This is an easy small batch recipe for Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes. Made with an almond flour blend, the cupcakes are moist and tender with great vanilla flavor – perfect for an Easter, Spring, or any time of the year dessert! Maple syrup is the sweetener, making these cupcakes gluten free, and refined sugar-free!
Almond Flour Vanilla Cupcakes
- Easy – I’m going to go as far as to say these cupcakes are super duper easy to make. Only one bowl, and a whisk, and you’re well on your way to delicious cupcakes!
- Moist – There is a lot of liquid and good fat in these cupcakes. Which lends to the soft texture of the cupcakes. And, in my opinion, I find baking with almond flour imparts a bit of moisture to the baked good. Could just be my palate though.
- Tender – The cupcakes are not tough or gummy. The almond flour does impart a stronger texture and bite to the cupcake, but they still have the soft quality you come to expect with cupcakes.
- Balanced Vanilla Flavor – A vanilla cupcake, it should taste like vanilla. And these do. Which makes them great for any flavor of frosting or decor you want to adorn them with!
- Easy – Oh, wait … I mentioned that. But it is worth repeating.
Easter And Spring Cupcakes
Now that we have all of the technicalities of the recipe out of the way, I’d like to point out that these Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes make a great dessert to celebrate Easter. Simply put – vanilla cupcakes are a great canvas to make beautiful and festive desserts.
To make the simple vanilla cupcakes a little more in line to the flavors you expect from Spring and Easter desserts, I encourage you to decorate the cupcakes with flavors (and sprinkles) in line with the celebration.
- Toasted Coconut – Every recipe roundup I have seen for Easter desserts includes at least one recipe with coconut. And in my opinion, if you use shredded coconut, it should be toasted. It brings out a buttery sweet flavor that is perfect to sprinkle on top of – well, anything!
- Festive Sprinkles – I am known to love sprinkles for holiday dessert decorations. Just check out the Funfetti Cupcakes. You can never go wrong with cute bunny and carrot sprinkles.
- Candy – I think after Halloween, Easter may be the next important candy holiday. I mean, think about it. Both holidays use a basket to accumulate gobs of candy. So go ahead and throw some jelly beans on top of the frosting. It’s almost expected!
Vanilla Cupcake Frosting
The Vanilla Butter-Free Frosting I have recommended in the recipe is dairy-free. And while the frosting is made with coconut cream and coconut oil, it does not taste like coconut.
However, if you want to be on the healthier side swap the frosting with Whipped Coconut Cream. Just know it is like whipped cream, so it won’t be as sturdy, and you may just want to dollop it on.
Ingredient List
- Blanched Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Arrowroot Flour/Starch
- Tapioca Flour/Starch
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Egg
- Milk
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
Helpful Tips
- Longer bake time – Gluten free baked goods take a little longer than those with gluten. There is more liquid in these cupcakes than normal, so we bake for longer to soak it up.
- Springy means done – To test if the cupcakes are done baking, a toothpick inserted in the middle still works. You can also tell by touch if the cupcake is done. If it is springy to the touch, that tells us everything inside is baked to keep the structure.
- Frost how you like – I’ve provided a recommendation for frosting, but given these are little vanilla cupcakes, they can handle a variety of flavors!
- Enjoy the day they are baked – The cupcakes will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days if you have leftovers, but I find they taste the best the day they are baked. The moisture in the cupcakes can start to take over days after they are baked – which may lead to a gummy cupcake.
Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk, any kind ()
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (optional for sprinkles)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line the muffin/cupcake pan with 4 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, add the egg, milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully incorporated.1 large egg, 2 tablespoons milk, any kind, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted, 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and salt.1/2 cup blanched almond flour, 2 tablespoons coconut flour, 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour, 1 tablespoon tapioca flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and whisk until no dry streaks remain.
- Pour the cupcake batter equally into the prepared pan with liners. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely. Frost the cupcakes with your favorite frosting, or the Vanilla Butter-Free Frosting, sprinkle with toasted coconut or festive sprinkles, and Enjoy!sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
RECIPE NOTES
- Gluten Free Flour – I have only tested these cupcakes with the Almond Flour blend in the recipe. I can not say how much or how using a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour blend will work.
- Refined Sugar-Free – Without the frosting, these cupcakes are refined sugar-free. For a totally refined sugar-free cupcake and frosting, try my vanilla whipped coconut cream.
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about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!