These light and fluffy cupcakes are simple, quick and easy. And no baking powder or xantham gum necessary! Dollop or swirl on your favourite buttercream to give the perfect friend to your cakes.
So what’s the secret to the ultimate vanilla cupcakes? Vanilla paste of course! When you bite into these beauties and taste the flavours of the potent vanilla bean coming through you’ll never go back!
Also just a wee tip! I never used to be able to make cupcakes, they would never rise! After god knows how many years of wondering why they’re not turning out even though all my ingredients are at room temperature etc I invested in an oven thermometer. Well was my oven wrong or what?! I would definitely recommend getting one if you haven’t already. It’s scary how many people’s ovens are off whether they’re old or not. Mine was brand spanking new in fact!
Anyway, enough about oven talk. Here is the shopping list you will need for this recipe.
Shopping List:
- 200g gluten free self raising flour – I use Doves Farm Freee flour.
- 425g butter – (200g for the cake, 225g for the buttercream)
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla paste (1 tsp for the cake, 1 tsp for the buttercream)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xantham gum – only add if your gluten free flour doesn’t already contain it
- 350g icing sugar
- 3-4 tbsp milk – if needed
So as said above I use Doves Farm Freee self raising flour, always have done and always will. It’s always reliable in my opinion but feel free to use whatever gluten free self raising you like.
Make sure you’re baking powder is gluten free too! Most are but it’s always best to check the label before buying, some do contain wheat unfortunately.
I do love using vanilla paste because of the amazing vanilla flavour you get with it. So deliciously potent! But feel free to use extract if that’s all you have.
Can these be made dairy free?
Yes they can indeed be made dairy free! You just need to do a few food substitutions. Below is the list I would use.
- Dairy free hard block butter such as Stork instead of regular butter
- Dairy free milk such as gluten free oat, tigernut (this isn’t a nut), seed or nut milks. This is if you need to add some milk to loosen the cake batter
I’d love for you to rate my recipe and to see any pictures of any cakes being made in the comments section.
So here it is! My delicious gluten free vanilla cupcake recipe.
Gluten free Vanilla Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 cupcake tin
- 1 ice cream scoop optional
- 1 wire rack
- 1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 1 star nozzle (2D) and piping bags optional
Ingredients
- 200 g gluten free self-raising flour
- 200 g softened butter
- 150 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xantham gum only add if flour doesn't already contain it
- 2 tbsp milk optional
BUTTERCREAM
- 225 softened butter
- 350 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1-2 tsp boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160° Fan. Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases and set aside.
- Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together using an electric hand mixer until pale, light and fluffy.
- Crack eggs into a jug, pour in 1 egg yolk and thoroughly mix in. Repeat this with the remaining eggs and the teaspoon of vanilla paste.
- Gradually add in the sieved flour bit by bit gently folding in between each addition.
- Add a few tbsp of milk if needed to loosen mixture.
- Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, evenly divide the batter between the cases and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean).
- Leave to cool for a 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Buttercream
- When the cupcakes are completely cool, whisk the butter together using an electric hand mixer before adding in the vanilla paste.
- Sieve your icing sugar a little by little and mix inbetween each addition. I do this in 2-3 stages.
- Whisk once again until pale, light and fluffy.
- Make sure it's the right thickness. If its too runny you won't get a nice swirl shape so add a little icing sugar. If it's too thick it will be difficult to pipe so add a tsp of boiling water or milk.
- If you're going to pipe place a snipped piping bag with the nozzle inside so its poking through into a pint glass with the nozzle at the bottom and the edges folded over the glass.
- Spoon the buttercream into the bag and push down the bag and twist.
- Use your top hand to squeeze the buttercream down NOT your bottom hand.
- In a spiral, keeping the bag vertical not diagonal, squeeze from the centre and go round until it reaches the edges.
- It may take a few goes but you'll get the hang of it! Enjoy!
So let me know if you’ve made them and I’d love to know what you think in the comments section below with any pictures! And feel free to rate and share this recipe!
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