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 cupcakes in no-time.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Did you make these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes? Stop back by and let me know what you thought.
Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or oil of choice)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup dairy-free milk
- 2 teaspoons rodelle vanilla paste or vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter (1 stick), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon rodelle vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free milk
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine oil and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, and vanilla paste; beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Spoon batter evenly into cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the centers springs back when touched and cupcakes are very lightly browned.
- Let cool in the pan on rack for five minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together dairy-free butter and vanilla paste until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Alternate one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of dairy-free milk until all ingredients are blended.
- Beat in additional dairy-free milk if needed to obtain desired constancy.
- Frost and enjoy!
Notes
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.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 cupcake w/frostingAmount Per Serving:Calories: 440 Total Fat: 20g Saturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 5950mg Sodium: 200mg Carbohydrates: 63g Sugar: 40g Protein: 4g
Melissa says
March 23, 2019 at 11:20 pmDelicious! They were a huge hit. I used grapeseat oil instead of vegetable. Also made the frosting with diary. Would definitely make this again!
chrystal says
March 24, 2019 at 6:11 amSo glad you liked them! Thank you for stopping by to let me know 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Nathania says
March 29, 2019 at 10:02 amDo you know if you can freeze the cupcakes after you bake them? Thanks!
chrystal says
March 29, 2019 at 4:52 pmHi Nathania,
Yes, you can freeze them. I typically freeze them without the frosting. When I am ready to use them I bring them to room temperature and then frost them.
Best,
Chrystal
Tania says
March 30, 2019 at 3:33 pmI have an autistic child and we ha e him on a gluten free and casein free diet. Its so dificult to find things that he likes and when I made this cupcakes and we all sit to eat them with him he was delighted. So, thanks for a great recipe I will be making these a lot.
chrystal says
March 31, 2019 at 6:59 amHi Tania,
This comment makes my heart so happy. Thank you for letting me know. I am so glad that your family loves these cupcakes.
Best,
Chrystal
Katharine says
April 1, 2019 at 6:55 pmExcellent recipe and great texture. My family loved them and they were still delicious the next day. Thank you for a great recipe. I even shared it with friends.
chrystal says
April 1, 2019 at 6:57 pmHi Katherine,
Thank you for stopping back by to let me know you loved these cupcakes!
Best,
Chrystal
Jeanette says
April 10, 2019 at 2:14 pmIs it OK to use real butter and milk? Also, how do these hold up? I’m planning an outdoor birthday party, and they may sit outside in 80 degree heat for a couple of hours. thanks.
chrystal says
April 10, 2019 at 4:38 pmHi Jeanette,
You can use regular butter and milk in the frosting 🙂 The cupcakes would hold up fine but the frosting might be a bit soft.
Best,
Chrystal
Hayley says
April 12, 2019 at 6:59 pmCould this recipe be used for a cake? I’ve made them as cupcakes plenty of times and they’re amazing, but I’m making a cake and don’t think I could possibly find a recipe as good as this.
chrystal says
April 12, 2019 at 7:51 pmHi Hayley,
Funny you should ask 🙂 I am publishing the cake version this Sunday! And thank you for the compliment!
Best,
Chrystal
Shelly says
April 14, 2019 at 4:09 pmIt’s really moist and stay the same the next day. My boys love it. Looking for gf cupcake recipe for my son’s birthday next month. And found one! Thank you!!
chrystal says
April 14, 2019 at 4:40 pmHi Shelly,
I am so glad your boys loved these cupcakes 🙂 Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Heather says
April 16, 2019 at 1:33 pmCan I use a vegan egg? Cause the recipe sounds like it could work for my gluten free dad and my vegan neice.
chrystal says
April 16, 2019 at 4:23 pmHi Heather,
I haven’t worked with a vegan egg in this recipe yet. It’s on my list to test.
Best,
Chrystal
Sophia says
April 16, 2019 at 5:46 pmHi Crystal,
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
Sophia
chrystal says
April 17, 2019 at 7:12 amSo glad you like it! Thank you for stopping by.
Best,
Chrystal
Tia says
April 18, 2019 at 9:02 pmHave you tried making the cupcakes with butter instead of oil? Does it work this way? Thanks!
chrystal says
April 19, 2019 at 8:36 amHi Tia,
Thanks for stopping by. I have made cakes and cupcakes with butter. You’ll need to beat the batter with an electric mixer for the same amount of time as oil. Just a note, the cupcakes won’t be as fluffy – but still amazing!
Best,
Chrystal
Jessica says
April 19, 2019 at 4:32 amHow many cupcakes does this recipe make?
chrystal says
April 19, 2019 at 8:37 amHi Jessica,
This recipes makes 12 cupcakes 🙂
Best
Chrystal
Shaunna says
April 20, 2019 at 5:16 amWill be making the cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday party. For the frosting, at what point did you add the coloring for the frosting?
chrystal says
April 20, 2019 at 7:24 amHi Shaunna,
Happy Birthday to your daughter! You can add it to the frosting at the end. After you’re frosting is smooth and creamy, add your food coloring and give it a good mix until the color is even.
Best,
Chrystal
Debra says
April 20, 2019 at 3:45 pmWhat oils have you tried with this? I like using coconut oil.
chrystal says
April 21, 2019 at 6:11 amHi Debra,
We’ve used avocado oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil. I haven’t tried coconut with this recipe, but it should work fine.
Best,
Chrystal
Vicky says
April 26, 2019 at 2:25 pmHave you ever made mini cupcakes with this recipe and if so, how long did you bake them?
chrystal says
April 26, 2019 at 2:26 pmHi Vicky,
Yes! I’d bake them for about 11 minutes, then check for doneness after that.
