These fudgy gluten free chocolate cupcakes decorated with a swirled buttercream are so decadent you won't even miss the gluten!
These are the best gluten free chocolate cupcakes! They're soft, fudgy, moist - aka everything you hope and dream a homemade cupcake tastes like. Don't let the lack of gluten fool you! These cupcakes are so decadent, you won't even miss the gluten. Trust me, this will be your new go-to cake recipe for birthday parties and every other special occasion!
I highly recommend fancying these gluten-free cupcakes up with a vanilla, chocolate, and espresso swirled Swiss Meringue Buttercream!
For more cupcake and chocolate cake recipes, try Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, Dairy Free Chocolate Cake, and Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake.
Jump to Recipe
Why you'll love these gluten free chocolate cupcakes
- Fudgy, Moist Texture: No one likes dry cake, and these are anything but that! he combination of two types of cocoa powders and a pound cake-style method, these little cakes are loaded with chocolate flavor.
- Flat Cupcake Tops: These cupcakes bake up perfectly flat, so there's no need to trim the tops.
- Scale-able: If you'd like you can absolutely cut this recipe in half to get about 7-8 cupcakes or double it for 30 cupcakes!
Ingredient Notes
- GF 1:1 Flour: Gluten-free baking can be tough and not all gluten-free flour blends are made equally! Both Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour's gluten free 1:1 flour never fail me.
- Cocoa Powder: I used a combination of dutch process and black cocoa powders for an extra rich chocolate experience.
- Baking Powder: Be sure your baking powder is fresh by testing it some water.
- Butter: Use high-quality butter, such as European-style butter for best flavor.
- Sugar: You'll need about 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar.
- Eggs: Be sure your eggs are at room temperature before adding them to the batter.
- Sour Cream: You can also use plain whole milk greek yogurt or buttermilk.
- Oil: I recommend using light-tasting extra virgin olive oil, but any neutral oil will work.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this gluten free chocolate cupcake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1: Batter. Make the cupcake batter by creaming together the butter & sugars, then mixing in the eggs & vanilla extract, and alternating adding the dry & wet ingredients.
Step 2: Bake. Fill the cupcake pan with 5 tablespoons of batter in each cupcake liner. Smooth out the batter and tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for about 24 minutes.
Step 3: Cool. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 4: Frost. Decorate as desired!
Expert Baking Tips
- If you do not have black cocoa powder, you can use an equal amount of dutch process cocoa powder, making it a total of 63g or ¾ cup.
- Use a neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil. I recommend using light-tasting extra virgin olive oil.
- It can be difficult to tell exactly how much to fill a cupcake tin, so to make it easier I recommend adding 5 tablespoons of batter to each. I used a 2 tablespoon & 1 tablespoon cookie scoops.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can swap an equal amount of regular all-purpose flour or even cake flour for the gluten free 1:1 flour.
Dutch process cocoa powder is THE best cocoa powder for baking. Because it's neutralized with an alkalizing agent, it has a smoother flavor and creates the most fudgy and chocolatey baked goods! Black cocoa powder is similar to dutch process, but richer in flavor and darker in color. It is typically used in small amounts alongside another cocoa powder to enhance the color and flavor of the baked good. It smells like actual chocolate cake and is just magical to bake with!
If your cupcakes are fully baked, but they sank after you took them out of them oven, it is likely because they were filled with too much batter. It can be difficult to tell exactly how much to fill a cupcake pan, so to make it easier I recommend adding 5 tablespoons of batter to each. I used a 2 tablespoon & 1 tablespoon cookie scoops.
Yes, these cupcakes stay moist for about 3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature, so you can bake them a day or two ahead of time and frost when ready to serve!
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag to store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frosting ideas for these cupcakes
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other cakes & cupcakes to try
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📖 Recipe
Fudgy Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the gluten free chocolate cupcakes:
- 120 g (1 cup) GF 1:1 flour
- 42 g (½ cup) dutch process cocoa powder
- 21 g (¼ cup) black cocoa powder*
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 198 g (14 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temp
- 250 g (1 ¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 113 g (½ cup) sour cream, room temp
- 100 g (½ cup) neutral oil*
For the swirled swiss meringue buttercream:
- Get the ingredients here.
Instructions
For the gluten free chocolate cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the GF 1:1 flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light & fluffy.
- Mixing on low speed, add the eggs one a time.
- Scrape down the bowl and mix in the vanilla.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Mix in the sour cream and oil.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Fill the cupcake pan by adding 5 tablespoons of batter to each cup.*
- Smooth out the batter with a spoon and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate and enjoy!
For the swirled swiss meringue buttercream:
- Get the instructions here.
Notes
- If you do not have black cocoa powder, you can use an equal amount of dutch process cocoa powder, making it a total of 63g or ¾ cup.
- Use a neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil. I recommend using light-tasting extra virgin olive oil.
- It can be difficult to tell exactly how much to fill a cupcake pan, so to make it easier I recommend adding 5 tablespoons of batter to each. I used a 2 tablespoon & 1 tablespoon cookie scoops.
Nora says
I’m not GF, but I thought these looked good so I wanted to give them a try! I was a little skeptical of using GF flour, but pleasantly surprised with how rich and fudgy they turned out. Couldn’t tell they were GF at all! Will definitely make this recipe again 🙂
Luiselena says
If you want to be the mom with the best chocolate cupcakes this is the recepie. They have a very intense coca flavor. The frosting gives them a delicious balanced flavor.