By

Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On February 24, 2026

These lemon elderflower cupcakes are packed with bursts of lemon and elderflower syrup. Topped with a sweet, buttery frosting and boasting a tender crumb, you may struggle to stop at just one.

The Best Gluten-Free Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes

When I heard all the rage about elderflower being used in the royal wedding cake, specifically for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, I sadly didn't sit up and take note. A friend brought it to my attention recently, and I now get it. If you're a fan of the couple or not, trust me, these cupcakes are worth putting your feelings aside and giving them a try.

It's a little difficult to describe this one, but it's bursts of lemon with the gentle hint of elderflower, which tastes like a familiar childhood flavor I can't quite put my finger on. The crumb of this cupcake melts in your mouth as it is so tender. I can only describe it as a burst of Summer in your mouth.

For those die-hard chocolate fans, try these Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes. And if you are after another cupcake for a special occasion (like a wedding), I've got one more. You can use up your leftover bubbly with these Gluten-Free Champagne Cupcakes.

Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes

Taste - I have had a lot of cupcakes in my time, but I enjoyed these so much I may or may not have had more than my share. The elderflower syrup adds a nice crunchy crust to the cupcake, and the combination of lemon and elderflower syrup makes it taste really good.

Easy to make - The longest part is waiting for the oven to bake them, and that's only for 18-20 minutes. So they're quick to whip up and frost for a special occasion.

Perfect for any occasion - Be it a wedding, birthday party, brunch, baby shower, or any special occasion, you need to have these featured on your table. It will be a talking point.

Ingredients For Our Cupcakes Recipe

Don't let the ingredients put you off. It is a simple process to get these going. So follow along with these step-by-step photos. These are the cupcake ingredients, first.

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour - Use your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour. If you are new to gluten-free, find a store-bought option you like the taste of or make your own gluten-free flour blend with our suggestions. I tried this with a sorghum, millet, and tapioca starch combination. It worked, but I wanted the elderflower taste to stand out more, so I used a maize, tapioca, and rice flour combination.
• Vegetable Oil – Provides moisture and ensures a tender, fluffy texture in your cupcakes. Neutral oils like canola or sunflower oil work best so you enjoy the intended flavors.
• Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness and contributes to the soft, tender crumb by retaining moisture during baking.
• Eggs (room temperature) – Bind the ingredients together, add structure, and contribute to the cupcake’s rise.
• Xanthan Gum (if needed) – Acts as a gluten substitute, providing elasticity and structure to gluten-free baked goods. Only add it if your flour blend doesn't already contain it.
• Salt – Balances the flavors.
• Baking Powder – A key leavening agent responsible for the cupcake’s rise, ensuring a fluffy, well-aerated cupcake. Scroll down and take a look at the cupcake centre.
• Milk – Adds moisture and richness to the mixture, creating a tender cupcake. You can use dairy-free milk.
• Elderflower Syrup – Provides a delicate floral flavor and subtle sweetness, and is the perfect combination with the fresh lemon zest.
• Vanilla Extract (or vanilla bean paste) – Complements the elderflower and lemon while adding to the sweetness. This is the second most valuable flavoring in the food industry.
• Lemon Zest – Adds a subtle pop of lemon flavor that complements the elderflow syrup. You can use lemon juice for this too.

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

• Butter – Creates a creamy, rich base for your frosting that holds its shape when piped. You can use dairy-free butter.
• Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the frosting and gives it a smooth consistency.
• Milk – Adjusts the frosting consistency, helping you achieve the perfect, creamy texture for piping or spreading. You can use dairy-free milk if preferred.
• Elderflower Syrup (optional but recommended) – I would recommend it; it just makes the flavors pop more.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor and complements the elderflower.
• Extra lemon zest - I've added lemon zest for a bit of a pop of colour, but you can add any sort of decorative item on top that you like.

Equipment Needed

Get a few mixing bowls. You will need a food processor or a handheld mixer. You can use a whisk, but you'll need some extra muscle power for the frosting. I used plain, simple white cupcake cases, but you can use a specific colour to match your theme.

A 12-hole muffin or cupcake tin is needed. You can also use a 6-hole muffin tin. A piping tip and piping bag are useful, but you can also use a butter knife and shape it on top. I like to add a simple swirl.

How to Make Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes

This recipe is based on our very popular gf vanilla cupcakes. I'm just adding elderberries and lemon for a special take on it.

Make the cupcake batter

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar. Then add eggs and elderflower syrup and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, xanthan gum (if required), lemon zest, and vanilla extract (or paste).

