• About
  • Work with Me
  • Contact
  • Food Photography

Chef Janet

So good, they'll never know it's gluten-free.

  • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Salads
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Cooking Basics
  • Gluten-Free Diet Tips
Home Β» Baked Goods Β» Gluten-Free Mini Cupcakes-Chocolate or Vanilla

October 28, 2021 (last updated May 28, 2022)

Gluten-Free Mini Cupcakes-Chocolate or Vanilla

No ratings yet
Leave a Comment Jump to Recipe

These mini cupcakes are the perfect two-bite gluten-free treat. Included are recipes for a moist fluffy vanilla and rich dark chocolate cupcake. Both recipes are super easy and mix up in one bowl.

Be sure to check out more of my gluten-free cupcake recipes, including my gluten and dairy-free vanilla cupcakes, and my fluffy raspberry lemonade cupcakes.

How Much Batter for Mini Cupcakes?

It can be so confusing when you’re trying to figure out how much to fill cupcake liners. Every cupcake recipe is a little different, depending on how much the cupcakes rise. I find that most mini cupcakes use about 1 tablespoon of batter per cupcake. I am always tempted to use more, because it never looks like it’s enough! But the cupcakes will rise to fill the paper liner just enough, with the exact amounts provided in the recipes.

I have linked metal cookie scoops that will portion the batter perfectly for each recipe. Otherwise, use a measuring spoon if you want to be exact.

Close up of mini gluten free vanilla nd chocolate cupcakes with frosting on wire rack. White background.

Ingredients

Gluten-free flour blend – King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour is my go-to flour for gluten-free baking. It is widely available and works well in almost all of my recipes. It is also the most affordable of the gluten-free flours I have worked with. Be sure to check out more of my Recipes with King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour.

Pamela’s All Purpose Artisan Blend is similar and will work too. Both Pamela’s and King Arthur’s are vegan. Cup4Cup works well too, but I don’t use it often because it has milk powder and is expensive. All three of these flours are certified gluten-free.

The flours above are “all-in-one flours” which contain binders. But, if you use a gluten-free flour blend that does not contain xanthan gum, guar gum or inulin, add 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to each recipe.

Mini gluten free vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with frosting on white cake stand. White background.

Milk – I am mostly dairy-free so I use milk alternatives. Almond milk, coconut, oat, hemp, soy milk and other milk substitutes can be used. Otherwise, regular cow’s milk will work too.

Oil is my preferred way to add moisture to gluten-free baked goods. Butter may have slightly better flavor but, gluten-free cakes and cupcakes are more moist with oil. Sunflower, avocado, canola or any neutral flavored vegetable oil will work.

Vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or vanilla powder are all options for the vanilla cupcakes. My favorite vanilla for baking is Cooks Vanilla powder. It has no alcohol and gives amazing flavor to these cupcakes. Vanilla bean paste is another yummy, alcohol free option. However, with the sky high prices of vanilla, feel free to use imitation vanilla if the real stuff is not in your budget.

Cocoa powder for the chocolate cupcakes gives them that dark, rich bittersweet flavor. A good gluten-free option for cocoa powder is Hershey’s. I used to use Ghirardelli, but it has a wheat warning on the label.

overhead view of mini gluten free cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting in cupcake pan. Wire rack and gray napkin underneath. Metal cup with rainbow sprinkles in upper left.

Cupcake Frosting

These cupcakes would work with almost any flavor frosting, but my pipeable cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream frosting is my favorite. Be sure to check out my full collection of cake and cupcake frosting recipes, including vegan and dairy-free options. To generously frost 24 minis, cut these frosting recipes in half.

Mini gluten free vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with frosting and rainbow sprinkles. White cake stand with cupcakes in back. White background.
overhead view of mini gluten free vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with frosting on wire rack with gray napkin underneath. White background.
overhead view of mini gluten-free cupcakes with vanilla butter cream frosting and rainbow sprinkles on white platter. Gray napkin folded underneath.

