Gluten Free Cupcakes are light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet. Best of all, you’d never guess they’re gluten free! Finish with a flourish of homemade, vanilla buttercream frosting, and plenty of sprinkles, for the real deal dessert experience – minus the gluten.
I’m about to celebrate another birthday and to help ease the pain – I mean celebrate the occasion – I baked you a batch of fluffy, light, and tender Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes.
Piled HIGH with homemade, vanilla buttercream frosting because YOLO (and we’re not getting any younger)!
Truly you would never guess these frosting and sprinkle-topped vanilla cupcakes were made with gluten free flour, plus a handful of everyday baking ingredients. I’m positive you have everything you need to whip up a batch today!
Actually-Delicious Gluten Free Cupcakes
To be honest, I typically don’t like to make any sort of fuss over my birthday, but I’ll admit to the occasion for an excuse to whip up these beauties. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe for soft and fluffy gluten free vanilla cupcakes:
- Moist and tender: gluten free baked goods are notorious for being dry and crumbly. I use a combination of butter and vegetable oil in the batter to achieve flavorful AND moist homemade cupcakes.
- Light and fluffy: similarly, I can’t tell you how many gluten free cupcakes I’ve had that are dense and puck-like. Like, too many to count. These GF vanilla cupcakes are light and fluffy.
- Perfect for any occasion: birthdays, bake sales, baby showers – a Tuesday afternoon…! Feel free to dye the frosting with gel food coloring and add matching sprinkles to fit any holiday or occasion.
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Pin ItMain Ingredients Needed
Raid the fridge and pantry for the main, everyday ingredients you’ll need to make both the gluten free vanilla cupcakes and homemade vanilla buttercream frosting to swirl on top.
For the Vanilla Cupcakes:
- Gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder: I typically use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for this recipe and utilize the spoon-and-level method for measuring flour, which I’ll cover below.
- Granulated sugar
- Butter: for richness and flavor.
- Vegetable or canola oil: for moistness and tenderness.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract: LOTS!
- Buttermilk: for extra moistness.
- Baking soda and baking powder: the baking soda in particular reacts to the acid in the buttermilk ensuring that that cupcakes are tall, fluffy, and light.
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- Butter: softened to room temperature. Can’t have buttercream without it!
- Powdered sugar: melts into the butter to create a supremely-smooth and fluffy frosting.
- Milk: whatever you have in the refrigerator – regular or plant-based (though not buttermilk).
- Vanilla extract.
- Gel food coloring (optional): I like Nomeca brand, which is gluten free.
Top Tips for Success
There’s not too much to overthink when it comes to making cupcakes. That said, since these are gluten free cupcakes, keep these tips in mind when baking your first batch:
- Spoon and level the flour: instead of scooping your measuring cup directly into the bag or container of gluten free flour, spoon the flour inside the cup then level off the top with the back of a knife. This ensures you don’t add too much flour to the batter which can result in dry, dense cupcakes.
- Make ahead: gluten free baked goods are best made the day before they’re enjoyed so they can simultaneously soften and become more sturdy (meaning they won’t crumble or fall apart). So, make the vanilla cupcakes at least 8 hours, or up to a day ahead of party time so they can cool then set up completely.
- Don’t underbake: gluten free baked goods need to be thoroughly cooked through otherwise they can turn out dense and gummy. The tops of the fully-baked cupcakes will be a rich, golden brown color when done.
- Gluten free sprinkles: are a must for cupcakes! My favorite brands offering gluten free sprinkles are Sweetapolita, Supernatural, and Watkins.
Alrighty, grab your sprinkles and let’s bake!
Try Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
How to Make Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients.
Start by beating together butter, oil, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large glass bowl if using a hand held mixer, until pale and fluffy, 1 minute.
Next add two eggs one at a time, mixing on low until just combined before adding the next one. Add vanilla extract then mix on low until combined.
Step 2: Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk.
