These Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes have a smooth velvety texture with buttery soft crumbs. Paired with tangy cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are simply irresistible!
Are you searching for the perfect homemade gluten free red velvet cupcake recipe? Are you finding an overwhelming amount of recipes out there but not sure which one really is the best? If you answered yes to both questions you have come to the right place! Did you know red velvet is one of the most requested cupcake flavours in the world? So today I’m excited to share my foolproof recipe with you!
And no, red velvet cake is not just a chocolate cake tinted with red colour!! It’s so much more! When done right, red velvet cake has a smooth velvet-y texture with soft buttery crumbs. It has just a hint of cocoa without an overpowering chocolate flavour. And what really completes these cupcakes is, of course, the sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting.
When I was looking for similar recipes, I noticed that many people use vinegar and buttermilk for Red Velvet Cupcakes. After trying to use these ingredients in taste testing, they just didn’t come out right. The texture was wrong and the flavours were not what I expected. So, I decided to go back to my tried-and-true cupcake recipes like my Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes, and my Gluten Free Toffee Popcorn Cupcakes and use these recipes as the base. Using just a little less flour and adding 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. The cupcakes came out soft and moist, with a nice velvety texture.
- FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten free self-raising flour
- 2tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1tsp red gel food colouring
- FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 8 ounces cream cheese,
- 2 ounces unsalted butter,
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered/icing sugar
- FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4.
- Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine oil and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, cocoa powder, salt,, milk, and vanilla extract, beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Lastly add in your food colouring. Mix well.
- Spoon batter evenly into cupcake liners. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the centres spring back when touched.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- In a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until completely smooth; about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered/icing sugar. Once all of the sugar has been added beat on high-speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Once the cupcakes have completely cooled add to a piping bag and swirl onto the cupcakes.
- I used a Wilton 1M piping tip.
Do you think I can make this into a 3 layer cake?
Hi Laura, just made the red velvet cupcakes, i was just wondering if i need to add baking powder as it doesnt have it in the ingredients list but in the method its says add baking powder? Thanks
Add baking powder if you are using plain flour. I used self raising flour for mine so I didnt add it to mine. Thanks for spotting my mistake.