This easy recipe for a dozen Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes is made with a special ingredient to produce moist and rich cupcakes that rival your favorite bakery. They have an exceptional deep chocolate flavor that pairs well with many different frosting recipes.
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More than a decade of baking gluten free has taught me a lot. Through trials and tribulation, I’ve tested and retested recipes over-and-over to make sure they’re as perfect as they can be.
I frequently bake for my gluten free husband (and other family members). My recipes have to be so good that, as a gluten eater myself, I would willingly choose them over a gluten-filled dessert.
This gluten free chocolate cupcake recipe is one of those recipes. I have worked diligently to perfect it over the years and have made a few tweaks to make it even better than ever. It’s a scaled down version of my famous gluten free chocolate cake.
If you’ve made that cake, you’re guaranteed to love this cupcake version.
These cupcakes get rave reviews every time I make them. Most of the time, nobody even knows they’re gluten free unless I’ve told them in advance.
I love to watch someone’s face change when I proudly exclaim, “They’re gluten free!”
They truly can’t believe that a gluten free cupcake could have such a moist and tender crumb. It’s a far cry from dry, crumbly cupcakes they were imagining gluten free cupcakes to be.
Why this Recipe is the Best
This chocolate cupcake recipe is made with basic pantry ingredients but what really sets these chocolate cupcakes apart from the rest is one special ingredient: hot coffee.
Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate creating a deep, rich, distinctly chocolate taste. You can get the same effect by using hot water with a teaspoon of espresso powder.
I highly recommend using coffee for the best cupcake experience. However, if you truly cannot have coffee, boiling water would be the best substitute. The heat from the hot water helps the cocoa powder “bloom” to amplify the chocolate flavor, though not to the full extent of hot coffee.
See below in the tips section for more of the science behind this.
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes with Gluten-Free Flour (with Visual Instructions)
I like to use my Nightshade Free Gluten Free Flour Blend in this recipe because it produces a light and fluffy cupcake with a tender crumb. But most importantly, it doesn’t have a gritty texture in baked goods that can often happen with some gluten free flours.
I’ve also tested this recipe with two easily accessible gluten free flour blends, King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. Both flour blends work well in this recipe. Omit the xanthan gum in the recipe if you use a flour blend that contains it.
Baker’s Note: The batter is very thin and practically liquid when it goes into the pan. Don’t worry, this is 100% normal for this recipe.
Tips for Making Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes and the Science Behind It
- Use Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder. It’s less acidic than natural cocoa powder and works best in this recipe due to the coffee.
- If you use hot water instead of coffee, you will need to use baking powder instead of baking soda. Why? Because this recipe uses a neutral cocoa powder.
- The acid in the coffee is essential in activating the baking soda to help the cupcakes rise. Baking powder is activated by liquid and not acid, which is why you would use it with water when there are no other sources of acid.
The Best Frosting for Chocolate Cupcakes
You can’t have a cupcake without frosting, otherwise it would just be a muffin, right?! These are a few of my favorite frosting pairings for chocolate cupcakes:
- Coconut Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (pictured)
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting – a sinfully delicious elevated chocolate frosting
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Cookies and Cream Frosting with Gluten Free Oreos
- Creamy Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
If you’ve made this recipe, I’d love it if you could leave a star rating and comment below!
Moist and Rich Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend
- 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
- 1/2 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 2/3 cup Milk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Hot Coffee
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick spray
- In a large bowl, sift and whisk together the gluten free flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Then stir in the hot coffee. The batter will be very thin, practically liquid, and this is perfectly fine!
- Transfer the batter to the prepared muffin tin, dividing it equally among the 12 cups.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.
- Cool completely before frosting with your favorite frosting (see notes).
Notes
- I use my Nightshade Free Flour Blend in this recipe and it’s perfect for gluten free cakes and cupcakes.
- Omit the xanthan gum if the flour blend you use contains it.
- See the post for coffee substitutions and why it’s important to this recipe.
- This recipe is paired with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting in the photos. Or check out all my buttercream frosting recipes for more inspiration!
- Nutrition information is approximate and does not include frosting.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information
Disclaimers
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Facts are estimated and aren’t always accurate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have special dietary needs.
Five-Star Ratings From Readers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have come back to this recipe time and time again! It is moist and delicious every time!
Rileigh
OMG good. My sis in law is GF. She either has to skip my baking, or get sick after eating it. Either makes me sad. Trying to find recipes she can eat…that everyone will like. Made these tonight. Used Herseys Special Dark cocoa, a coconut/almond milk blend milk, and red mill 1:1 bsking flour. Super chocolatey and light. No one would guess they are gluten free!! Great recipe!! Thank you!
Jen Z
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