Gluten-Free Mini Cupcakes – Chocolate and Vanilla

Author: Janet Harlow
Course: Baked Goods, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 mini cupcakes per recipe
These gluten-free mini cupcakes are the perfect little 2-bite treat. One-bowl chocolate and vanilla recipes are included.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins

Recommended Products

  • King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
  • Mini Muffin Tin
  • .5 ounce (1 Tbsp) cookie scoop (#60)
  • 2.5 tsp scoop (#70)

Ingredients
  

Mini Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes

  • β…“ c sugar
  • ΒΌ c milk or non-dairy milk substitute
  • β…“ c oil, avocado, sunflower, canola, vegetable
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • Β½ tsp vanilla extract, bean paste or powder
  • ΒΌ tsp salt
  • β…” c gluten-free flour blend*
  • ΒΎ tsp baking powder

Mini Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

  • β…“ c sugar
  • ΒΌ c oil, avocado, sunflower, canola
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 pinches salt
  • β…“ c plus 1 Tbsp gluten-free flour blend*
  • ΒΌ c unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Β½ tsp baking powder
  • ΒΌ c milk or dairy-free milk substitute

Instructions
 

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • This recipe does not need an electric mixer. One bowl and a wire whisk is all you need.
  • Preheat the oven to 350Β°F and line a mini cupcake tin with paper liners.
  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the sugar, milk, oil, egg, vanilla and salt together until smooth.
  • Add the flour and baking powder and stir with a whisk until smooth.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the liners – about 2Β½ teaspoons of batter for each cupcake or use this #70 scoop.
  • Bake 9-11 minutes or until the tops are set and bounce back from a gentle tap.
  • Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Top with your favorite frosting. Here is my full list of frosting recipes which includes, vanilla, chocolate, vegan chocolate, cream cheese, strawberry and more! Cut the recipes in half to generously frost 24 minis.

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350Β°F and line a mini cupcake tin with paper liners.
  • This recipe does not need an electric mixer. A wire whisk and rubber spatula is all you need.
  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the sugar, oil, egg and salt with a wire whisk until smooth.
  • Warm the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds – it should be very warm but not bubbling hot.
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder to the liquid mixture and stir about 10-15 times with a rubber spatula.
  • Add the warm milk and stir with a wire whisk until smooth.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the liners – about 1 tablespoon of batter for each cupcake or use this # 60 scoop.
  • Turn the oven down to 325Β°F and bake for 10-12 minutes or or until the tops are set and bounce back from a gentle tap.
  • Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Top with your favorite frosting. Here is my full list of frosting recipes which includes, vanilla, chocolate, vegan chocolate, cream cheese, strawberry and more! Cut the recipes in half to generously frost 24 minis.

Notes

If you use a gluten-free flour blend that does not contain xanthan gum, guar, gum or inulin, add 1/8 tsp of xanthan gum to the recipes.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how it was! Tag @chefjanetk on Instagram.
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Posted In: Baked Goods, Dessert · Tagged: chocolate, cupcakes, vanilla

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and review when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means a great deal to me.

Thank you!
Janet

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me
Hi, Welcome! I'm Chef Janet and I create gluten-free recipes that everyone will love, gluten-free or not.

Set up a customized lesson with me to learn basic cooking techniques, gluten-free, menu planning and kitchen tips to make your life easier. Follow me on instagram to keep up with my latest and let me know how I can help.

Follow along on Instagram

These Peanut Butter Whiskey Cookies are the new fa These Peanut Butter Whiskey Cookies are the new favorite of my taste testers. They were begging for more the second they took the first bite. If you like sweets with your cocktail, then this is the cookie for you! Link to the brand new recipe in my profile.
πŸ₯œπŸ₯ƒπŸͺ
I found that the whiskey flavor faded a little bit in baking so I created a peanut butter whiskey icing to make sure that they taste boozy.
πŸ₯œπŸ₯ƒπŸͺ
#peanutbutterwhiskey #glutenfreecookies #peanutbuttercookies #glutenfreepeanutbuttercookies #boozydesserts #boozycookies #thefeedfeed #losangeleschef #glutenfreechef #boozydessert #glutenfreebaking
Spring means berries, so get ready for new recipes Spring means berries, so get ready for new recipes with berries. These Gluten-Free Fresh Strawberry Muffins are first up! Link to the new recipe in my profile.
πŸ“πŸ“πŸ“
I normally make my baked goods dairy-free too, but I wanted a buttery tasting muffin. So these muffins start with creamed butter and sugar for a muffin with a beautiful texture and flavor. I used Namaste Gluten-Free flour, but the recipe works well with other gluten-free flour blends.
πŸ“πŸ“πŸ“
#glutenfreemuffins #strawberrymuffins #glutenfreebreakfast #muffinrecipe #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreelosangeles #losangeleschef #thefeedfeed #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreechef #muffinrecipes #glutenfreestrawberrymuffins
These buttery Gluten-Free Drop Biscuits are my new These buttery Gluten-Free Drop Biscuits are my new favorite comfort food. Link to the recipe in my profile.
🧈πŸ₯›πŸ₯„
The recipe includes real butter and buttermilk and just a few more simple ingredients. It is super easy and makes it to the oven in less than 10 minutes if you use a food processor.
πŸ₯„πŸ₯›πŸ§ˆ
#glutenfreebiscuits #dropbiscuits
#buttermilkbiscuits #glutenfreerecipe #biscuitrecipe #losangeleschef #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreebreakfast #glutenfreebaking #thefeedfeed #easyglutenfreerecipe #glutenfreebreakfastideas
These Gluten-Free Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes are These Gluten-Free Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes are a sweet and tart spring treat. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸ§πŸ‹
This recipe is super easy and mixes up in just a few minutes. I include tips for making sure that the raspberries don't all sink to the bottom. I top them with my vanilla buttercream frosting but they'd also be amazing with my pipeable cream cheese frosting.
πŸ‹πŸ§πŸ‹
#glutenfreecupcakes #raspberrylemoncake #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreedesserts #thefeedfeed #losangeleschef #glutenfreetreats #beautifulcupcakes #prettydesserts #raspberrylemonadecupcakes #raspberrylemonade #glutenfreeblog #creamcheesefrosting
These Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes combine These Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes combine 2 of my favorite flavors. They are moist, fluffy and super easy to make. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ«πŸ‹πŸ«
Top them with my vanilla buttercream frosting or tangy cream cheese frosting. Add a tiny bit of blueberry juice to either one for this pretty purple frosting.
πŸ‹πŸ«πŸ‹
#glutenfreecupcakes #lemonblueberrycupcakes #lemonblueberry #glutenfreedessert #losangeleschef #thefeedfeed #glutenfreechef #glutenfreebaking #purplefrosting #blueberrydessert #lemondesserts #springcupcakes
Lemon week continues with this 5 Minute Lemon Basi Lemon week continues with this 5 Minute Lemon Basil Dressing. No chopping, no slicing, the blender does all the work. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸƒπŸ‹πŸƒ
I may post a lot of baked goods on my insta, but I am really a salad person. I live on them year-round. So coming up with new and interesting dressings is key. The combo of sweet basil, tangy lemon and a small amount of sweet and salty, makes for a perfectly balanced dressing. The recipe includes instructions on how you can easily turn this into a creamy dressing if you prefer.
πŸƒπŸ‹πŸƒ
#lemonbasil #saladdressings #lemonsalad #5minuterecipes #losangeleschef #freshbasil #glutenfreeblog #5minuterecipe #saladdressingrecipe #saladdressing #thefeedfeed #buzzfeedfood #saladrecipe
This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake is like a bite of suns This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake is like a bite of sunshine. It is one of my all-time favorites. If you ask me what cake I would want for my birthday this would be it. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
The cake gets a double dose of lemon flavor from lots of lemon zest and lemon extract. I tried lemon juice and found that I had to use way too much to get the lemon zing that I wanted. So I leave it out and rely on the zest and extract.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
The recipe is super easy and can be made dairy-free with the use of your favorite dairy-free milk sub. I like soy milk for baking the best.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
#lemoncake #lemondesserts #glutenfreecakerecipe  #glutenfreelemoncake #glutenfreedairyfreecake #losangeleschef #thefeedfeed #easyglutenfree #glutenfreecakes #glutenfreebirthdaycake #glutenfreeblog #kingarthurglutenfree
Happy Friday! These 2 Peanut Butter Whiskey Milksh Happy Friday! These 2 Peanut Butter Whiskey Milkshakes are perfect for a sunny happy hour. Which would you choose? Raspberry peanut butter or cookies & cream and PB? Link to the recipes in my profile.
πŸ₯ƒπŸ₯œπŸ«
Both of these boozy milkshakes start with a base of vanilla ice cream, a big spoonful of peanut butter and a shot or two of peanut butter whiskey. And good news, these can easily be made dairy free and gluten-free. My blog post provides info on the best dairy-free ice cream and creamers to use for a shake as well as gf cookies.
🍫πŸ₯œπŸ₯ƒ
#boozymilkshake #peanutbutterwhiskey #peanutbuttermilkshake #milkshakerecipes #happyhourideas #dairyfreemilkshake #veganmilkshake #veganmilkshakes #losangeleschef #veganicecream #boozyicecream #whiskeymilkshake

Copyright © 2022 Chef Janet · Support by Foodie Digital · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Policy