These Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes are moist, tender, and richly chocolatey. Perfect for every celebration, these cupcakes, and the most decadent chocolate buttercream frosting can be made in only 30 minutes.
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A chocolate cupcake for all occasions, these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes are rich, tender, and so easy to make. Paired with the perfect chocolate buttercream frosting, these cupcakes will be loved by all. If you refrain from mentioning that they are gluten-free, literally nobody will know.
If you need other great gluten-free dessert ideas, try these Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free), these Almond Flour Cocoa Cookies, this Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp, or this Peanut Butter Apple Crisp (Gluten-Free) and prepared to be wowed.
What I Love About This Recipe
These cupcakes are my favorite to make for any chocolate-loving birthday boy or girl. Here is why I love them:
- Easy to Make — This recipe's cupcakes and buttercream frosting can be made in under 30 minutes, which is only slightly longer than the time required for boxed mixes!
- More Wholesome Ingredients — These cupcakes are traditionally delicious in taste and texture, but they contain Greek yogurt (my secret for moist GF cupcakes!) and are loaded with antioxidant-rich cocoa powder.
Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
Gluten-Free 1:1 All-Purpose Flour - I only tested Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour in this recipe but I feel confident that any big brand 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour will work fine (like King Arthur). Just make sure it measures one to one with regular flavor to ensure consistency and contain xanthan gum. Always use the "spoon and level" method when measuring!
Cocoa Powder - Use 100% natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa. I really like Hershey's Special Dark 100% Cacao Powder for the richest chocolatey flavor.
Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt is my secret for moist gluten-free muffins and cupcakes. I recommend whole milk greek yogurt because the added fat will ensure the cupcakes stay moist and tender. I use whole milk Greek yogurt in these Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins and these Gluten-Free Blackberry Muffins.
Butter - Butter helps achieve a rich flavor in these cupcakes. Salted or unsalted butter will work. Make sure all refrigerated ingredients come to room temperature before mixing the ingredients together to ensure they do not cause the butter to solidify.
See the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.
Possible Substitutions & Variations
- Whole milk regular yogurt can likely be used in place of Greek yogurt, but I have not tested this substitution yet. Fat-free greek yogurt is going to produce less tender cupcakes, and I don't recommend it.
- Neutral cooking oil like avocado oil can be used in place of butter.
- Dairy-free or low fat milk can be used instead of whole milk.
- I don't recommend egg replacements in this recipe. Gluten-free baking can be a little finicky and using an egg replacement may cause this recipe to fail.
If you try any substitutions in this recipe, please let us know what works in the comments below!
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Step 1: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until the cocoa is evenly dispersed and there are no lumps. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature whole milk Greek yogurt, sugar, melted butter, room-temperature milk, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk together until well combined and a smooth batter forms. Avoid over-mixing.
Step 4: Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Use a 2-ounce scoop to divide the batter equally among the wells.
Step 5: Place the cupcakes in an oven preheated to 350 F and bake for 18-22 minutes (20 minutes was perfect for my oven), or until you can poke the center of a cupcake with a toothpick and have it come out cleanly. While the cupcakes are baking prepare the frosting. Wait until the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
I have a whole post on this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting if you need more guidance, but the recipe is fairly simple. Keys for success:
- Use softened butter and room-temperature heavy cream to result in a smooth and decadent frosting.
- If you are not a salt + chocolate gal like myself, consider using unsalted butter for the frosting to avoid it becoming too salty for your tastes.
- If you do not own a stand mixer, a handheld electric mixer can be used. I prefer using my Kitchenaid Mixer because it makes this frosting effortless to make and results in consistently smooth, creamy frosting.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time to avoid making a huge mess. Using the shield that comes with your Kitchenaid is also helpful.
- Leftover chocolate buttercream frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just allow it to come to room temperature before using, and whip it again in the mixer if needed.
Commonly Asked Questions
Store gluten-free chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They will keep for longer in the refrigerator, but the longer they are stored the more likely they will become a little dry, especially in the cool dry air of the fridge.
