These Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes are dairy-free, simple to make, and lend a bakery style texture and a vanilla bean finish. You can bake up a batch of these perfect homemade gluten-free vanilla cupcakes in no-time.
If you like these Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes, you might also like my Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes. They are simple to make and bursting with chocolate flavor. I’ve also recently updated the photos for my Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes. If you’re a lemon fan, you’re going to love them.
For more cupcakes and desserts please visit my Gluten-Free Desserts.
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes
These are seriously the most incredible, better-than-bakery style Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes! They’ve been shared thousands of times and people come back weekly to tell me how amazing they are.
I’ve been making these gluten-free cupcakes for years and this is the third time I have redone the photos. I really want you guys to see how lovely they are and be excited about how amazing they taste. Just read the comments below. You will fall in love with these cupcakes.
Here’s an old photo that I took of these gluten-free cupcakes. You can see how perfect the texture is.
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
I use vanilla bean paste these days, but you can easily use Rodell’s vanilla extract. Rodelle Vanilla Paste is my newest favorite item to bake and cook with and that’s why I use it in my vanilla cupcakes.
Now that I’ve tried it, I may never go back to extract again. It has such a deep, rich flavor and it’s never too much. I do love Rodelle’s Vanilla Extract, but the paste is dreamy, especially in these Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes.
When I first developed this gluten-free cupcake recipe, I used vanilla extract, so please don’t think that you have to use vanilla bean paste. Extract lends a lovely flavor too. You are going to love it in these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes.
Gluten-Free Cupcakes
I have been working on perfecting my gluten-free vanilla cupcake recipe since 2010. It’s not that it’s a complicated recipe or anything. I usually work on new recipes, not improving old ones.
My old gluten-free cupcake recipe was fine but I wanted a better texture. I wanted it to be fluffy and crumbly at the same time. I made these Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes a couple of times in January for one of my daughters birthday’s.
Finally the last time I made them I found the right amount of ingredients to get the exact flavor and texture that I had been dreaming about. From frosting to cake, they are now perfect. They’re buttery (even though dairy-free), tender, crumbly, and have the perfect amount of vanilla.
And guess what? These gluten-free vanilla cupcakes only cost about $5 to make. Can you imagine what you’d pay at a bakery for these? They are easy and you can make them yourself.
How to make gluten-free cupcakes
There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cupcakes. First, you have to follow the recipe. So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out.
Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe. If you use substitutions, you are doing so at your own risk.
Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix.
Why did my cupcakes explode?
First off, you may have overfilled the cupcake wells. Never fill more then 3/4 of the way full, and it’s best to stick to around 2/3’s of the way full. I use a 1/4 measuring cup to fill mine.
Another reason could be that you added too much leavening agent, or that you are at higher elevation. Baking powder tends to work twice as hard at higher elevations. Consider cutting your baking powder in half if you are at a higher elevation.
All those tips are relevant to most cupcake recipes, not just these Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes.
Why did my cupcakes sink?
There are several reason why cupcakes sink, one is from over beating the batter and adding too much air. Also, cupcakes often will sink when there is too much moisture.
This is more common in humid climates where added moisture can collect naturally in ingredients such as flour. When this occurs, cupcakes may rise rapidly and then fall during baking. In higher elevations, the leavening agent works twice as hard and may cause the batter to rise rapidly and sink before it’s had a chance to set up.
Did you make these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes? Stop back by and let me know what you thought of this gluten-free vanilla cupcake recipe.
These Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes are dairy-free, simple to make, and lend a bakery style texture and a vanilla bean finish.Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
For the frosting:
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 cupcake w/frosting
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 440Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5950mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 63gSugar: 40gProtein: 4g 
Shelby
This was my first time making a light and fluffy vanilla cupcake that does not get dense after sitting, especially more than one day! These cupcakes were so light and fluffy! I have never been able to find the perfect gluten free cupcake that doesn’t get dense and now these are my go to! I made them once just as written above and the next time I added sprinkles to make a funfetti cupcake and they were great both ways!
Janice
The BEST cupcakes my guests and I have EVER eaten! It was a bonus that they were GF! (and they were so easy to make!) Thank you!
chrystal
I am so glad everyone loved them. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Diane
We are going to try these for a baby shower on Saturday! My daughter-in-law is not only allergic to gluten, but also corn. She asked if we could use baking soda instead of baking powder since most baking powders have corn starch. We are going to try it! Will let you know how it comes out!
chrystal
I haven’t personally used baking soda in this recipe but it should work.
