Vegan Gluten Free Cupcakes

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These vegan gluten free cupcakes are fluffy, moist, and have the perfect tender crumb. Made with simple ingredients, they’re quick and easy to make.

Coming up with vegan desserts is one thing, but vegan AND gluten-free desserts is another ballgame.

Luckily, I’m not one to shy away from a challenge. These vegan gluten-free chocolate cupcakes are every bit as light and fluffy as traditional cupcakes, except they’re diet-friendly and suitable for vegans and celiacs alike.

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Inspired by my vegan chocolate cake, these chocolate cupcakes are made with wholesome ingredients, but they have the perfect texture and rich chocolate flavor.Table of Contents

Recipe highlights

Perfect for sharing. Nowadays, knowing what to bring to parties can be tricky since people have various dietary restrictions. Que these egg-free, dairy-free, and wheat-free cupcakes.
Made in one bowl. No fancy ingredients or mixers are needed, just one mixing bowl, which means cleanup is kept to a minimum.
Easy to customize. I kept this recipe simple on purpose so you can modify it to suit your taste buds.

I love whipping up cupcakes for my family on a whim! Not only are they simple and easy to make, but they’re the perfect individual treats. If you love these cupcakes as much as we do, try my almond flour and biscoff cupcake recipes next.

Ingredients needed

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these vegan chocolate cupcakes. Here’s what they are:

Gluten free all-purpose flour blend. When it comes to gluten free flour blends, stick to one with a simple ingredient list and make sure there’s xanthum gum added (or add ½ teaspoon to it). Avoid using plain rice flour or almond flour, as they won’t yield the best texture.
Cocoa powder. I used Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder.
Sugar. I used white sugar because it makes for fluffier cupcakes and doesn’t distract from the rest of the ingredients.
Baking soda. To give the cupcakes some rise.
Salt. Just a dash to elevate the flavor.
White vinegar. Vinegar interacts with baking soda, helping the cupcakes to rise and become fluffy. Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice can also be used, but they’re more overpowering in flavor.
Vanilla extract. A must for any good cupcake recipe.
Oil. To add moisture and richness. Use any neutral-flavored oil you prefer.
Water. To form the batter. You can also use non-dairy milk.

How to make gluten free vegan cupcakes

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Step 2- Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Step 3- Add wet ingredients. Form 3 wells in the dry mixture. In each well, add the vinegar, vanilla extract, and oil. Whisk to combine, then add the water and mix until you have a cohesive batter.

Step 4- Assemble and bake. Pour the cupcake batter into the liners, approximately ⅔ full. Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Step 5- Cool. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack until cooled completely.

Recipe tips and variations

Sift the dry ingredients. As with all of my baking recipes, it’s always a good idea to sift the dry ingredients to prevent lumps and add some air into the batter.
Avoid overbaking. The cupcakes will continue to cool as they cook, so pay close attention and remove them from the oven as soon as that toothpick comes out clean.
Make mini muffins. Use a mini muffin tin to make 24 mini muffins. You’ll want to reduce the baking time to 12-15 minutes.
Skip the oil. If you’d rather omit adding oil, you can use equal portions of unsweetened applesauce. The cupcakes won’t be as rich, but they will be totally oil-free!

Make vegan vanilla cupcakes. Omit the cocoa powder in place of extra flour and double up the vanilla extract.
Add frosting. Use whatever frosting you want, like chocolate frosting, cream cheese, or vegan buttercream frosting.
Add decoration. When I want to take these cupcakes up a notch, I like to add frosting and sprinkles or crushed Oreos.

How to store leftovers

To store: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

To freeze: Leftover cupcakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I recommend only freezing cupcakes if they haven’t been frosted yet.