Not one or two, but three varieties of moist and decadent chocolate cupcakes are made from this one Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcake recipe!
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes were originally published on June 11, 2019 and have been updated with two more variations for topping the cupcakes, a slightly modified chocolate buttercream recipe, plenty of new information for making chocolate cupcakes, new pictures, and a new video.
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Believe it or not, I never used to be that into chocolate cake or cupcakes. Weird isn't it? I grew up not really liking it at all and always chose white or yellow cake over chocolate. I think it's because every chocolate cake I tried was very dry. The only chocolate cake I can remember my mom making when we were little was a chocolate sheet cake. And that's a whole different ball game (more like a bar than a cake).
This chocolate cake is a whole different story, though. It's so moist that I could eat it without frosting, and that's saying a lot because I usually like my frosting with a little cake, if you know what I mean. Haha! This cake is the very same cake I use for ALL my chocolate cake recipes, including this one.
What's The Trick to Making Great Gluten Free Cake?
Here's the thing. Gluten development is something we really want when we're making homemade breads and rolls, pizza dough or any other yeast-based goods. It's what gives bread its chewy and airy texture. And that's why it's so hard to find really great gluten free breads (if you're new to my site, check out my breads section for the BEST gluten free breads ever!).
But have you ever read through a cake or cookie recipe and it says "don't overmix?" That's because if the flour mixes with water (or liquid), it will start to develop gluten. But if you're making a cake or cookies without wheat flour, you don't have to worry about developing gluten.
My husband always says my cakes are the best he's ever had, better even than any cake with gluten. He will definitely tell me if he doesn't like something I make. He's sometimes brutally honest that way. But I wouldn't want it any other way. It's the only way I'll know if what I'm making is working. In other words, if I can fool a gluten eater into thinking it has gluten, then my work is done.
what you'll need to make chocolate cupcakes
- Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend - a store bought blend may work, but please note this has not been tested.
- Canola oil - or any neutral oil. Oil versus butter makes these cakes extra moist.
- Milk - a dairy-free milk may be substituted.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder - you can use either natural or Dutch process cocoa powder. Dutch process will give you a deeper, darker chocolate cake.
- Hot coffee - the original recipe called for using boiling water, but I like how coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate so that's what I always use.
how to make gluten free Chocolate cupcakes
- Step 1: Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Step 2: Combine all wet ingredients, including sugar, in the bowl of a mixer on low speed.
- Step 3: Add dry ingredients and slowly combine, pulsing mixer on and off.
- Step 4: With mixer on low, carefully add boiling hot water or coffee. Let batter sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Step 5: Fill cupcake liners ¾ full with chocolate batter and bake for 20-23 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Step 6: Make buttercream by creaming butter and adding in powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Step 7: Beat for 5 minutes on medium to medium high, until lighter in color and very light and fluffy.
- Step 8: Remove half the frosting. Add melted chocolate to the mixing bowl.
- Step 9: Beat on medium high until light and fluffy.
- Step 10: For swirled cupcakes, pipe vanilla or chocolate buttercream onto cupcakes using Wilton tip 1M.
- Step 11: For a round frosting look, use a large cookie scoop to scoop vanilla or chocolate buttercream on top of cupcakes.
- Step 12: For domed sprinkled covered cupcakes, dip frosted cupcakes into bowl of sprinkles, rolling around until frosting is completely coated.
chocolate cupcakes frequently asked questions
Because coffee brings out the chocolate flavor more! You don't really taste the coffee itself, but it really makes a difference in the deep chocolatey flavor of the cake.
Once I got a taste for these REAL chocolate flakes, though, I wanna put them in everything!! Click here to check them out. They come in a HUGE resealable bag that'll last a while, so they're well worth the few extra dollars spent.
I store them at room temperature, well covered (a cake stand with a domed lid works perfectly) for up to a week and they stay moist the entire time! They can also be frozen individually and then wrapped individually in plastic wrap, where they will be almost as good as freshly baked when thawed.
more gluten-free cupcakes to try
- Gluten Free Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter and Candied Bacon
- Gluten Free Hi Hat Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Gluten Free Hostess With the Mostess Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes
- Perfect Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Coconut Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Champagne Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Lemon Drop Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Churro Cupcakes
Have a chocolate craving? Make these cupcakes! Don't have a chocolate craving? Make these cupcakes anyway because they'll satisfy the chocolate craving you didn't know you had 🤣
Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2½ cups (375g) gluten free flour blend (I use Kim's gluten free flour blend)
- 1¼ cups (132g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1¾ cups (420ml) milk, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (180ml) canola oil (any neutral-flavored oil may be used)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups (550g) granulated sugar
- 1¼ cups (300ml) very hot coffee (or boiling water)
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 3 cups (6 sticks or 680g) butter, at room temperature (I personally like to use salted butter, but this is optional)
- 6 cups (680g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or one vanilla bean, pod scraped
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- ½ recipe Vanilla Buttercream, above
- 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet or milk chocolate, melted and cooled
- real chocolate sprinkles (optional, but highly recommended)
Instructions
Bake the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to sift together and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on low just until the eggs are broken up slightly. Pour in the sugar and blend until smooth. Add the dry ingredients on low, pulsing on and off until all of the dry ingredients have been added. With mixer on low speed, add the hot coffee (or boiling water) and blend until completely smooth, being careful that it doesn't splash back. The batter will be very thin. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for about 22-25 minutes or until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Let the cupcakes cool for about 5 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Vanilla Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and pulse on and off, just until all of the powdered sugar has been combined. Increase the speed to medium to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the buttercream has turned very light in color and is light and fluffy in texture.