Best,
Chrystal
Mary
Make your own baking powder using arrowroot powder. The recipe is on the bag. (Bob’s). Is really easy!
chrystal
Thanks for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Tracey Adgie
Hi Chrystal,
I am gluten intolerant and would love to try your recipe. In England we have GF self raising flour (Contains baking powder) and GF plain flour. What do you recommend out of these choices? Also, what is powdered sugar? we usually cook with caster sugar, an extra sweet and fine sugar. What again do you recommend please? Also how do you get 2 tone butter cream? 🙂
Look forward to hearing your comments.
Kind regards
Tracey
chrystal
Hi Tracey,
You can probably use the self rising flour and not add the additional baking powder. Powdered sugar is sugar find ground, I think you might call it icing sugar or fine sugar. I’m not sure what 2 tone buttercream is?
Best,
Chrystal
Victoria
Hi Chrystal! I believe Tracey was referring to the blue/teal and white icing you used to pipe the cupcakes as a 2 tone buttercream.
chrystal
Thanks!
Chrystal
Micaela
I never write comments on recipes, but I made this for the first time this week for a baby shower at work and they were delicious!! I loved that the recipe was simple to follow and that it had an easily accessible printer friendly version. Thank you for the yummy recipe!!
chrystal
I am so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Zorra
I’d like to do some with vanilla frosting and some with chocolate frosting. Should I just sub cocoa powder for some of the powdered sugar, or what do you recommend?
chrystal
Hi Zorra,
You can add in cocoa powder or sub it to make a chocolate frosting. You can add more or less of the milk or dairy-free milk to get the consistency that you want.
Best,
Chrystal
Kelly
Will buttermilk work in this recipe for the dairy milk?
chrystal
I haven’t personally tried it in this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Carly
Just tried these for the first time and was wondering if I can make ahead and freeze?
chrystal
Hi Carly,
Yes, you can make them and freeze them. I like to freeze them without frosting, defrost them at room temperature and then frost them.
Best,
Chrystal
maria ricupa
I would love to find a receipe for cupcakes that are keto friendly. Have you made any using coconut or almond flour?
chrystal
Hi Maria,
We have a keto chocolate cupcakes over at our other site: https://www.fourscoreliving.com/keto-chocolate-cupcakes/
Best,
Chrystal
Rose
Hi there!
This recipe looks great and I want to give it a go! Just wondering which type of dairy free milk you used? Was it almond milk? Would coconut milk also work?
Appreciate your help!
Thanks 🙂
chrystal
Hi Rose,
We like to use almond milk, it’s light and it works great.
Best,
Chrystal
Dani
Accidentally got ahead of myself and mixed all the dry ingredients together first (GF flour, sugar, salt, baking soda). Would cupcakes still work or restart? Would hate to waste a double batch worth of Bobs red Mill 1:1!
Thanks in advance!
chrystal
Hi Dani,
It should be fine 🙂 Mix the other wet ingredients and add them to the dry ingredients and mix for 1-2 minutes to add in air.
Best,
Chrystal
Mihca
My girls have requested a cat cake for their birthday but with this sponge recipe, which they love. Experimenting or converting recipes is not my jam so I’m a little nervous to just dump it in a round pan and test my luck. Any advice on baking temp and time for a regular cake vs. cupcakes?
chrystal
This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. If you want to do two layers you’ll need to double the recipe and reduce the baking powder to 3 teaspoons total. Spoon batter evenly into the round 8 o r9 inch cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check the cakes around the 28 minute mark. If you make a single batch you don’t have to adjust the baking powder. Bake for 22–25 minutes, then check the center and add time if needed.
Best,
Chrystal
Stephanie
Hi there!
If I wanted to make mini cupcakes, what would the bake temp and time be?
Thank you!
chrystal
Same temperature for mini’s, set your timer for 11 minutes and check for doneness after that.
Best,
Chrystal
Melissa
Thank you so much for posting this recipe and for perfecting it so we don’t have to. 🙂 I do have one question regarding eggs. My daughter has an egg allergy and I would need to sub out eggs for her to be able to have them. Do you have any recommendations? I usually use apple sauce for subbing eggs, but I’m afraid it would add too much moisture for this recipe. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
chrystal
Hi Melissa,
A few readers have made these egg free, look through the comments 🙂 Have you tried Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer? It works really well and it also works in my gluten free bread recipe!
Best,
Chrystal