These Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes have subtle hints of cinnamon and cayenne and will make any chocolate-lover swoon. Each cupcake is topped with a smooth, creamy, dairy-free cayenne chocolate buttercream.

This recipe was sponsored by RYZE. All opinions are my own.

If any cupcake can be considered “sexy”, it’s these Gluten-Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes. They are perfect in every way, from the texture to the flavors.

When you bite into one of these cupcakes your taste-buds immediately are satisfied with chocolate perfection and then they’re finished with a little kick from the cayenne.

I’ve had several delicious Mexican hot chocolates in my life-time (and some not so goods one’s) and these Gluten-Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are the cupcake version of the popular comforting beverage.

And, it’s a cupcake, so you know it’s a winner already. I haven’t met a cupcake I didn’t like.

The day I made these for photographing we had friends over. One of my friends is super particular about desserts.

That friends tried these cupcakes and said this was the best Mexican Hot Chocolate “anything” that he had ever eaten. It can be hard to get the cayenne just right.

Sometimes people add too much, or not enough and it doesn’t work well with the chocolate and vanilla flavors.

These cupcakes have a little cayenne in both the cupcake and the frosting, creating a consistent flavor throughout without dominating the other flavors in the cupcake. Even people who don’t like “spicy” foods will love these cupcakes.

This recipe is quite easy and can be whipped up in no time. Don’t let the number of ingredients fool you. If you lay out your ingredients in order of use, you can have these in the oven by the time it’s done pre-heating.

Mixing the frosting is simple with hand beaters or a KitchenAid mixer.

If you like these cupcake’s you’ll probably love my Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake, and my Gluten-Free Caramel Macchiato Cake. Enjoy!

Yield: 12

Gluten-Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

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Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Total Time 47 minutes

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes:
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup dairy-free milk
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour (I used RYZE Yellow Bag Flour)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup hot water
• For the frosting:
• ½ cup dairy-free butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons dairy-free milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with paper or foil liners; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream oil and sugar together until well combined, and sand-like.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until well incorporated.
4. Add vanilla and dairy-free milk and beat just until combined.
5. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Mix on low until well combined.
6. Pour in the hot water and mix until combined and batter is smooth.
7. Fill cupcake liners about ¾ full (approximately ¼ cup of batter).
8. Bake 20 – 22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
10. For frosting, cream butter and vanilla. Add cocoa and beat until combined. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with dairy-free milk. Continue to beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
11. Frost cupcakes.
12. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.