Make the Chocolate Buttercream
- Remove half of the vanilla buttercream from the mixing bowl into another bowl and set aside. Add the melted chocolate to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth and light. You may add more chocolate to taste, using either semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate. This chocolate buttercream is very light in flavor and color.
To Decorate
- To add a swirl to the top of cupcakes, fit a piping bag with a Wilton 1M open star tip and fill with chocolate or vanilla buttercream and pipe a swirl around the top of the cupcake.
- To add a round mound of frosting to the top, use a large cookie scoop and scoop buttercream on top of cupcake.
- To dip in sprinkles, begin with a mounded frosted cupcake and carefully tip over into a bowl filled with sprinkles. Gently roll the cupcake around in the sprinkles to coat the entire outside of the frosting with sprinkles.
Notes
Chocolate Cupcakes adapted from Trophy Cupcakes & Parties.
Keeks says
This cake was delicious! It tasted just like I remember hostess cupcakes tasting. Made it for my hubby's birthday this past weekend. He wanted Mississippi Mud Cake, so I baked most of this batter in a 13x9 pan, and then topped it with marshmallows and the chocolate pecan frosting from my old Mississippi Mud Cake recipe. The remaining batter made 8 cupcakes, which I wrapped in cling wrap, put in ziplocs, and froze. Hubs liked it - said it 'barely tasted gluten free' , which is high praise from him (I'm the intolerant one.) Thanks again, Kim! 🙂
Merileigh says
I loved these cupcakes! Do you have a way to turn the cupcakes into a layer cake? My daughter is turning five and wants a chocolate layer cake (with peanut butter icing, we love peanut butter too!). I would love to use this cake base but when I made the recipe with cupcakes it made 36 cupcakes! So guessing it would be too much batter for a two layer cake right? Thank you!!
Kim says
I do, Merileigh! It's my Mickey Mouse cake, but you can use three 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch (the instructions are in the recipe). Here's the link: https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/gluten-free-mickey-mouse-chocolate-cake/
Merileigh says
Thank you so much!!
MARY AMABILE says
Hi Kim, Have you tried making a cake with this recipe?
Kim says
Yes, all the time! Check out this post: https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/gluten-free-mickey-mouse-chocolate-cake/
Shari says
Hi Kim, made the triple chocolate cupcakes with the mexican chocolate frosting and filled them with bavarian cream for my girlfriends birthday. My husband and I think they are wonderful, will let you know what everyone thinks. Tried to post a pic of them under this comment, couldn’t get it to upload. Thank you again for all your delicious recipes. 🦋🌞
Shari says
Hi Kim, everyone loved the cupcakes, my girlfriend said they were the best she’s ever had and one of are other friends loved how ligh and fluffy the frosting is. Thanks once again for such an amazing recipe with the best GF flour blend you can find. Love all your recipes, haven’t found one that hasn’t worked and they’re better than any other out there in my opinion. 🦋🌞
Kim says
Thank you so much, Shari!!!! I really appreciate your kind words 🙂
Kim says
Oh wow, sounds delish Shari!!!
Antonella says
Perfect, moisty and tasty. After three days they are still like the first day. My favorite recipe for chocolate cupcake so far!
Kim says
Awe, that's awesome! So glad you like them 🥰
Francisca Landeros says
I am curious, with cake recipes to you recommend your all purpose blend or bread blend?
Thank you. I am looking forward to making these yummy recipes!
Kim says
All purpose 🙂
Carol Hassler says
I was so happy to find your site. I really love your flour blends, but wonder if you have a substitute for nonfat dry milk powder. I find I do not like the flavor this imparts in my baked goods. Otherwise, maybe you have a brand that does not have an objectionable taste.
Kim says
Hi, Carol! Thanks for visiting my site!! I have never tried a substitute for the milk powder, but with all the different flours and powders they have out there these days, I'm sure you could find something that might work. The brand I use is Sanalac. It's a brand I find at my local commissary and it's a fine powder and doesn't have a taste that I know of (no one ever comments on anything I make as being off tasting). I would check Amazon as they have several different brands of milk powder, but also have coconut milk powders, too.
I hope this helps!
Kim
Joyce R says
In the ingredients you list coffee for the cake, but in the instructions it lists milk. Is there supposed to be milk in this recipe? I used the coffee and the cake is in the oven now for a graduation party today. I hope it works out : /
Kim says
Yep, you are right. There is both milk and coffee (or water) listed in the ingredients. In instruction #2, it says begin with the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and then add all the dry. Then you will add the hot coffee (or water).
Hope this helps!
Mary Ocamb says
If these don’t look AMAZING I don’t know what does!!!
Kim says
Thanks! They are SO good!!