Easy to make Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes that are tender, velvety, and have a dairy-free option.
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
This year my youngest daughter (turned 12) requested Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes for her birthday. Her first request was that they were topped with a Nutella Buttercream, not the traditional cream cheese frosting that I normally top them with. Growing up, Red Velvet Cupcakes were ALWAYS topped with cream cheese frosting. It took a bit of convincing, but finally she agreed that we could use cream cheese frosting.
These Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes are from my cookbook. Up until now, I haven’t posted them on the blog. But by popular request, I am sharing them here and I am excited for you to try them.
What does a Red Velvet Cupcake taste like?
They way I like to describe a gluten-free red velvet cupcake taste is that it’s a combination of flavors that pull together to form a unique, and delectable cupcake. With the gluten-free white cake base, a little cocoa, the buttermilk (or dairy-free buttermilk), and vinegar you get a taste that’s like not other – and it’s incredible. Top Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for the ultimate cupcake.
I mean, you could top them with a buttercream or chocolate buttercream frosting. It’ll still be amazing. Did you know that red velvet cupcakes originally were topped with a cream cheese frosting that had a hint of lemon? Yep. I usually leave the lemon out, but it’s definitely worth trying if you are feeling adventurous.
How to make a gluten-free red velvet cupcake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line a 12 serving cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and oil. Mix in the egg, buttermilk (or dairy free buttermilk), vanilla, and red food coloring until combined. Stir in the white vinegar and hot coffee (or hot water).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Scoop the batter evenly into each cupcake well, about 1/4 cup per well.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes cakes from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese (or dairy-free cream cheese), butter (or dairy-free butter) and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, beating well until you reach desired consistency.
- Frost cupcakes.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This gluten-free red velvet cupcake recipe will be a favorite!
Can I make these Red Velvet Cupcakes Dairy-Free?
Oh my gosh, yes, you can make these gluten-free red velvet cupcakes dairy-free. My favorite way to swap out the traditional buttermilk called for in red velvet cupcakes is with flaxmilk + vinegar. You can use other dairy-free milks but the flaxmilk gives you the extra acidity, and thickens really well with vinegar. You get that sour, buttermilk taste, but without the dairy. Use dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free butter to make the frosting dairy-free. Simple.
But isn’t Red Velvet the same as chocolate cake with red food coloring?
Ah ha! I have asked myself the same question. There isn’t a lot of cocoa in red velvet, and although some chocolate cakes use buttermilk or vinegar to enhance the flavors of the cake itself, it’s the combination of flavors that gives it a little zing, rather then your smooth chocolatey flavors. The acidity in the buttermilk and vinegar combined with the cocoa and food coloring give you the red velvet coloring.
These cupcakes are incredibly easy, and the texture is out of this world. You can use this same recipe to make a cake. For a 8″ or 9″ cake, double this recipe (except reduce the hot coffee to 3/4 cup, not fulling doubling it) and grease two pans, and sprinkle in cocoa to prevent the cake from sticking.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Other gluten-free cupcake recipes
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Gluten-Free Blueberry Cupcakes
You can never have too many cupcake recipes! Pin this gluten-free red velvet cupcake for later.
Easy right? What other questions do you have about gluten-free red velvet cupcakes? Leave me a question in the comments and I will get back to you. Until then, if you are looking for more yummy gluten-free red velvet recipes you’ll love Flippin Delicious’s Red Velvet Fudge.
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- 1 cup gluten-free flour blend (142g) (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (.5 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 buttermilk (or 1/2 cup flaxmilk + 1 teaspoon white vinegar, let sit 2-3 minutes)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar (omit if making dairy-free buttermilk with vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
- 1 oz. red food coloring of choice
- 1/4 cup plain hot coffee (or hot water)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (or dairy-free cream cheese)
- 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), room temperature (or dairy-free butter)
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line a 12 serving cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and oil. Mix in the egg, buttermilk (or dairy free buttermilk), vanilla, and red food coloring until combined. Stir in the white vinegar and hot coffee (or hot water).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Scoop the batter evenly into each cupcake well, about 1/4 cup per well.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes cakes from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese (or dairy-free cream cheese), butter (or dairy-free butter) and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, beating well until you reach desired consistency.
- Frost cupcakes.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days..
Notes
Dairy-free option included.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 370 Total Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 36mg Sodium: 287mg Carbohydrates: 49g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 32g Protein: 5g
Natalie says
These cupcakes look so delicious! Perfect to make with kids on summer vacation!
chrystal says
Thank you Natalie!
