Not one, not two, but three forms of chocolate are in these gluten free triple chocolate cupcakes!! Moist chocolate cake, heavenly chocolate frosting, and real chocolate flakes make up these AMAZING cupcakes!
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 chocolate cake at all and always chose white or yellow cake over chocolate. Maybe it’s because chocolate cake was always very dry.
This 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! The cake is the very same cake I use for my gluten free Mexican chocolate cupcakes, which are out of this world!
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) too long, 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. Haha! But that’s what I want–I want him to be brutally honest. It’s the only way I’ll know if what I’m making is working.
I believe the reason my cakes are so moist and light is because they just work so much better without gluten. There’s no chance for gluten development so the cakes are going to be light and fluffy and moist, not dense and chewy and gross!
Why Use Coffee In Chocolate Cake?
Any time I make chocolate cake, I ALWAYS substitute coffee for the water. Why? 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.
Why Use REAL Chocolate Flakes?
I love me some sprinkles! But when I had a chocolate cupcake rolled in THESE real chocolate flakes from a local bakery years ago (in my BC days), the flakes really made me love the cupcake even more. I’m not knocking regular ‘ole sprinkles. I love a great ice cream sundae with chocolate or colored sprinkles, as well as a confetti cake and pretty much anything that has sprinkles!
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.
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
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 2 ½ cups (375 g) gluten free flour blend (I use Kim's gluten free flour blend)
- 1 ¼ cups (132 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups (415 ml) milk
- ¾ cup (180 ml) canola oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (550 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups (272 ml) hot coffee, or boiling water
BUTTERCREAM
- 2 cups (460 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 7 cups (840 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (90 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tbsp (90 ml) heavy cream or milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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.
- In bowl of stand mixer, add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour the sugar in and then add the dry ingredients. Blend the mixture at low speed using paddle attachment until smooth. Slowly add very hot coffee or boiling water and blend on low speed until completely smooth, being careful that it doesn't splash back.
- Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for about 22 minutes or until tops spring back and toothpick inserted into center comes out with just a few crumbs.  Let cupcakes cool for about 5 minutes in pan. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Â
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for only 30 seconds, and then increase speed to high and beat for 1 full minute (no longer).
- Cover and store in refrigerator for up to one week or freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight and then beat for a few seconds until creamy.
Notes
Chocolate Cake adapted from Trophy Cupcakes & Parties.
Chocolate Buttercream adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Favorite Chocolate Buttercream.
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 13×9 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! 🙂
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!!
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/
Thank you so much!!
Hi Kim, Have you tried making a cake with this recipe?
Yes, all the time! Check out this post: https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/gluten-free-mickey-mouse-chocolate-cake/
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. 🦋🌞
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. 🦋🌞
Thank you so much, Shari!!!! I really appreciate your kind words 🙂
Oh wow, sounds delish Shari!!!
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!
All purpose 🙂
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.
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
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 : /
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!
If these don’t look AMAZING I don’t know what does!!!
Thanks! They are SO good!!