Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes | FoodByMaria Recipes

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

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Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes on a counter

Prep

25 minutes

Cook

21 minutes

Yield

12

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with a delicious strawberry surprise in the middle. This spin on a classic recipe will be a crow pleaser at your next birthday party.

Classic chocolate cupcakes are seriously the best. They’re so nostalgic to me. That creamy chocolate icing on top that you used to lick off as a child. This gluten-free chocolate cupcakes recipe, however, is not only gluten-free but has a stuffed filling. A great spin to the classic cupcakes we grew up loving so even the gluten intolerant kids or family at your party can still enjoy a sweet treat. 

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes on a white counter

Why you’ll love these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes: 

  • Chocolate: Enough said. Is there anything better than chocolate?
  • Easy: Whip these up in 45-minutes flat
  • Versatile: Add your favorite type of icing or decorations on top 

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes on a white counter

Ingredients: 

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for yummy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes:

Ingredients for chocolate cupcakes on counter

Ingredient Notes: 

Flour: For this recipe I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. What’s so great about this flour substitute is that it’s a 1-to-1 substitute. With so many different kinds of flours, you need to do the math to figure out exactly how to substitute it and if you get it wrong it can mean your baking won’t turn out. With this flour you’ll have no guess work.

Strawberry Filling: Swap out strawberries with your favorite berry or whatever you have on hand. You can also omit the filling all together if you prefer just the classic chocolate cupcake. 

Egg: Use a regular egg or your egg replacement here. However, if you plan to make this recipe vegan, ensure you add the extra teaspoon of baking powder identified in the recipe below. 

How do you make gluten-free chocolate cupcakes? 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a cupcake tin with 12 liners.

2. In a kettle or a pot, boil 1 cup of water.

Dry ingredients being added and whisked into a bowl

3. In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift in the cocoa powder to remove lumps. Using a whisk, combine the dry ingredients until uniform.

Wet ingredients for gluten-free chocolate cupcakes in a bowl

4. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, almond milk, and vanilla until combined. 

5. Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl, and using a hand mixer, whisk the ingredients together on medium speed for 20 – 30 seconds. 

6. Scrape the edges with a spatula, then measure out ½ cup of hot water. Pour this into the large bowl.

Ingredients for gluten-free chocolate cupcakes being mixed in a mixing bowl

7. On medium speed, mix the batter for 1 ½ – 2 minutes until uniform. Do not overmix. 

Cupcake batter being added into muffin tin

8. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake tin.

9. Bake for 20 – 22 minutes. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack. 

Cutting strawberries for cupcake filling

10. To prepare the filling, cut off the tops and quarter all of the strawberries.

Lemon juice being added to strawberries

11. In a medium-sized pot, add the strawberries and lemon juice, and bring over medium-high heat. Cook this for 3 – 4 minutes, until slightly soft.

12. In a small dish combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk together.

13. Add the sugar + cornstarch mixture to the strawberries and stir together.

14. While stirring, allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes until it bubbles and you notice it thicken. 

Strawberries for gluten-free chocolate cupcakes

15. Transfer to a medium-sized dish and set it in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Chopping chocolate for chocolate icing

16. For the chocolate frosting, combine earth balance and chopped dark chocolate in a small bowl. Melt this in the microwave and mix to combine. After, transfer to a large bowl. 

Sifting powder over chocolate

17. Sift the cocoa powder + icing sugar over the top of the chocolate mixture and add the vanilla. 

18. Whisk together thoroughly with a hand mixer on medium speed. The mix will appear dull and grainy.

19. Add in the sour cream and continue to mix until shiny and smooth. 

20. To assemble, once completely cooled, use a small knife to cut a ¾ – 1-inch sized circle on the top of each cupcake. Scoop out the cut-out cupcake portion, and a bit underneath to reach approximately 1 inch in depth. 

21. Add a tablespoon of the strawberry filling into the created well-the filling will go taller than the actual cupcake height. 

22. Next, prepare a piping bag with a large star tip, and fill ⅔ full of chocolate frosting. 

23. To pipe, hover the end of the star tip 1 cm over top of the cupcake- besides the strawberry filling. Firmly squeeze the bag until icing comes out and touches the base. Continue to squeeze and move your hand in a circular motion around the filling while gradually layering the icing over the top of the filling. Once you have covered all of the fillings and reached the center, lightly press down and flick your wrist to create a peak. Repeat this for all of the cupcakes.

24. Garnish your cupcakes with sliced strawberries! Enjoy!

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes on counter

Expert Tips & FAQ: 

Toppings: Melt some extra chocolate and drizzle onto your cupcake before adding the strawberry garnish!

How do I make this recipe nut-free? Use your favorite plant-based milk to make it nut-free!

Can you make this recipe into a cake? This recipe is great for parties- you can even make this into a 2 layer 8-inch cake! Monitor baking time-testing with a toothpick for doneness. 

