These gluten-free vanilla cupcakes offer a light, fluffy texture and sweet-yet-subtle vanilla flavor. They're topped with creamy frosting and sprinkles, making them a timeless choice for birthday parties, baby showers, and weddings.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time22 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten-free cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, white cupcakes, yellow cupcakes
1/4cupbuttermelted (or vegetable oil if dairy-free)
2eggslarge
2teaspoonvanilla extract
1 1/4cupsgluten-free flourI used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour, spooned and leveled
1/2teaspoonxanthan gumomit if you're using a gluten-free flour that already contains xanthan gum
3/4teaspoonbaking powder2 grams
1/4teaspoonbaking soda1 gram
1/2teaspoonsalt
2/3cupbuttermilk1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice + milk to make 2/3 cup
For the frosting
1cupbutter or non-hydrogenated shortening
4cupspowdered sugar453 grams
1-2tablespoonmilkdairy-free is okay
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
sprinklesto decorate, optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream the melted butter or oil and sugar with a handheld mixer. Add the eggs and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Combine the flour, xanthan gum (if needed), baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
Add 1/3 of the gluten-free flour mixture and mix, then add 1/2 the milk and mix. Follow with another third of the flour and mix, then add the remainder of the milk and mix. Finally, add the last of the gluten-free flour and mix until well combined and all the flour is incorporated.
Fill the prepared cupcake pan by filling each paper liner with about 2/3 full of batter.
Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, or the cupcake bounces back when gently pressed.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting: Beat the butter or shortening until it’s light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the milk and vanilla extract, and whip until smooth and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a little bit more milk.
Notes
Butter vs. Oil: Using melted butter instead of oil will give the cupcakes more flavor and crumb. Both butter and oil will offer a moist and velvety cupcake result.Make Your Own Buttermilk: To make buttermilk, combine 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar with milk or dairy-free milk. The buttermilk will react with the baking soda to help the cake rise, so it’s an essential ingredient.White vs. Yellow Cupcakes: If you want to make gluten-free white cupcakes vs. yellow cupcakes, use three egg whites instead of two eggs.About the Flour: This recipe has been tested with several different gluten-free flours. If you use a gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill’s 1-to-1 Gluten-Free flour or another flour with xanthan gum already in it, omit it. King Arthur Measure for Measure, Gluten-Free Mama’s Almond Blend, and a blend of equal parts brown rice flour, white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch have all been tested and work well in this recipe.A Quicker Method: You can also mix these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes using the muffin method instead of the creaming method. To do this, whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, and whisk together the wet ingredients in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. The gluten-free cupcakes have a velvety texture if mixed as written in the recipe because the butter (or oil) has a chance to coat the gluten-free flour, but when you’re in a time crunch, the muffin method gives great results too.