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Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes

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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.

a gluten free vanilla cupcake topped with blue and white swirled frosting, on a white plate with a fork

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.

a gluten free vanilla cupcake topped with white frosting with a bite out

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.

a gluten free vanilla cupcake topped with blue and white swirled frosting, on a white plate in front of another cupcake

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.

top down view of a gluten free vanilla cupcakes topped with blue and white swirled frosting

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.

top down view of a gluten free vanilla cupcake topped with blue and white swirled frosting, on a white plate with a fork

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.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

a gluten free vanilla bean cupcake with a bite out of it on a marble counter

These Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes are dairy-free, simple to make, and lend a bakery style texture and a vanilla bean finish.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

For the frosting:

  • 1/2 cup (4 oz.) dairy-free butter (or dairy butter), room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (360g.) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dairy-free milk (or dairy milk)

Instructions

  1. For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl combine oil and sugar.
  3. Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, and vanilla extract (or paste); beat at medium speed for one minute.
  4. 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.
  5. Let cool in the pan on rack for five minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
  6. For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together dairy-free butter and vanilla paste until smooth and creamy.
  7. 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.
  8. Beat in additional dairy-free milk if needed to obtain desired constancy.
  9. Frost and enjoy!

Notes

  • You can use regular milk and butter in this recipe if you don't need to eat dairy-free.
  • 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/frosting
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 440Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5950mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 63gSugar: 40gProtein: 4g
© Chrystal
Cuisine: Dessert / Category: Desserts
a pinterest pin of a photo of a cupcake with white frosting with the words gluten-free dairy-free vanilla bean cupcakes at the top

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Delicious! They were a huge hit. I used grapeseat oil instead of vegetable. Also made the frosting with diary. Would definitely make this again!

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  3. I 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.

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  4. Excellent 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.

    Reply

  5. Is 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.

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  6. Could 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.

    Reply

    • Hi Hayley,
      Funny you should ask 🙂 I am publishing the cake version this Sunday! And thank you for the compliment!

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  7. It’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!!

    Reply

  8. Can I use a vegan egg? Cause the recipe sounds like it could work for my gluten free dad and my vegan neice.

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  12. Will be making the cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday party. For the frosting, at what point did you add the coloring for the frosting?

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  15. Hello! 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!

    Reply

    • Hi Kelly,
      I typically use almond milk. The coconut almond milk blend should work just fine 🙂 Let me know how they turn out.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  18. This 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!

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  19. Hi 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

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  22. Hey 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?

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  23. Is 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!

    Reply

  24. I 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!

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

  25. Hi! I’m making these cupcakes today and need to double the recipe! How does that affect cooking time? Thank you so much!!

    Reply

    • Hi Erin,
      You can double the batch, just make sure to bake on batch at a time.

      Hope that helps,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  27. I found your website today and made them today as well and they are great! I recently just started this journey a week ago and I am so grateful that I found your website. Im so excited to share with my fellow non gluten and dairy eaters as well as others who may be skeptical towards it 🙂

    Reply

  28. These cupcakes are the absolute BEST GF recipe I have ever found. But I am wondering what would happen if I used regular milk and butter.

    Reply

    • Hi Aubrie,
      I am so glad you like them! You can use regular milk and butter (melted and cooled). It gives it a little bit of a more cake-like texture, not as soft but a little more spongy.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  29. These cupcakes are amazing! I love the texture, they taste just like a Gluten version. would without the grainy texture. I followed your advice about reducing the Baking Powder, as I live at an elevation of 3400 ft above sea level and only used 1 tsp and they turned out beautiful! Thank you 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Athena,
      I am so glad they turned out for you at your elevation! Thank you for letting me know reducing the baking powder worked and that you loved these cupcakes.

      All my best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

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