There are may delicious features of these Gluten Free and Small Batch Peach Cupcakes! The cupcakes are flavored with freeze-dried peaches, then garnished with caramelized peaches, and topped with peach butter-free buttercream frosting. This is an easy small batch and gluten free recipe that yields 4 moist cupcakes.
Gluten Free And Small Batch Peach Cupcakes
It’s still summer, which means there are still a few peach recipes coming your way! These Peach Cupcakes have 3 different components to deliver peach flavor:
- Peach Cupcake – I chose freeze dried peaches to deliver the flavor in the cupcakes because freeze dried fruit doesn’t add extra liquid. Additionally, freeze dried fruit adds a robust fruit flavor. Because the liquid has been removed from the fruit, all you are left with is fruit flavor.
- Caramelized Peaches – Fresh peaches are my recommendation for the topping. When you add the fresh peaches to the caramelized honey, the honey actually takes on some of the peach flavor from the juices of the fruit.
- Peach Butter-Free Buttercream Frosting – Again, working with freeze dried peaches for the frosting to avoid any unnecessary moisture that may cause the frosting to not turn out correctly.
What Do Gluten Free Peach Cupcakes Taste Like
Well, for one, peaches. But that may be obvious given the 3 flavor components listed above! 🙂 But, you may be wondering if these gluten free cupcakes taste like a regular cupcake. And my answer for that is, they do. I have tried to create a flour blend that best mimics the texture of a wheat flour cupcake.
These gluten free cupcakes are:
- Moist – In addition to the liquid ingredients, I find almond flour produces a moist cake.
- Tender – This is almost a natural result when baking gluten free. Gluten can produce tough and dry cakes. The almond flour blend along with the other liquid ingredients will ensure a soft cake.
- Light – These cupcakes are the opposite of dense! The almond flour blend yields a light and airy cake crumb.
- Easy – Even though you are making your own almond flour blend, the cupcakes come together very easily.
What You Need To Make Gluten Free Peach Cupcakes
There are 3 different components to these cupcakes: the cupcake itself, the caramelized peach topping, and the peach frosting. Which may seem like a lot, but it really isn’t. There are just a couple extra steps for these cupcakes as opposed to a simple Vanilla Cupcake!
Ingredients
(specialty ingredients are linked directly in the recipe)
- Fresh Peach
- Honey
- Lemon Juice
- Freeze Dried Peaches
- Blanched Almond Flour
- Arrowroot Starch/Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Tapioca Starch/Flour
- Baking Powder and Salt
- Egg
- Milk – Any kind of milk will work. I use unsweetened carton coconut milk.
- Cold Pressed Refined Coconut Oil
- Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk or Cream
- Powdered Sugar – A naturally vegan option is Wholesome Organic Powdered Sugar.
Baking Equipment
- Muffin/Cupcake Pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Small Saucepan and/or Skillet – A small skillet works great to caramelize the peaches as they have more room to spread out.
Tips For Making Gluten Free Small Batch Peach Cupcakes
Cupcake Tips
- Arrowroot and Tapioca – Arrowroot and Tapioca is called ‘starch’ or ‘flour’, depending on the brand. There is no difference between the two and I have linked the brand I used in the recipe.
- Whisk the egg and milk first – I recommend whisking the egg and milk together first before adding the honey. This way you get the egg fully mixed before adding the thick honey.
- Cupcakes are springy when done – When you touch the cupcakes, they should be springy. This will tell you they are baked, but for good measure, insert a toothpick in the middle to make sure it comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the cupcakes completely – Since we are frosting the cupcakes, make sure they are completely cool before frosting.
Caramelized Peaches Tips
- Slice or dice the peaches – The peaches for the top of of the cupcakes can be cut however you choose.
- Honey caramelizes – Honey is still a sugar, and therefore will caramelize just like regular sugar. It will start to get thick and smell like caramel when it is done. And it will thicken more as it cools.
- Don’t overcook the caramelized peaches – We want the peaches to still be somewhat firm, so don’t overcook the peaches in the caramel.
Peach Frosting Tips
- Refrigerate the can of coconut milk or cream overnight – This is an important step for the frosting. Refrigerating the coconut milk causes the coconut solids and liquid to separate in the can.
- Read through the Tips and FAQ’s on the original Butter-Free Buttercream Frosting post – I have included a lot of tips for success in the original post for the frosting, and I recommend reading through that blog post when it comes time to make the frosting.
- Taste test the frosting – You can add more peach powder to the frosting if you want a stronger peach flavor.
- Pipe the frosting – Because we have a garnish of caramelized peaches on top of the cupcakes, we don’t want to knock them off by just spooning the frosting over the top. You can use a piping back with any tip, or put the frosting in a Ziploc bag and snip off a corner for a makeshift piping bag.
- Extra frosting – Depending on how much frosting you put on the cupcakes, you may have leftovers. The frosting will keep in covered in the fridge for about a week. The cold frosting sets pretty firm, so I recommend letting it sit at room temperature for a few minutes when using again.
- Enjoy the cupcakes the day they are baked – Baked goods are always best enjoyed the day they are baked. And these cupcakes are no exception!
Common Questions For Making Gluten Free Small Batch Cupcakes
Can this cupcake recipe be doubled?
I have not tested the cupcakes doubled, so can’t say for certain how they would turn out. You could try it, or just make two batches.
Can I use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend instead of the almond flour blend?
Probably not. The texture and ratios would likely need to be adjusted, as I find 1:1 gluten free flour to be much drier than the almond flour blend I use.
Will a different sweetener work instead of the honey?
Maple syrup or granulated sugar should work. I can’t say for certain on other natural or artificial sweeteners, as I don’t bake with them.