Hope that helps. Let me know how they turn out!
Best,
Chrystal
Kelly Koons says
May 1, 2019 at 3:37 amHello! I am making these for a friend’s birthday and am new to GF baking. What type of dairy free milk works best? I have a coconut almond milk blend. Would that work? Thank you!
chrystal says
May 1, 2019 at 6:21 amHi Kelly,
I typically use almond milk. The coconut almond milk blend should work just fine 🙂 Let me know how they turn out.
Best,
Chrystal
Kirstin says
May 4, 2019 at 10:59 amWhat kind of mixer/beater attachments do you use? Thanks!
chrystal says
May 6, 2019 at 1:34 pmHi Kristin,
For this recipe I use a standard kitchen aid hand mixer.
Best,
Chrystal
Naomi Hooks says
May 9, 2019 at 7:36 amHello,
have you ever made this recipe sugar free?
chrystal says
May 9, 2019 at 11:19 amHi Naomi,
I haven’t made this particular one sugar free. I have a paleo chocolate chip muffins recipe that uses maple syrup or honey that you might like. You can use sugar free chocolate chips, or leave them out and top with a sugar free frosting. Hope that helps. https://www.glutenfreepalate.com/paleo-chocolate-chip-muffins/
Best,
Chrystal
Amber says
May 11, 2019 at 2:12 pmThis recipe was fantastic. What I had on hand was Red Mills gluten free flour, and I used 1% milk instead of dairy free, but the texture still came out great. I also added about 1 1/2 teaspoons of some raspberry syrup meant for flavoring coffee, and ended up with amazing raspberry-vanilla cupcakes. I poured them in six extra-large rose-shaped silicone tins instead of regular sized ones, because I wanted them to be fancier for my mom on Mother’s Day. I’m really proud of how they came out. Thank you so much!
chrystal says
May 12, 2019 at 6:46 amHi Amber,
I am so glad you like my gluten-free vanilla cupcakes 🙂 They are a favorite in our house too. We used to use regular milk in the recipe before my oldest daughter had to remove dairy from her diet. I love the idea of raspberry syrup for an special twist. Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Chrystal
Shireen Hampton says
May 17, 2019 at 7:41 amHi crystal,
These look great. A few questions though! What would the baking time and filling amount for mini cupcakes be?
Also, if I’m making them the day before a party, what would storing look like, and can I store them already frosted?
Thanks,
Shireen
chrystal says
May 17, 2019 at 9:01 amHi Shireen,
If you are using a mini cupcake pan, depending on the size you’d fill with 1 or 2 tablespoons of batter. I start the baking time at around 10 or 11 minutes. For the day before you can store them in a an airtight container at room temperature frosted or unfrosted.
Best,
Chrystal
Renée says
May 18, 2019 at 12:09 pmQuestion: I need to make a tray cake. Do you think your vanilla cupcake recipe will do it?
chrystal says
May 19, 2019 at 6:40 amHi Renee,
I have a vanilla cake recipe as well. You can make this is a 9 x 13 cake pan. Start with 25 minutes and watch it for doneness from there. https://www.glutenfreepalate.com/easy-gluten-free-vanilla-cake/
Best,
Chrystal
Nadia says
May 21, 2019 at 12:34 pmExperimenting with gluten free vegan baking! Can I sub flax eggs in this vanilla cupcake recipe?
chrystal says
May 22, 2019 at 5:32 amHi Nadia,
You can use flax egg. Just make sure to let the flax egg sit until its thick, and follow the direction like you would an egg (beating it in). The texture won’t be as fluffy, but it will still be good. Come back and let me know how it turned out!
Best,
Chrystal
Alexis says
May 23, 2019 at 10:59 pmHey there!
Haven’t tried this recipe yet- a bit nervous because th roast GF cupcakes I’ve made have come out gummy. Any tips beforehand to avoid this?
chrystal says
May 24, 2019 at 5:28 amHi Alexis,
I’m not sure which cupcakes you made, so I can’t help there. With these vanilla cupcakes, just make sure to read through the post and follow the same ingredients and directions. Don’t use Bob’s red mill all purpose gluten-free flour (it has garbanzo bean flour in it). Make sure to use Bob’s red mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour (blue bag). Others have had great success with Namaste, but I haven’t tried it myself. Also, do’t use coconut oil, make sure to use canola oil, or avocado oil.
Let me know how they turn out!
Hope that helps,
Chrystal
Kasey says
May 28, 2019 at 2:07 amIs it possible to make a cake with this recipe, and/or would I need change any of the ingredient amounts? I want to bake a gluten-free birthday cake for myself that my office at work can enjoy with me!
chrystal says
May 28, 2019 at 5:37 amHi Kasey,
I have a cake version of this recipe at https://www.glutenfreepalate.com/easy-gluten-free-vanilla-cake/ I also have a yummy chocolate cake at https://www.glutenfreepalate.com/easy-gluten-free-chocolate-cake-11-ingredients/
I hope you have a great birthday!
Best,
Chrystal
Danielle says
June 6, 2019 at 4:46 pmI made these cupcakes this weekend for a friends birthday get together and they were a huge hit! I made a strawberry limeade compote to fill the middle and nobody believed that they were dairy and gluten free! I love to bake and my doctor recently put me on a DF/GF diet and trying to find yummy recipes has been so difficult! I am excited to try more of your recipes! Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
chrystal says
June 7, 2019 at 6:04 amHi Danielle,
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and let me know that they were a hit. I love the idea of strawberry limeade compote in the middle. It reminds me of my lemon cake where I put lemon curd in the middle. I’m excited for you to try more of my recipes too!
Happy cooking and baking,
Chrystal