Classic chocolate cupcakes made gluten-free, topped with chocolate buttercream frosting, for an easy, rich, decadent, double chocolate treat!
What’s your favorite flavor of cupcakes?
I’m a chocoholic. Massive chocoholic. Like, complain about other desserts when they don’t contain any chocolate (that’s not a REAL dessert!). I like to think I’m in remission though, since my husband is the opposite and the longer that I’m with him and make desserts for him, the more I’m opened up to the world of desserts beyond chocolate.
Anyway, where were we.. chocolate? 🙂
These easy, classic chocolate cupcakes are made gluten-free, with chocolate buttercream frosting. Nothing healthy here folks! This is where balance comes in. If you’re looking for a healthier chocolate dessert I’d highly recommend my Double Chocolate Truffles.
But, if you need a great gluten-free, moist Chocolate Cupcake that no one will know is gluten-free, and works perfectly for kids birthday parties and holidays… then let’s get down to business!
How do you make a Chocolate Cupcake the right texture?
The most important part, by far, about chocolate cupcakes is thoroughly mixing your cocoa powder into the rest of your dry ingredients so you have no cocoa powder clumps.
Cocoa powder clumps will leave you with a bite of delicious cupcake.. with a clump of chalky cocoa powder in the middle. Definitely not what we want.
So, you can either whisk your cocoa powder like crazy into your dry ingredients, or you can pour your cocoa powder into your bowl through a fine mesh-strainer to sift out the clumps. Using a strainer is a little bit more of a foul-proof method, and ensures no cocoa powder clumps.
What makes these gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes better than the rest?
With other Chocolate Cupcake recipes you’ll often see the process of delicately melting chocolate and adding it to your cupcake batter.
While a delicious addition, the best gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes are those that are an easy recipe to make without any extra chocolate-melting steps. Topped with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, trust me, you still get PLENTY of chocolate flavor in these!
Live in high altitude? Mountain mom like myself? 😉
These gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes also have a high altitude tip to make sure they rise perfectly in high altitudes. Simply reduce the baking powder, from 2 tsp to 1/2 tsp. That is IT! You’ll be left with moist cupcakes every time. No flat, greasy, or dry high altitude cupcakes.
Now, about that Chocolate Buttercream Frosting…
It’s the unhealthy elephant in the room. Loaded with butter and powdered sugar, you might think I’ve lost my mind since I try to share recipes that are not only gluten-free but also healthier than their counterparts.
I’ve tried making a couple healthy frosting recipes. Avocado frosting? Yeah that was about as good as it sounds (and I really wanted to like that one!). Needless to say, I’m still on the hunt for the perfect healthier frosting that will satisfy myself and my husband who grew up on store bought everything.
So, for now, treat yourself and enjoy some regular ole frosting! At least it IS healthier because it’s homemade, rather than buying a tub at the store that’s loaded with preservatives.
Oh, and this easy recipe makes 15 cupcakes. Have you ever made 12 cupcakes to bring to a party or gathering, but then you have to taste test at least one right?! And you can’t bring an uneven amount?! So you end up bringing only ten???
No problem here. Save three for yourself, and take a dozen to the party. Problem solved. 🙂
Into other decadent cupcake recipes? Check out my gluten-free Funfetti Cupcakes or my gluten-free Lemon Cupcakes.
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 flour)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla
-
To prepare, preheat your oven to 350 and line two muffin tins with 15 cupcake liners.
-
In a small mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and whisk them together (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, baking soda) till there are no clumps of cocoa powder. Alternatively, pour your cocoa powder into the bowl through a fine mesh-strainer, to ensure there are no cocoa powder clumps.
-
In a large mixing bowl, add your coconut oil and sugar and whisk them together. Add your eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk them together.
-
Pour your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients, and stir together till everything is well incorporated.
-
Pour your cupcake batter into your cupcake liners, filling each cavity about 2/3 way full, till each cavity is full. Bake in the oven for 14-16 minutes, or till the cupcakes are springy to touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
-
Let cool entirely before frosting.
-
In a large mixing bowl, add your butter and beat with a hand mixer till creamed.
-
Add your powdered sugar, cocoa powder, water and vanilla, and beat till smooth. If necessary, add a little more water to make the frosting smooth.
-
Pipe on top of your cooled cupcakes, and add sprinkles if desired before the frosting dries.
Store these cupcakes on the counter for 1-2 days, or in the fridge for one week.
how long should I bake for mini cupcakes?
I made these and the gf vanilla cupcakes for a birthday party last night and they were a huge hit! Everyone said they were really good, and not just good for gf. Thanks so much!
PS, I live at 5300 feet and followed your HA instructions and they came out perfect!
Great to hear!! Thanks, Christina, for the comment.
This cupcake is great!! Making them again for Valentines Day!!!
Have you or anyone here tried replacing the sugar with a different sweetener? Thinking..honey, maple syrup, xylitol, etc. and if so how did it taste? Any adjustments to something else to accommodate the sweetener change? Thank You.
Aside from the baking powder change, do you add any additional eggs or flour for high altitude? I’m sitting at about 5,000 feet here in Erie, Colorado and for normal recipes, I add 1 extra egg and 1/4 cup flour (non-gluten free). Hope you know, thank you!
Hi Jacqui. These Chocolate Cupcakes will work well at about 5,000 feet with ONLY reducing the baking powder. That’s what I do and they turn out great. These cupcakes are a bit thicker naturally, so they work well in altitude without having to add anymore flour or eggs. I hope this helps!
These worked out beautifully! High altitude cupcakes are hard and these were perfect! I used cup4cup flour, and followed the recipe to a t, next time I would make closer to 17/18 cupcakes because in the end they were just a touch tall over the wrappers. But beautiful texture and tops!
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing Nicole!
they look really good in the picture! Can’t wait to make them!!! Good job Chelsea????
Thanks, Danielle! Hope you enjoy!
WOW these cupcakes look so delicious and perfect for any birthday party!
Thank you, Natalie! They’re so fun and easy!