Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Did someone say dessert?! When these delicious gluten free red velvet cupcakes are on the menu, everyone will save room! Not to mention, they're incredibly easy to make and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting that's dairy free as well!
Only have 30 minutes to spare and need a sweet treat but want a little more pizzazz than cookies? Turn to these gluten-free red velvet cupcakes! They're perfect as a quick bake or for something special like Valentine's Day. Plus they’ll look like you fussed and spent hours in the kitchen, but they couldn’t be simpler.
And because they start with our gluten-free flour blend, they come together in no time. Find our versatile flour blend, that happens to be perfect for breads, muffins and biscuits, here. It has the perfect balance of flours to starches so you get great results with your baked goods each and every time.
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Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe
If you've ever wanted fluffy cupcakes that just burst with flavor and don't take hours to prepare, then this is your recipe. These tempting, homemade cupcakes are also:
- Simple to mix -use a stand mixer and they'll come together in no time
- Consistent - the recipe makes darn good cupcakes! Each and every time!
- Soft and buttery - just because they're gluten free and dairy free doesn't mean they lack that soft crumb that typically comes with decadent yellow, white, and chocolate cake. Because of the batter, they're even more tender than gluten filled ones.
Ingredients for Tender Cupcakes
Tender Cupcakes:
- Dairy-Free Buttermilk - Use a dairy-free milk such as almond, soy milk, or coconut milk and white vinegar to make vegan buttermilk.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend - Other flour blends like Bob's Red Mill make work but they have not been tested. I would not recommend a single flour like rice flour, almond flour, or oat flour in this recipe.
- Xanthan Gum - This binder gives the cake it's beautiful texture - fluffy, not crumbly.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder - These rising agents help the cupcakes rise high.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Cocoa powder gives the cupcakes their characteristic deep flavor.
- Salt - Adds to the flavor.
- Granulated Sugar - White sugar is essential for sweet, delicious cupcakes. A sugar substitute like Swerve granular sweetener may be used. I would not recommend using a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup or coconut sugar.
- Vegetable Oil - Oil adds the necessary fat to the recipe. Melted coconut oil may be used.
- Egg - Egg is needed to add lift to the batter. An egg substitute may be used. A flax egg or chia egg, as listed in my guide to baking substitutes, are recommend substitutes.
- Pure Vanilla Extract - Adds a delicious hint of vanilla.
- Red Food Coloring - A key ingredient for any red velvet cake recipe.
- Prepared Coffee - An absolute must for depending the flavor of the cupcake.
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Vegan Cream Cheese - The Kite Hill brand was used in this recipe. Make sure it is very soft.
- Vegan Butter - There is no substitute for the vegan butter in the frosting.
- Pure Vanilla Extract - Adds flavor and a touch of liquid to help whip the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar - Essential for making delicious frosting. There is no substitute for the powdered sugar.
Exact measurements and instructions on making this gluten free red velvet cupcakes recipe are in the recipe card below.
Step by Step to GF Red Velvet Cupcakes
STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, mix the oil and sugar.
STEP THREE: Add the rest of the wet ingredients - egg, vanilla, red food coloring, buttermilk mixture, and coffee to the large bowl.
STEP FOUR: Mix in the flour mixture. Set batter aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Portion the cupcake batter into cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake tests done.
STEP SIX: Set cupcakes aside to cool on a wire rack and prepare the dairy-free cream cheese frosting.
STEP SEVEN: Cream softened butter and cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl using a hand mixer.
STEP EIGHT: Add in powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add in vanilla extract and beat again until light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes.
Tips for Frosting the Cupcakes
These velvety cupcakes taste amazing by themselves, but add a dollop of delicious cream cheese frosting and suddenly you have a dessert that will take your breath away. Any way you frost these little beauties is going to be scrumptious – because who can resist a cream cheese frosted cupcake?!
But if you’d like to practice your swirls and rings of frosting, here are the tools you’ll need:
The #12 tip size is perfect for making the small, but perfectly sized ropes of frosting around these cupcakes. A slight squeeze of the bag as you turn the cupcake around and around is all it takes.
Finish them off with a small little tip at the top and some red sugars.
Substitutions
Egg-free or vegan cupcakes: Use an egg substitute from this list or use a storebought egg replacer like this one.
Gum-free cupcakes: Use one of the alternatives to xanthan gum here.
Sugar-free cupcakes: I would recommend a sugar substitute for the cupcakes but not for the frosting. If you need sugar free for this recipe, omit the frosting. These unfrosted cupcakes are delicious!
Storage
These red velvet cupcakes store very well at room temperature in an airtight container. For longer storage, they can be frozen. Defrost frozen cupcakes at room temperature for 1 hour or if unfrosted, they can be defrosted in the microwave.
Pro Tips
Gluten Free Flour Mix
With just the right balance of flours and starches, our flour blend is ideal for this cupcake. It produces a light and tender cake without being overly sweet. It’s really the ideal blend and is perfect for these bread sticks, these chocolate chip muffins and these honey muffins too.
Room Temperature Ingredients
For best results, bring all ingredients to room temperature. Room temperature ingredients blend better than cold ingredients. So even if your flour is stored in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature before using.
Batter Rest Time
The 30 minutes rest time is important for the batter to hydrate properly. Gluten free baked goods have a better texture with an adequate rest time.
Gluten-Free Cupcakes FAQs
There is some science behind using buttermilk in your red velvet cupcakes. That characteristic tang helps activate the baking soda in the cake which creates some nicely crowned cupcakes! It's easy to make buttermilk at home - just mix the milk (either almond or cow's milk) and let it sit for a few minutes, then use in the recipe.
The recipe has been tested and re-tested several times with our gluten free flour blend. Other mixes may work, but I have not tested them. I know this one works wonderfully!
Whether they sink while baking or after you take them out of the oven, sinking cupcakes can put a damper on your baking! The reason they sink can be a couple things - either they didn't bake quite long enough or the batter didn't have a long enough rest period. Fortunately, they can easily be fixed. And I mean super easy! Just add a bit more frosting to the tops and then decorate as usual. No one will know!
More Cake Recipes
Recipe
Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Method
- Make buttermilk by adding the white vinegar in a measuring cup and filling the cup up to ½ with almond milk. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix the sugar and oil on low speed for 30 seconds or until combined.
- Add in the egg, buttermilk mixture, vanilla, and red food coloring, mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Turn mixer to medium and mix for 15 seconds.
- Add the coffee to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for 10 seconds.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix on low speed for 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.
- Turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
- Set batter aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare a muffin tin by placing paper liners in each cup. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Fill each muffin cup ⅔ - ¾ of the way full of batter.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick tests done.
- Remove the cupcakes and let them cool on a cooling rack.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened vegan cream cheese and vegan butter until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat again until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
Video
Notes
- This recipe was tested with the gluten-free flour blend from Zest For Baking.
- Make sure ingredients are at room temperature.
- Measure by weight where weight is given.
- Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes for the lightest, fluffiest cupcakes.
- A measuring cup works well for portioning the batter in the cupcake liners or use a large spoon and spatula. The batter will be thin.
- Frost the cupcakes with a knife or get fancy with a piping bag and tip.
Original pictures:
