Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Are you searching for a tasty dessert that will please both kids and adults? Look no further than this moist gluten-free chocolate cupcake recipe topped with a creamy raspberry buttercream frosting. This recipe gets rave reviews and will be one you make time and time again. This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill and contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

These chocolate cupcakes are one of my most requested and most delicious recipes, and with good reason: Everyone loves a chocolate cupcake!

These cupcakes offer a decadent chocolate flavor, making them perfect for birthday celebrations, bake sales, potluck dinners, and, of course, Valentine’s Day.

They’re so pretty; everyone will want one. It’s a good thing one batch makes about 18 cupcakes, so there are always enough cupcakes to go around.

In this post, I’ll show you how easy it is to recreate these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes and the fluffy raspberry frosting at home.

Discovering the Right Gluten-Free Flour

Any gluten-free baker knows having the right ingredients is essential to getting a moist and tender dessert that doesn’t crumble. Gluten-free baking can lead to many baking disasters, many of which I experienced firsthand before I discovered the wonderful world of gluten-free flour blends.

The first and most important ingredient is a good gluten-free flour blend. I use and love Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend because it holds up well in gluten-free baked goods.

When a recipe calls for one cup of flour, you simply use one cup of Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend instead.

This flour contains the perfect blend of rice flours, starches, and xanthan gum (binder) to ensure your gluten-free cupcakes mimic the taste and texture of a cupcake made with wheat flour.

How to Make This Recipe

In a few simple steps, you can make these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with creamy raspberry buttercream frosting at home.

Step #1: Make the Cupcake Batter

To make the cupcake batter, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour (200 grams)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs large
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Start by sifting the dry ingredients – the flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – in a medium or large bowl. Set the mixture aside.

In the bowl attached to your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and sugar and mix on high until creamy and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium until well combined.

Add the sifted flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture and continue to mix the batter on medium speed until all the ingredients come together.

Next, add the cupcake batter to two cupcake pans fitted with paper cupcake liners. They should be about 3/4 of the way full and fill 16-18 muffin tins.

Next, bake the cupcakes for 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Leave cupcakes in the pan to cool completely before frosting.

Step #2: Make the Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

While the cupcakes are cooling, go ahead and make your raspberry buttercream frosting. You’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp heavy cream (or milk, see below)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam or preserves
• 25 fresh raspberries optional, for topping and serving

If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use milk or dairy-free milk. Heavy cream makes the frosting very creamy and fluffy, but you’ll still get a great buttercream frosting without the cream, so don’t sweat it if you don’t have it.

To make the frosting, beat the softened butter for one minute in your standing mixer, then add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated.

Add the heavy cream (or milk), vanilla, salt, raspberry preserves, and remaining powdered sugar to the butter mixture and continue to mix on medium until the frosting is well incorporated and fluffy.

If you desire a stronger “pink” look, especially for Valentine’s Day, you can add 1- 2 drops of red food coloring to the frosting.

You want the buttercream to be creamy and spreadable. If it’s too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too stiff, add a tiny bit more heavy cream or milk.

Step #3: Frost Your Cupcakes

Now, add the frosting to a piping or pastry bag and pipe it on each cooled cupcake. Alternatively, use a butter knife or spatula to spread the frosting manually on top of each cupcake.

Before serving, top each cupcake with a fresh raspberry (optional) and/or serve with fresh raspberries for a beautiful dessert and presentation.

FAQs

How do you store leftover cupcakes? These cupcakes taste great and can be enjoyed for 2-3 days after baking. Simply store leftover cupcakes in a zip-top bag or airtight container in your fridge and enjoy them for up to three days after making them.

Can I freeze the cupcakes? Yes, you can freeze the cupcakes (I recommend freezing them individually, especially if frosted) and then take one out to defrost about an hour before you want to eat it. You can then send a frozen cupcake to school with your child on “birthday party days so your child has a gluten-free treat to enjoy along with the rest of the class.

Can I make them dairy-free? Yes, I typically make my cupcakes dairy-free. Simply use a dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk alternative, and everything else stays the same. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend is already dairy-free, whereas other gluten-free flour blends are not.

Do I have to use raspberry preserves? You can use any flavored preserves or jams you like in the frosting. If, by chance, the frosting becomes a bit too runny, just add more powdered sugar until the frosting mixture is creamy and spreadable.

How do the cupcakes taste? I thought you’d never ask! These gluten-free cupcakes have a cake-like texture and are light, moist, and fluffy. They hold together well and do not crumble. I don’t think anyone will be able to tell they’re gluten-free, either.

Can I use this recipe to make mini-cupcakes? Yes, simply use a mini muffin pan and mini cupcake liners. Reduce the baking time to 8-10 minutes. Check for doneness when a toothpick comes out of the center of a cupcake clean.

Additional Recipes

You might enjoy these recipes too:

• Light and Fluffy Cassava Flour Cupcakes
• Almond Flour Pumpkin Cupcakes (or Muffins)
• Easy Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Favorite Gluten-Free Chocolate Applesauce Cake

Also, be sure to check out my article, 23 Classic Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour Recipes.