Blend And Spoon In Batter

Beat at medium speed for one minute. Spoon batter evenly into cupcake liners. You'll get about 10-12 cupcakes.

Bake And Cool

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for five minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan onto rack and cool completely before frosting.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together 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 milk, and then 1 tablespoon of elderflower syrup (if using) until all ingredients are blended.

Beat in additional milk if needed to obtain the desired consistency. Frost and enjoy!

Baking Tips

Here are some of the things I did to make sure these turned out exactly as I wanted.

• Use the correct flour - The correct flour is crucial to the overall taste and outcome of your baked cupcakes.
• Add in xanthan gum if required - Look at the ingredient label on the gluten-free all-purpose flour and check if it has xanthan gum. If not, add in  ¼ -½ teaspoon.
• Don't overbake the cupcakes - I have my cupcakes in for 12 minutes and used a cake tester (you can use a toothpick), and the crumb came out clean. This all depends on your oven, so make sure you're not distracted. The tender crumb makes it worth peering into the oven.
• Add elderflower syrup to the frosting - I love the taste of elderflower, so I added it into the frosting. You can, however, not add it in and then add an extra tablespoon of milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

We've gathered some of the most common questions, but feel free to comment below.

What Are Elderberries?

Elderberries come from the Sambucus nigra and canadensis plants in North America, which are harvested in late Summer. It produces blue or purple berries, which are edible.

Various parts of the plant can be used to make products such as elderberry wine, jam, syrup, and pies. The whole flower clusters can be battered and fried (thanks to MasterChef), while individual petals are delicious raw or brewed into a fragrant tea. The flowers also have antiseptic properties.

How Long Do Elderflower Cupcakes Last?

Store your gluten-free cupcakes in a cake container in a cool area of your kitchen for up to 2 days. The frosting is made with butter, so it is best to then refrigerate it. Alternatively, store it in the fridge, especially if it is a hot summer day.

Can I Freeze These Cupcakes?

Yes, you can freeze these for up to 3 months. I would suggest you free them without the frosting on top. You can also freeze the frosting. Defrost the frosting, give it a quick spin in your food processor or hand-held mixer, and frost your defrosted cupcakes.

How Do You Make Elderflower Syrup?

To make one quart of elderflower syrup, bring 3 cups each of sugar and water to a boil. Allow the syrup to cool until warm to the touch, then pour it over a quart-sized Mason jar packed with elderflowers. Let it steep in the refrigerator for two days, strain out the flowers, and use the syrup within three weeks.

Can I Make Elderberry Syrup Instead?

You sure can. At the end of the summer, American elderberries start to darken. Once they're fully ripe (they're almost black), you can simmer them a little and make them into a syrup. Then, you can use that syrup instead of elderflower syrup to make these cupcakes!

Continue to Content

Yield: 10-12 cupcakes

Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes

Print

These gluten-free lemon elderflower cupcakes are tender with bursts of lemon and elderflower syrup.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• ½ cup vegetable oil (or oil of choice) (110g.)
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar (140g.)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups all purpose gluten-free flour blend (180g.)
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (only add in if your flour does not have it in)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ cup dairy-free milk (or dairy milk) (60g.)
• ¼ cup elderflower syrup (60g.)
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon zest (medium lemon)

For the frosting:

• ½ cup dairy-free butter (or dairy butter), room temperature (4 oz.)
• 1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar (360g.)
• 1 tablespoon dairy-free milk (or dairy milk)
• 1 tablespoon elderflower syrup (optional but recommended)

Instructions

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar.
3. Add eggs and elderflower syrup and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, xanthan gum (if required), lemon zest, 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 spring back when touched and cupcakes are very lightly browned.
5. Let it cool in the pan on a 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 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 milk, and then 1 tablespoon of elderflower syrup (if using) until all ingredients are blended.
8. Beat in additional dairy-free milk if needed to obtain the desired consistency.
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.
• This recipe makes 12 standard sized cupcakes. You can double the recipe to make 24.
• You can make your own elderberry syrup and swap it in for the elderflower syrup, too!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. They never cost you extra.

• 
  USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan
• 
  Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, 22-ounce (Pack of 4)
• 
  Monin Elderflower Syrup

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 416Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 197mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 1gSugar: 42gProtein: 4g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands used at the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.

If you make these gluten-free lemon elderflower cupcakes, please consider stopping by and letting me know what you think.