Susan Meismer says
What is a brand of dairy free cream cheese and is flax milk different than flax mixed into, say, almond milk? Also, is there a brand of gluten free white vinegar you use? These look too good to be true!
chrystal says
Hi Susan,
My favorite brand of dairy-free cream cheese is Kite Hill. Flaxmilk is a milk made from flaxseed. The brand I use is Good Karma. You don’t have to use flaxmilk, this will also work nicely with other dairy-free milks like almond milk, and cashew milk. As far as white vinegar goes, you can use any that is derived from rice, corn, or white wine. I like to use rice vinegar myself. You can also use apple cider vinegar in this recipe – the vinegar helps to thicken the milk, add acidity and add flavor.
Best,
Chrystal
Eila Rose McCormack says
Is the batter supposed to taste gross.
chrystal says
Hi Eila,
I’m not personally a fan of the batter but the cupcake should bake up nicely and have an amazing flavor 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Elizabeth says
My batter is very runny….is it suppose to be this way?
chrystal says
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, it should be a little runny, but not watery.
Best,
Chrystal
Celia says
These cupcakes were perfection! Thank you so much for the recipe.
chrystal says
I’m so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Talia Goldman says
I used this recipe and adapted it into a cake and the whole thing completely fell apart. I used quinoa flour which is a type of gluten free flour and it couldn’t have gone worse. Really disappointed, would not recommend following this recipe unless you have experience with gluten free baking.
chrystal says
Hi Talia,
I’ve never used quinoa flour in this recipe. Quinoa flour does not work as a 1-to-1 replacement for other gluten-free flours, which is probably why the cake didn’t turn out. If you use the flour blend recommended, or one with similar ingredients (non quinoa flour, or nut flours) you will have tasty results.
Best,
Chrystal
Alex says
Great recipe, and I didn’t have any of the problems with dryness that you sometimes get with GF cakes. If you are making these, don’t be fooled by the batter taste. The oil comes through way too strong in the batter but bakes out. Texture wise, you can’t at all tell these are GF. Thanks for the great recipe!
chrystal says
Hi Alex,
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment about your experience. I’m so glad you like them.
Best,
Chrystal
Kristina says
I made these cupcakes following the exact directions using coffee and low-fat buttermilk. I did not make the frosting though since this was just to see if it would even come out decent. It came out really good. I made a mistake with my food colors and put in yellow, haha, and then added red when I realized I had the wrong color. In the end, it didn’t look like red velvet, but it still tasted good. I’m new to gluten free due to celiac diagnosis and this was my first attempt at a gluten free cake. Husband and Son tries to push back against my gluten free lifestyle, however, they both enjoyed the taste and agreed it will be good for my sons birthday cake in a couple weeks. Thank you Chrystal.
chrystal says
Hi Kristina,
I am so glad you liked them! Once, I didn’t have red food coloring, and I didn’t discover it until I was mixing up the batter. My girls said they were just “velvet” cupcakes 🙂
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a review. Give my vanilla cupcakes a whirl next time you want to make cupcakes. You will love them!
Best,
Chrystal
Elle says
Just made these using Better Batter brand GF flour and subbed whole milk + vinegar for the buttermilk. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. Excellent results, very moist and springy. It’s a keeper for sure!
Full disclosure: I’ve been GF for so long I’m not sure I’ve had red velvet cake before. Regardless, these are some good cupcakes. Thanks so much!
chrystal says
Hi Elle,
Thank you for stopping by to let us know that Better Batter worked in this recipe and that you like these red velvet cupcakes 🙂 Have you tried my vanilla cupcakes yet? They are my favorite.
Best,
Chrystal
Sarah says
Would you adjust anything when making this into a cake? I need it to be stable enough to stack 6” on top of an 8”.
chrystal says
Hi Sarah,
This recipes makes 12 cupcakes, which is the equivalent of one 8 or 9 ” round cake. You’d have to double the recipe, and you’d have a little extra batter if you do a 6 and 8″ pan. The only thing I’d adjust is the cook time. I’d start with 16 minutes for the 6″ and 22-25 for the 8″ round.
Hope that helps. Best – Chrystal
Michelle says
My daughter requested that we make Red Velvet cupcakes for her boyfriend and his family for Valentine’s Day. I am gluten free and so are several members of his family. These turned out amazing and were a delightful treat for us and them!! They really raved about them, too. I loved the soft texture and that you used Bob’s 1 to 1. Thank you so much!!
chrystal says
Hi Michelle,
I am so glad your family liked them 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know.
All my best,
Chrystal