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. When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs you’ll want to beat it for the time listed. This adds air which in turn helps the cupcakes rise.
Once you add your flour mixture, you’ll only want to beat until combined. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.
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. When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour. The best method really is to weight it but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.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
gINNY says
Hi Chrystal,
I want to make these using Monkfruit sweetener as my aunt is also diabetic. Have you used any sugar alternatives or substitutes? Thank you so much for posting this!
chrystal says
Hi Ginny,
I haven’t made this recipe with monkfruit sweetener but I have with another recipe. You will really have to mix the sweetener in with the oil. You might need to heat it up slightly so the sweetener starts to dissolve a little. One thing though, if your aunt is diabetic you might want to look at a keto cupcake recipe. Gluten free recipes tend to have starches and they are high on the glycemic index. This recipe uses a blend that is still high on the index. Hope that helps.
Best,
Chrystal
Ginny says
Thank you so much, Chrystal. She is celiac as well so it is hard.
Madison says
Hi Crystal, I’ll be trying this recipe this weekend and was wondering what kind of non dairy milk you recommend?
Also butter substitutes? I’m just currently switching to gluten/dairy free for medical reasons and would love to know my best options for baking. Btw these will be my treat for my sons 2nd birthday. I’m pretty stoked to try some cupcakes!
chrystal says
Hi Madison,
I’m so sorry, this comment got caught it my spam and I’m just now seeing it. You can use almond milk, rice milk, or coconut milk. For the dairy-free butter for the frosting we like earth balance buttery spread.
I hope this reply makes it to you on time.
Best,
Chrystal
AshM says
What kind of dairy free milk? Coconut? Thank you!
chrystal says
Hi Ash,
You can use almond milk, coconut milk, or rice milk.
Best,
Chrystal
AshM says
Awesome, thank you!
Genoa says
Great recipe! The frosting makes the perfect amount. The cake is a very good texture. I dyed the batter in pink blue and light purple colour to make a fun gluten free cupcake for my daughters. Great reviews from the kids and adults. This will be my new go to vanilla cupcake recipe.
chrystal says
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Jennifer Brunker says
Great recejpe. Made them for my Grandson and they got the nod of approval.
chrystal says
I’m so glad he loved them. Thank you for stopping by to let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Danielle says
My son is dairy, egg, and gluten free and it has been so difficult to find a cupcake recipe that is all of these things. Any chance you’ve tried Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer? Do you know how it would work in this recipe? I’m making cupcakes for my daughter’s 2nd birthday this weekend and I’d love for my son to be able to enjoy the treat as well.
I love all of your notes by the way!
Thanks!
chrystal says
Hi Danielle,
I haven’t personally used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer in this recipe, but several of my readers have and they’ve been please wtih the results.
Best,
Chrystal
Rosslyn Kingston says
Holy heck, I made these today and they are amazing! Do you have a way to make the icing thicker and both overall less sweet? Maybe with lemon?
chrystal says
I’m so glad you like them. You can make the frosting less sweet by using less powdered sugar, but it will be more buttery. For a lemon version, search lemon cupcakes in the search bar on the right of my page.
Best,
Chrystal
Alana P says
I am going to make these in s couple weeks for a girlfriends birthday party! can you tell me how I should bake them if I make mini cupcakes? xx
chrystal says
Hi Alana,
Make the batter as directed, and bake them for about 11 minutes, but watch for doneness.
Best,
Chrytal
Julie says
Wow, wow, wow! I made these cupcakes today (high altitude, dairy free version with my own buttercream), and my family couldn’t even tell they were gluten free. Amazing texture and great flavor! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
chrystal says
I am so glad you love them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Unicorn says
Hello Chrystal,
Are these cupcakes dense?
chrystal says
Not at all 🙂 You’ll read in the comments that everyone loves them, and many talk about how tender they are. I hope you give them a try.
Best,
Chrystal
Unicorn says
Thank you Chrystal! I am going to try them and they look delicious.
Unicorn says
Also, if I wanted to make a cake, what is the cake pan size for this recipe?
chrystal says
I have a cake version. Simple search vanilla cake on my website, in the right hand search bar.
Best,
Chrystal
Caren says
I made these cupcakes last night and although the texture was amazingly spot on…there was a strange salty ness. Is 13/4 teaspoon to correct ant for baking powder or is that a typo? I would like to retry the recipe and am unsure where my error is. Thanks in advance.
chrystal says
Hi Caren,
I’m not sure why they would have been salty. I haven’t had anyone mention that before. The amount of baking powder is correct. Did you possibly use another ingredient that maybe had salt in it?
Best,
Chrystal
Ingrid says
Hi Chrystal
Thanks for the recipe. I’d like to try it, but with a few modifications. Can I substitute honey for sugar, rice flour for all-purpose gluten free flour.
As you may have heard in the news, South Africa is on lockdown for 21 day, so I can’t go to the shops.
Regards
Lebo
chrystal says
Hello Ingrid,
Yes, may places are in lock down. I honestly don’t know how rice flour only will turn out. This recipe works because of the combination of flours. I also haven’t tried honey in a cupcake yet, but I’ve used it in muffins. It might be best to find a recipe that uses those ingredients specifically. I’d hate for you to waste ingredients.
Best,
Chrystal
Elisa says
This recipe never disappoints! It’s my third time baking these and they turned out perfect once again. I made zero modifications and used almond milk. Thanks for the recipe.
chrystal says
I’m so glad you love it. Thank you for stopping by to let me know 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
S. Chaffin says
Made these today! Great recipe! I did use regular milk and a different icing recipe that I usually use for cupcakes. I really liked the texture of the cupcake.
chrystal says
I’m so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Ashley says
Hi! Can you use this recipe to make a 6” cake instead of cupcakes? I have all the ingredients I need to make this as my own quarantine birthday cake, without going to the store, but am looking to do a cake not cupcakes.
Thanks!
chrystal says
You most certainly can 🙂 just watch the baking time for doness.
Happy Birthday!
Chrystal