Storage: Store cupcakes in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 – 4 days or in the freezer for 1 month. From freezing, allow the cupcakes to completely come to room temperature before serving- remember that the strawberry filling has to thaw.

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Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes on a counter

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

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Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with a delicious strawberry surprise in the middle. This spin on a classic recipe will be a crow pleaser at your next birthday party.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Vegetarian
Cuisine Baked Goods
Servings 12
Calories 395 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the cupcakes:

For the Chocolate Filling:

For the Frosting:

  • ¾ cup + 2 tbsp earth balance butter
  • ¾ cup dark chocolate
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 - 5 strawberries to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a cupcake tin with 12 liners.

In a kettle or a pot, boil 1 cup of water.

  • In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift in the cocoa powder to remove lumps. Using a whisk, combine the dry ingredients until uniform.
  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, almond milk, and vanilla until combined. 
  • Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl, and using a hand mixer, whisk the ingredients together on medium speed for 20 - 30 seconds. 
  • Scrape the edges with a spatula, then measure out ½ cup of hot water. Pour this into the large bowl.
  • On medium speed, mix the batter for 1 ½ - 2 minutes until uniform. Do not overmix. 

Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake tin.

  • Bake for 20 - 22 minutes. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack. 
  • To prepare the filling, cut off the tops and quarter all of the strawberries.
  • In a medium-sized pot, add the strawberries and lemon juice, and bring over medium-high heat. Cook this for 3 - 4 minutes, until slightly soft.
  • In a small dish combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk together.
  • Add the sugar + cornstarch mixture to the strawberries and stir together.
  • While stirring, allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes until it bubbles and you notice it thicken. 
  • Transfer to a medium-sized dish and set it in the refrigerator to cool completely.
  • For the chocolate frosting, combine earth balance and chopped dark chocolate in a small bowl. Melt this in the microwave and mix to combine. After, transfer to a large bowl. 
  • Sift the cocoa powder + icing sugar over the top of the chocolate mixture and add the vanilla. 
  • Whisk together thoroughly with a hand mixer on medium speed. The mix will appear dull and grainy.
  • Add in the sour cream and continue to mix until shiny and smooth. 
  • To assemble, once completely cooled, use a small knife to cut a ¾ - 1-inch sized circle on the top of each cupcake. Scoop out the cut-out cupcake portion, and a bit underneath to reach approximately 1 inch in depth. 
  • Add a tablespoon of the strawberry filling into the created well-the filling will go taller than the actual cupcake height. 

Next, prepare a piping bag with a large star tip, and fill ⅔ full of chocolate frosting. 

  • To pipe, hover the end of the star tip 1 cm over top of the cupcake- besides the strawberry filling. Firmly squeeze the bag until icing comes out and touches the base. Continue to squeeze and move your hand in a circular motion around the filling while gradually layering the icing over the top of the filling. Once you have covered all of the fillings and reached the center, lightly press down and flick your wrist to create a peak. Repeat this for all of the cupcakes.
  • Garnish your cupcakes with sliced strawberries! Enjoy!!!

Notes

Melt some extra chocolate and drizzle onto your cupcake before adding the strawberry garnish!
Use your favorite plant-based milk to make it nut-free!
Swap strawberries for any other berry of your choice or omit the filling for a classic chocolate cupcake!!!
This recipe is great for parties- you can even make this into a 2 layer 8-inch cake! Monitor baking time-testing with a toothpick for doneness. 
Swap all vegan butter, milk, and sour cream with your favorite dairy options!
Store cupcakes in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 - 4 days or in the freezer for 1 month. From freezing, allow the cupcakes to completely come to room temperature before serving- remember that the strawberry filling has to thaw.

Nutrition

Serving: 12 | Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.2g | Protein: 3.4g | Fat: 25.2g | Saturated Fat: 14.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 210.5mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 29.5g
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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

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Review This Recipe Let us know how it was!
Hannah

I ran out of cacao so I had to melt chocolate and substitute that way for basically everything, so sad, but I will try again soon!

Maria Koutsogiannis

let me know when you do try them!

Sherry

So simple and tasty! Although the recipe is still very very complex! You beginner bakers out there, follow the steps because Maria makes a mean cupcake.

Maria Koutsogiannis

thank you so much, sherry! These are sooo good!

Rosalie

Can’t wait to make these, my kids will go nuts, but I think my husband will be the one waking up at night eating them all and blaming it on the kids! Thank you!!

Maria Koutsogiannis

hahahah honestly you’re not wrong but please confirm with me once you make them!

Carina

These cupcakes are so delicious! We used oat milk instead of almond, I do it almost always for all my baking. We will definitely make it again.
Thank you !!

Maria Koutsogiannis

so glad you loved them!!!

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