These cupcakes can be made ahead and frozen for longer storage. To do so, allow the cupcakes to cool completely, then wrap them in plastic wrap (I like the Press and Seal wrap) and place them in a freezer bag. Additionally, to protect against freezer burn, I also wrap the bag in tin foil. The cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the cupcakes at room temperature for about 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
If you measured all ingredients accurately, this is likely due to over-mixing (because the leavening agent gets activated before the baking begins so the cupcakes do not rise properly) or underbaking (if the center of the cupcake is uncooked, the cupcake will sink in the middle). Mixing the dry ingredients separately to distribute the baking powder is helpful to prevent over-mixing. Using the "poke method", by poking the center of a cupcake with a toothpick to assess if it comes out cleanly, can mitigate sinking due to underbaking.
This recipe will yield a perfect 12 cupcakes. They should only overflow if the batter is not divided evenly. I like using a level 2-ounce ice cream scoop to ensure each cupcake is of equal size.
If all ingredients are measured correctly, you should achieve moist and tender cupcakes. If the flour is packed, you may have too much dry ingredients which will eliminate some moisture. To mitigate this, measure the flour using the "spoon and level" method.
Dietitian Notes
- A treat is a treat, and these cupcakes are just that but making them from scratch allows you to use more wholesome ingredients. Using Greek yogurt adds protein to the recipe. The use of real butter adds fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K), and beneficial things like conjugated linoleic acid and short-chain fatty acids.
- Unsweetened cocoa is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols. Antioxidants in cocoa can inhibit or delay cellular damage by quenching free radicals.
Recipe Tips
- Measure the gluten-free flour using the "spoon and level" method to avoid over-packing it.
- Allow refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature before using. This will prevent cold ingredients from solidifying the melted butter and making it hard to mix in evenly.
- Use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to divide the batter into 12 perfect cupcakes.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent it from melting.
Try These Other Gluten-Free Treats
Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- 12-count muffin tin
- Paper Muffin liners
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment for frosting
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour or another 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour with xanthan gum, spooned and leveled (150 g)
- ⅓ cup 100% natural cocoa powder, unsweetened (35 g)
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ¾ cup Whole milk Greek yogurt room temperature (175 g)
- ½ cup Butter, melted and slightly cooled (4 ounces/113 g)
- ¼ cup Milk any type, room temperature
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar (160 g)
- 2 Eggs, large room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup Butter, softened I used salted butter, but unsalted can also be used (8 ounces/ 226 g)
- ½ cup Unsweetened 100% natural cocoa powder (41 g)
- 3 tablespoon Heavy cream room temp (45 ml)
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Sea salt or to taste
- 3 cups Powdered sugar sifted, if needed (360 g)
Instructions
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until the cocoa is evenly dispersed and there are no lumps. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature whole milk Greek yogurt, sugar, melted butter, room-temperature milk, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk together until well combined and a smooth batter forms. Avoid over-mixing.
- Use a 2-ounce scoop to divide the batter equally among the wells of a 12-count muffin tin lined with paper liners.
- Place the cupcakes in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes (20 minutes was perfect for my oven), or until you can poke the center of a cupcake with a toothpick and have it come out cleanly. While the cupcakes are baking prepare the frosting. Wait until the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add the softened butter, cocoa, room-temperature heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Add ⅓ of the powdered sugar (about 1 cup) to the bowl and begin to whip together. Use a low speed at first and increase slowly. Once the powdered sugar is worked in, add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Mix until a smooth consistency is achieved. Taste the frosting and adjust the sweetness or salt if needed.
- Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Before use, allow frosting to come to room temperature and return it to the stand mixer to whip on medium speed until smooth.
Notes
-
- Measure the gluten-free flour using the "spoon and level" method to avoid over-packing it.
-
- Allow refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature before using. This will prevent cold ingredients from solidifying the melted butter and making it hard to mix in evenly.
-
- Use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop to divide the batter into 12 perfect cupcakes.
-
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent it from melting.
- Use softened butter and room-temperature heavy cream to result in a smooth and decadent frosting.
- If sensitive to salt, use unsalted butter for the frosting to avoid it becoming too salty.
- If you do not own a stand mixer, a handheld electric mixer can be used. I prefer using my Kitchenaid Mixer because it makes this frosting effortless to make and results in consistently smooth, creamy frosting.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time to avoid making a huge mess. Using the shield that comes with your Kitchenaid is also helpful.
- Leftover chocolate buttercream frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just allow it to come to room temperature before using, and whip it again in the mixer if needed.
foodbornewellness.com says
Perfectly chocolatey and delicious!