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Frosted gluten free chocolate cupcakes on a wire rack.
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4.70 from 23 votes

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Perfectly moist gluten free chocolate cupcakes with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. So good you'll never know they're gluten free and vegan!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Cupcakes, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 12
Calories: 393kcal
Author: Alison Andrews

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 ½ cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (204g)
  • ½ cup Cocoa Powder (42g) Unsweetened
  • 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (200g)
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Flax Egg 1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed Meal + 3 Tbsp Hot Water
  • 1 cup Soy Milk (240ml) or other non-dairy milk
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Applesauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar

For the Frosting:

  • ⅓ cup Vegan Butter (75g)
  • 3 cups Powdered Sugar (360g)
  • ½ cup Cocoa Powder (42g) Unsweetened
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 4 ½ Tablespoons Soy Milk or other non-dairy milk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
  • Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add the brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
  • Prepare your flax egg by mixing 1 Tbsp ground flaxseeds with 3 Tbsp hot water and allowing to sit for a minute.
  • Add the flax egg, soy milk, vanilla extract, oil, applesauce and vinegar and mix into a batter.
  • Use a hand whisk to get rid of any large lumps (very small ones are fine).
  • Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners.
  • Place into the oven to bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  • While the cupcakes are baking, prepare your frosting by adding the vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and 3 tablespoons of soy milk to the bowl of your stand mixer and starting on low speed gradually increase speed until it's thick and creamy. If it's too thick, add in the remaining soy milk only as much as needed to get the right consistency.
  • As soon as your cupcakes are cooked, move them to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Notes

  1. Gluten free all purpose flour. I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour but I have tested this recipe with other gluten-free all purpose blends and they have all been perfect. Some blends have had xantham gum in them and some have not, and I have not found a difference in the outcome. As long as it is an all purpose baking blend, it should work well for this recipe.
  2. Storing: Keep your cupcakes stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 
  3. Freezing: They are also freezer friendly (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg