By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023

Tender Gluten-Free Root Beer Cupcakes that are not only tasty, but are fun to boot! Serve them at your next party for the ultimate dessert! If you don't like root beer, you can always use Dr. Pepper or your favorite vanilla soda.

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 Root Beer Cupcakes

My youngest daughter inspired this recipe. We were visiting the Bahamas when she saw people try a piece of rum cake. They were hmmming and yumming so much she asked if we could make gluten-free rum cake when we got home.

I told her rum cake wasn't really for kids. She followed up and asked, "could you make gluten-free root beer cupcakes instead?" I thought, why not? They make gluten free champagne cupcakes and Gluten Free Pina Colada Cupcakes.

Is Root Beer Gluten Free

Yes, most soda companies don't add gluten containing ingredients to their Root Beer recipes. Always double check to make sure no gluten ingredients were added. They also make a root beer extract for those that just want the flavoring.

Is Dr. Pepper Gluten Free

Yes, Dr. Pepper is gluten free. Always double check the ingredients as recipes may change. You can make gluten-free Dr. Pepper cupcake if you like Dr. Pepper more than Root Beer.

These gluten-free root beer float cupcakes are a fun twist to a traditional vanilla cupcake. They are super simple to make and only use nine ingredients from cupcake to frosting. They are a huge hit at both kids and adult birthday parties.

If you're not a fan of root beer, try switching the root beer up with Dr. Pepper, or Cherry soda for an exciting twist.

Working with Gluten-Free Flours

When working with or measuring flours, 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 weigh the flour but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.

How to make gluten-free cupcakes

There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free root beer 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. Mixing the batter 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 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 root beer cupcakes? Or did you make Dr. Pepper cupcakes? We want to know! Comment below letting us know how you made them and what you thought.

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Yield: 12

Gluten-Free Root Beer Cupcakes

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Tender Gluten-Free Root Beer Cupcakes that are not only tasty, but are fun to boot! Serve them at your next party for the ultimate dessert! If you don't like root beer, you can always use Dr. Pepper.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, separate the white from yolks
• 8 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup root beer soda (or vanilla soda, or Dr. Pepper)

For the frosting:

• ½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup root beer soda

Instructions

1. For the cake - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12 serving cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, place the all purpose gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and ¾ cup of the granulated sugar. Mix until combined; Set aside.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the two egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
4. Add the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, and beat again on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
5. Add the egg yolks and butter. Beat on medium speed just until combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients and the root beer soda, alternating one and then the other until fully incorporated into the batter.
7. Mix until just combined. The batter will be thick.
8. Fill each cupcake liner approximately ⅔ full.
9. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
11. Cool completely before frosting.
12. For the frosting-In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
13. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Alternate one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of root beer soda until all ingredients are blended.
14. Beat in additional root beer if needed to obtain desired consistency.
15. Frost each cupcake.
16. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 385Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 258mgCarbohydrates: 86gFiber: 1gSugar: 66gProtein: 4g