Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 73 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup hot water (180 grams); 1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips, melted (57 grams); 1 tsp instant espresso or coffee (2 grams); 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (32 grams); 3/4 cup gluten free flour (92 grams); 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams); 1/2 tsp fine salt (2 grams); 1/2 tsp baking soda (3 grams); 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (73 grams); 2 large eggs, room temperature (114 grams); 1 tsp white vinegar (4 grams); 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4 grams); 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113 grams); 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (188 grams); 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate, cooled (90 grams); 1/4 tsp fine salt (2 grams); 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (2 grams); 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60 grams)

ByChelsey White Updated onMay 22, 2025

4.84 from 53 rating

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I am planning to make a cake for my friend’s wedding this spring, and she can’t eat gluten. This is the catalyst behind my recent gluten free baking spree, and these gluten free chocolate cupcakes.

Gluten free baking is different than conventional baking in a lot of ways, and really throws the rule book out when it comes to baking. It’s a totally different animal, which has taken a lot of trial and error for me to get comfortable with.

image of gluten free chocolate cupcakes frosted with a dark chocolate buttercream frosting

What’s In Gluten Free Flour??

There are a lot of gluten-free flour blends out there. Each brand uses a unique mixture of wheat flour alternatives, like rice flour, brown rice flour, and even almond flour!

It can be difficult to get the texture of gluten-free flour just right for baking. A lot of these alternative flours have a finer texture than all-purpose flour.

Some type of starch is usually added to help give the mixture better structure and a bit of binding power. Tapioca and potato starch are the most commonly used starches.

image of ingredients for gluten free chocolate cupcake reipe

One other ingredient in gluten-free flour that might sound a little strange is xanthan gum. It’s a key ingredient in gluten-free baking. Xanthan gum has a big impact on the texture of gluten-free baked goods, too.

Gluten adds elasticity and stickiness to dough and batter. Xanthan gum emulates these characteristics in gluten-free baking and helps lock in moisture.

Does It Matter What Brand of Gluten-Free Flour I Use?

I’ve tried this recipe with a few different brands of gluten free flour, and so far, each of them has worked great:

My favorite brand of gluten free flour for this recipe was King Arthur. However, any brand of gluten free flour you can find at your grocery store should work.

image of gluten free chocolate cupcake unwrapped to show how moist and fluffy the cupcakes are

My only word of caution is to be sure you use some sort of gluten free flour blend.

Using a single type of gluten free flour like almond flour or cassava flour in this recipe will not yield the same results!

Most grocery stores carry at least one blend of gluten free flour. Stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s also have lots of great options.

If all else fails, amazon is another easy way to get your hands on a gluten free flour blend. I order a majority of my baking supplies on amazon, including most of my specialty ingredients ?

Why This Recipe Works With Gluten Free Flour

This gluten free chocolate cupcake recipe is based on my moist chocolate cupcake recipe.

Gluten free baked goods have come a long way in the past few years, but a lot of people still think of them as gritty, dense, and even gummy.

One of the main reasons this cupcake recipe works is because it uses oil as a fat instead of butter. Oil is easier for the gluten free flour to absorb.

image of gluten free cupcakes in the baking pan, surrounded by ingredients and frosting

The cupcake texture was spot on, with the help of the following gluten free baking tips.

Tip #1: Overmix Your Batter

While I strongly advise against over mixing batter in other recipes, and even design my recipes to have as little mixing as possible, gluten free batter is different.

The whole reason you don’t want to over mix your batter is that it develops thick strands of gluten, which can lead to dense, tough cupcakes. But when you’re using gluten free flour, this isn’t a problem.

In fact, overmixing gluten free flour can actually give the cupcake better structure! This helps cupcakes rise better as they bake, and gives the cake a more tender crumb.

image of gluten free chocolate cupcake cut in half to show great structure and delicate crumb

The additional mixing can also make it easier to bite into these cupcakes and enjoy them. The incremental structure helps prevent the cupcakes from crumbling as they’re bitten into.

Tip #2 Let Your Batter Rest

Remember earlier when I said that gluten free flour blends can have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats?

If you let the batter sit for a bit before baking it, you give the flour more time to absorb all that goodness. This helps thicken the batter, and prevents your cupcakes from having a gritty texture.

I unintentionally did this as I was photographing and filming this gluten free chocolate cupcake batter. You’d be surprised how long it takes to get a perfect shot of scooping cupcake batter into a pan!

Letting the batter sit for about 30 minutes drastically improves the texture of these cupcakes, so be sure you don’t skip this step!!

image of baked chocolate gluten free cupcakes stacked in a pile, ready to be frosted

Tips for Making The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes:

Don’t be afraid to overmix your batter! Vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it’s made, to help give it structure
Let your batter sit for about 30 minutes before baking to help the gluten free flour absorb more moisture from the batter
Properly measure your gluten free flour (spoon into the cup measure then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients
Use a cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners
Ingredients at room temp mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven, to bring any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface

Making These Cupcakes Cake In Advance & Storage Tips:

Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer
Make your frosting ahead of time too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container, but I find frosting them right before serving is best.

image of gluten free chocolate cupcakes frosted with a swirl of dark chocolate frosting

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for gluten free chocolate cupcakes, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating, and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

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4.84 from 53 rating