Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes

Gluten-free baking has come a long way—these days, gluten-free baked goods are as fluffy and delicious as the real thing. Cupcakes are a great choice for beginning bakers, since they’re way less fussy than large cakes or wheat goods. We’ll walk you through a gluten-free vanilla cupcake recipe from scratch, plus pitfalls to avoid.

Craving chocolate? Try these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Whisk them together until they’re combined (you don’t want any pockets of baking powder).

Step 3: Combine the ingredients

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Add one-third of the flour mix, one-third of the milk, and beat well. Repeat twice more, alternating flour mix and milk, and beating well after each addition.

Editor’s Tip: Avoid beating the batter too much, which can make cupcakes sink. (More on this later.)

Step 4: Pour into muffin tin

Slowly pour the batter into the prepared cups. Fill each about three-quarters full, so the cupcakes have room to rise.

Step 5: Bake

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Step 6: Make the frosting

In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually, beat in just enough milk to achieve a smooth, spreadable, fluffy consistency.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re working ahead, keep the frosting in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. The cream cheese can spoil at room temperature.

Step 7: Frost the cupcakes

When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them and decorate however you like. Then eat!

How to Store Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes

Sadly, gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf life than goods with gluten. They should last two to three days. They’ll keep even better without frosting, so frost only what you’re going to eat immediately for best results.

How to Freeze Gluten-Free Cupcakes

Freeze completely cooled, unfrosted cupcakes. Wrap them carefully so they don’t stick together.

Defrost the cupcakes at room temperature. Set them on a cooling rack to prevent the bottoms from getting soggy. When they’re thawed, top with frosting.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcake Tips

How do you keep gluten-free cupcakes from sinking?

Cupcakes generally sink if the batter was overbeaten. Beating for too long adds too much air, which expands in the oven, making the cupcakes rise, and then escapes as they cool, resulting in that sad sinking. In each step, simply beat the batter just long enough to combine the ingredients.

What other frostings taste good on gluten-free vanilla cupcakes?

The beauty of a vanilla cupcake is that just about any frosting recipe will work! Channel the classic flavor combo by slathering them with chocolate ganache. Or get fruity with sweet strawberry buttercream or tangy lemon frosting.

After devouring your cupcakes, try more gluten-free desserts.