In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten free baking flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt then add to the wet ingredients in two batches, alternating with buttermilk, and mixing until just combined before adding the next batch.
Step 3: Bake then cool.
Scoop the batter into 16 lined muffin tin cups, filling them 2/3 of the way up. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown, then let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Do not underbake! The tops should be a deep golden brown color.
Remove the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container to sit and setup for at last 8 hours before frosting.
Recipe Tip
Resting the cupcakes for at least 8 hours before frosting and eating ensures they turn out soft and fluffy, versus crumbly.
Step 4: Make the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
To the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a large glass bowl if using a handheld mixer, add softened butter then beat it until light and fluffy, 1 minute.
Next add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract then beat on high speed until the frosting is thick, white, and fluffy, 2 minutes.
Step 5: Frost and decorate.
Pipe the buttercream frosting on top of the cupcakes (feel free to use less than what these photos show – the frosting is VERY rich) then add as many sprinkles as your heart desires!
How to Store the Cupcakes
You may dig into the cupcakes immediately (who could resist?!) though they can sit out at room temperature for several hours. Beyond that…
- To store: place the plain or frosted cupcakes in an airtight container with a lid. Store on the counter for up to 3 days, or for 7 days in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: cool the unfrosted cupcakes completely then place inside a gallon Ziplock freezer bag, remove the air, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter then prepare the buttercream frosting and frost.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you love every bite of these super special, perfect Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes – enjoy!
More Gluten Free Baked Goods
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 3/4 cup butter, 1-1/2 sticks, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 – 3 Tablespoons milk, any kind
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, omit if using salted butter
- gel food coloring, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then line 2, 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners (you will get 16 cupcakes total) and set aside.
To a medium-size mixing bowl add the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt then whisk to combine and set aside.
To the bowl of an electric mixer, or to a large glass bowl if using a hand-held mixer, add the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar then beat on medium speed (6/10) until fluffy and pale, 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add 1 egg and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the second egg and vanilla then mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl then mix to combine. Add half the buttermilk then mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk, mixing until just combined between each addition.
Give the batter a few big stirs with a spatula to ensure all the ingredients are well combined then fill each lined muffin cup 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through. The tops of the cupcakes should be deep golden brown – avoid underbaking to ensure your cupcakes turn out light and fluffy vs dense and gummy.
Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, place them inside a storage container with a lid then let them sit for at least 8 hours – preferably overnight. This will ensure the cupcakes remain soft and stable like a regular cupcake, and won’t crumble or fall apart.
For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
Add the softened butter to the bowl of an electric mixer, or to a large glass bowl if using a hand-held mixer, then beat on medium-high speed (8/10) until pale and creamy, 1 minute.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk, vanilla extract, and salt, if using. Mix on low speed until the powdered sugar is mostly wet then turn the speed up to medium (6/10) and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add an additional Tablespoon milk if desired for a looser frosting then beat to combine.
Add gel food coloring, if using, then beat to combine. Frost the cupcakes then top with sprinkles and serve.
- I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour – your results may vary if using a different GF flour blend. Be sure that whatever blend you use already has a binder such as xanthan gum in the mix.
- Use the spoon and level technique for measuring flour vs scooping the measuring cup directly into the bag or container of flour to avoid adding too much flour to the recipe. Spoon the flour inside a measuring cup until it heaps over the top then use the back of a knife to level it off.
- I recommended Sweetapolita, Supernatural, and Watkins brands for gluten free sprinkles.
- Plan ahead! For the best results, do not plan on eating these gluten free cupcakes the day they’re made – the texture and stability of the cupcake is best starting on day 2.
- To store: place the plain or frosted cupcakes in an airtight container with a lid. Store on the counter for up to 3 days, or for 7 days in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: cool the unfrosted cupcakes completely then place inside a gallon Ziplock freezer bag, remove the air, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter then prepare the buttercream frosting and frost.
- Estimated nutritional information does not include frosting.
Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 157mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 137IU, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