Can I use frozen peaches for the topping?
Thawed and drained frozen peaches can work too. Just note that they will probably be a lot softer (almost mushy) than a fresh peach.
Will a different freeze dried fruit work?
Of course! There are a lot of freeze-dried fruit options and any would work great.
Can I use fresh (or frozen) peaches instead of the freeze dried peaches?
I’m going to say no. The reason I chose freeze dried peaches is because they do not impart extra liquid into the cupcakes and frosting. Because I have not tested it, I can’t say how the cupcakes and frosting would turn out with extra moisture in them.
Do I really have to grind the whole bag of freeze dried peaches?
You don’t. But keep in mind the bag I’ve recommended is small – 1.25 ounces. Grinding the entire bag will likely yield about 1/3 cup of peach powder. So, if you decide you want extra peach flavor you’ll have the extra peach powder ready to go.
How do I store leftover cupcakes?
If you have any (there are only 4!), because of the peach topping, I recommend covering and refrigerating the cupcakes.
More Cupcake Recipes
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- Black Forest Cupcakes
- Vanilla and Berry Cupcakes
- Small Batch Strawberry Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache Frosting
And Even More Summer Peach Recipes!
- Mini Peach Clafoutis
- Peach Monkey Bread Muffins
- Peach Mousse Trifle
- Mini Peach and Cream Cheese Tarts
- Mini Peach Caramel Cake
Gluten Free Peach Cupcakes
Yield: 4 Cupcakes
GF
There are may delicious features of these Gluten Free and Small Batch Peach Cupcakes! The cupcakes are flavored with freeze-dried peaches, then garnished with caramelized peaches, and topped with peach butter-free buttercream frosting. This is an easy small batch and gluten free recipe that yields 4 moist cupcakes.
Equipment
- 1 – Muffin/Cupcake Pan
Ingredients
Caramelized Peaches
- 1 fresh peach, cut into slices
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Peach Cupcakes
- 2 tablespoons freeze dried peaches, ground to powder (see Notes)
- 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons blanched almond flour
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk, any kind
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil, melted
Peach Butter-Free Buttercream
- 3 tablespoons freeze dried peaches, ground to powder (see Notes)
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened canned coconut milk or cream, full fat (see Notes)
- 5 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil
- 2 cups +1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Caramelized Peaches
- In a small saucepan or skillet add the honey and lemon juice. Heat over medium low heat until the honey starts to loosen. Add the peach slices and heat until the honey starts to caramelize and thicken. This may take 3 – 5 minutes. Note – Don't overcook the caramel peaches as the peaches will get too soft. The caramel sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Remove the caramel peaches from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate, until ready to assemble the cupcakes.
Peach Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a cupcake/muffin pan with 4 cupcake liners.
- In a blender or food processor, grind the freeze-dried peaches to a powder.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot starch/flour, coconut flour, tapioca starch/flour, baking powder, salt, and peach powder.
- In small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, add the egg and milk. Whisk until combined. Add the honey. Whisk to combine. Pour the liquid ingredients, along with the melted coconut oil, over the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners. Bake the cupcakes for 16 – 18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely.
Peach Butter-Free Buttercream
- For best results, I recommend reading the blog post for the original Butter-Free Buttercream recipe on the blog.
- Make the frosting while the cupcakes are baking – In a small saucepan, add the coconut milk solids, solid coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Heat over medium-low heat and stir the mix with a spatula until it has completely melted together – this should only take about 1 minute. Do not boil. The mixture will resemble a creamy soup.
- Transfer the mix to a small mixing bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature – about 10 minutes. You still want the mix to be be liquid when you add the powdered sugar. Note – You can also refrigerate it for a few minutes to speed up the cool down.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments at a time. Using a handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachments, add a 1/2 cup of the powered sugar to the coconut mixture. Start at low speed to incorporate the powdered sugar and avoid having it spray everywhere. Turn up the speed to high and beat for 1 minute. At this point, the frosting will look sticky and gooey.
- Continue to add a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time – beating for at least 1 minute after each addition. With the final 1/2 cup, add the peach powder and beat the frosting for an additional 2 – 3 minutes, until it is light and creamy. The frosting should be thick and creamy and resemble the store-bought frosting you buy in the small tubs at the grocery. If the frosting still looks loose, refrigerate it for about 10 minutes, then beat for a couple more minutes until it thickens.
- The frosting is ready to use right away or can be refrigerated. If refrigerating, the frosting will firm even more. Allow refrigerated frosting to come to room temperature and stir/mix to fluff before frosting.
- Assemble the cupcakes – Once the cupcakes are completely cool, assemble the cupcakes. Spoon the caramelized on top of each cupcake. I recommend piping the frosting on the cupcakes next – piping won't cause the caramelized peaches to fall off when frosting. Serve and Enjoy!
Loved the recipe?Please leave a STAR rating for the recipe (reviews are awesome too!) This greatly helps me continue to provide FREE recipes!
RECIPE NOTES
- Freeze Dried Peaches – I recommend grinding the whole bag (1.25 ounces) of freeze dried peaches for this recipe. You can add more peach powder to the frosting to suit your taste. You may have a little leftover peach powder that you can save for another recipe, or sprinkle over the top of the frosted cupcakes.
- Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk – This is the brand I use and recommend for the frosting. For more helpful tips on making the frosting, visit the original Butter-Free Buttercream Frosting recipe blog post.
- Refrigerate The Coconut Milk Overnight – This helps separate the coconut solids and liquid. We only use the coconut solids.
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
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 gluten free and traditional desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you!
comments & reviews