Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing are always a favourite and can be decorated for any occasion. These cupcakes are light and airy with just white and brown rice flour and tapioca starch. If you’re new to gluten free baking that might sound like a lot but I’ve got some tips to help you learn and not get overwhelmed.

Tip #1 – Experience comes from practise so just start baking. Nowadays there are many flour combinations that work so bake, taste and bake again. Keeping a few notes helps speed up your learning too.

Tip #2 – A mindset for learning will serve you well in the kitchen. After more than ten years of baking gluten free I’m still learning. It’s realistic to set a goal that everyone loves your gluten free baking, not just the person who must eat gluten free. Set that standard for your baking.

Tip #3 – Gluten free baking doesn’t stay fresh the way that baked goods made with wheat flour does. Using xanthan gum helps with freshness and you can make it a habit to store your baking in airtight containers as soon as it’s cooled. For maximum freshness store your cupcakes in the freezer.

How To Help Gluten Free Kids Learn To Bake

Many gluten free kids I’ve met tell me they bake their own birthday cake and they love it. They get to choose the colourful cupcake liners, candy for decorating and funky candles. The baking is fun too and everyone loves to make icing. I love watching kids bake and seeing what fascinates them. Some kids love to throw all the icing sugar in the mixer bowl and see the huge cloud of sugar in the air while others could sit and decorate cupcake after cupcake for hours.

You can definitely keep the presentation simple but it counts so be sure to plan for it. Use different shaped trays or boards you own, write letters on the cupcakes to spell a name or buy one of those twirling cupcake display stands. The whole process creates excitement and anticipation of the actual celebration but remember you don’t need a birthday to make cupcakes.

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Baking by Weight or by Measure

Professional bakers use weight measurements for accuracy which ensures they consistently get the same results. For everyday home cooks baking with cup measurements is more common and the majority of recipes are written that way. When you start gluten free baking you get to learn about baking all over again.

In this recipe I’ve included both measurements by cup and by weight. If you’re serious about baking check out this blog post, Baking By Weight.

If you just want recipes that work and would rather use cup measurements then be sure you’re measuring both dry and liquid ingredients precisely. Save your recipes and repeat with seasonal variations for a lifetime of cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing and Beyond

The possibilities are endless but here are three ideas to go beyond a plain chocolate cupcake.

• Ice cupcakes with this pecan-coconut topping from my recipe for German Chocolate Cake.
• Use a cupcake corer to remove a small piece of cake from the center. Fill with homemade lemon curd, cherry pie filling or whipped cream then put the little piece of cake back on top. Spread with whipped cream or icing and you’ve got a little surprise waiting for that first bite.
• Make Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Cupcakes by piping cream cheese icing on top of each cupcake using a pastry bag. Just before serving drizzle with caramel sauce and a few flakes of sea salt (Maldon Sea Salt is my favourite).

Organize For Success

Every kitchen needs tools so I always recommend you buy what you like and expect them to last a very long time. You don’t need the most expensive tools but purchase good quality items to do the job.

• 6 or 12-count regular size muffin tins
• 12-count mini-muffin tins or 24-count
• Colourful paper cupcake liners are great to keep on hand. To show off the bright colours put cooked and decorated cupcakes into a second paper liner before serving.
• Silicone cupcake liners are the best environmental choice and ideal for everyday muffins and cupcakes. They’re available round or square and require a little adjustment with baking times.
• Portion scoops for both mini and regular size cupcakes ensure a consistent size and even baking.
• The cupcake corer is a fun little tool to help you fill the cupcakes with something delicious.
• A reusable piping bag set or disposable piping bags (12, 24 or 50) are easy to use. Regular freezer zipper type bags work too if this is something you only do once a year.
• Take cupcakes to a party in a cupcake taker or display them on a pedestal tray or a fancy cupcake display stand.

If you tried these chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing or something different I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Originally published October 2015, updated April 2021

More Recipes for Gluten Free Cupcakes

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