tips and variations
- Sift the dry ingredients. I find it’s always a good idea to sift the dry ingredients to prevent lumps and add some air into the batter.
- Avoid overbaking. The cupcakes will continue to cook as they cool, so pay close attention and remove them from the oven as soon as that toothpick comes out clean. My oven took 15 minutes, but it can take up to 17 minutes.
- Make mini muffins. If I’m making a small dessert, I’ll use a mini muffin tin, which makes 24 mini muffins. You’ll want to reduce the baking time to 12-15 minutes.
- Skip the oil. If you’d rather omit adding oil, you can use equal portions of unsweetened applesauce. The cupcakes won’t be as rich, but they will be totally oil-free.
- Make vegan vanilla cupcakes. I tested these to see how they would fare without chocolate, and the result was light, vanilla-forward cupcakes that worked just as well. Just replace the cocoa with extra flour and use two teaspoons of vanilla.
How to store leftovers
To store: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Leftover cupcakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I recommend only freezing cupcakes if they haven’t been frosted yet.
Vegan Gluten Free Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 12-count muffin tray with muffin liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine your flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt, and mix well.
- Form 3 wells in the dry mixture. In each well, add the vinegar, vanilla extract and oil. Mix well, until combined. Add the water and mix until combined.
- Distribute the cupcake batter evenly amongst the muffin tins, approximately 2/3 full. Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack until cooled completely.
Notes
Nutrition
More vegan and gluten free desserts to try
- Vegan blondies– Chewy, chocolatey, and totally addictive.
- Sticky date pudding– One of my favorite childhood treats.
- Edible cookie dough– Finally, an excuse to eat cookie dough straight from the bowl!
- Donuts– Baked, not fried, and made with only 4 ingredients.
Originally published July 2020
Which oil is used. Vegetable or Sunflower 🙂
I’ve made these with both Ruth and it worked really well. Use whichever you have on hand 🙂
Sound easy & yummy! Have you tried making these sugar-free? With monk fruit, maybe, or other sweetener?
Hi Momma! Yes, I have. I tested this with monk fruit and allulose, and I find allulose dissolves like sugar does and doesn’t affect the cupcake’s texture or crumb.
These have been hit and miss on baking these as mini muffins for me and i’m sure it’s user error: Are they supposed to be a little sticky inside? Sometimes no matter what i do, i bake and bake for extra minutes at a time and the outside continues to firm up like a brick while the inside stays tacky at the center. Is this normal? It’s like there’s too much oil but nothing fixes it? tips please lol
Hey Chelsea, baking with gluten-free flower can be real balancing game sometimes. Your oven might be running a bit hot, so you could try turning it down slightly and cooking for a little a bit longer. You might also be overmixing the batter potentially? Try to mix just until combined. If none of that works you could also try loosely covering the tray with foil. This will help keep moisture in and cook them a little more evenly. Keep checking with that toothpick too. Let us know how you go!
Looking forward to making this recipe!
Please do, Karan- it’s one of my go-to cupcakes when I need to bake for those with allergies!
These are the best gf cupcakes I’ve ever had. They were moist and fluffy…better than store bought and not overly sweet. I know oven temps vary. Checked them at 17 minutes and toothpick wasn’t clean. Left them in for an additional two minutes and they were perfect. I used King Arthur measure for measure and couldn’t tell the difference from regular cupcakes. Thanks for this awesome recipe.
Aw, Mimi- thank you so much for making my recipe and leaving a lovely review. I love that you used King Arthur baking flour- I typically use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour but I’ve had success using that, too, so I’m so pleased to hear that.
Cannot wait to make these cupcakes
Please do, Christine, and let me know how you go once you make them. They are simple, but taste delicious 🙂
This is just too good- it’s moist and fluffy!