Sounds good right? Want to make professional looking cupcakes but so it’s easy and done at home? They’re not only unique but gluten free of course. The rich white chocolatey-ness complimenting the tart blackberry flavours is delish and definitely has to go on your list of ‘to bake’.
I do love a cupcake. Especially these ones. Use up some summer blackberries and put it in this buttercream. Light, airy, soft and moist (sorry to those who don’t like that word) but what more could you want?
Doing the piping on top is not necessarily an essential. But people do like a good swirl and piping can be easier than you think. Check out my video under the recipe to show you how to do a basic swirl. As I’ve said, not an essential but it does look kind of nice.
Why the reverse creaming method?
In this recipe I like to use the reverse creaming method. Personally, I much prefer this method as my cakes come out a lot lighter with more of a rise which I’ve struggled to get in the past using the all-in-one or the standard creaming method.
So what is the reverse creaming method?
It was created by Rose Levy Beranbaum and it gives a more even and finer cake crumb texture whilst making it more tender. You work the butter into the dry ingredients instead of beating the sugar and butter together first (standard creaming method). You then add in the wet ingredients to form a batter. This way there will be little air getting trapped in the mixture.
This is PERFECT for beginners in my opinion because they’re more likely to turn out how you want and it’s more difficult to overbeat it causing a dense or non-risen cake.
Step by step instructions are below including a print button at the top of the page if you prefer a paper version. If you’d like to pin my recipe, the button is at the top as well.
Shopping List
You’ll need just a few ingredients to make these cupcakes, most of which you will probably already find in your cupboard.
- 375g butter (150g for cake, 225g for buttercream)
- 120g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 150g gluten free self raising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xantham gum – only add if your gluten free flour doesn’t already contain it
- 125g white chocolate chips
- 350g icing sugar
- 1 tsp boiling water – optional to help the ‘drag’ when piping
- 2 tsp vanilla paste (1 tsp for the cake mixture, 1 tsp for the buttercream)
- 12 blackberries to decorate – optional
- 1-2 tbsp seedless blackberry jam or blackberry purée – see shopping list below
For the blackberry puree:
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 75g washed blackberries
For the flour I tend to use Doves Farm Freee self raising flour in their gluten free range. They do 2 different ranges, one is gluten free and one isn’t. So make sure you get the Freee range.
Yes I’m sure you’ve seen me ramble on about vanilla paste LOTS of times but this recipe doesn’t have it in the cake itself. However, you can put 1/2 teaspoon in if you wish.
Make sure your baking powder is gluten free as well. Most are but there are a few brands that put wheat in them so it’s always best to check.
I like to use Molly’s chocolate and chop it up for the chocolate chips. It’s cheap, tasty and gluten free of course!
Wondering what the boiling water is for?
If you add a teaspoon to your buttercream mixture before placing in your piping bag, it stops that annoying ‘drag’ you can sometimes get when piping. You don’t always need this though if your buttercream is loose enough.
Can this be made dairy free?
Yes this can of course be made dairy free. Here are my substitutions.
- Dairy free hard block butter such as Stork instead of regular butter. Make sure it’s softened for the recipe though!
- Use dairy free white chocolate
- Check your jam is dairy free! I’m sure it will be but it’s always good to check before buying
So here’s for the recipe!
Gluten Free White chocolate and Blackberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 1M piping nozzle optional
- 1 piping bag optional
- 1 cupcake/muffin tin
- 12 cupcake cases (paper or foil) if using the stiffer baking cups, see note 1
- 1 wire rack
Ingredients
- 150 g softened butter
- 120 g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla paste/extract
- 150 g gluten free self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder – make sure it's gluten free
- 125 g white chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp xantham gum only add if flour doesn't already contain it
FOR THE BLACKBERRY PUREE
- 75 g blackberries
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp caster sugar
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- 225 g softened butter
- 350 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1-2 tbsp seedless blackberry jam or blackberry purée – use a little extra if needed
- 12 blackberries to decorate – optional
Instructions
FOR THE PUREE
- Weigh out 75g of blackberries, wash them add to a small saucepan on a low heat.
- Add in the lemon juice and sugar and continously stir so the sugar doesn't burn. Squash down the blackberries so they break down more easily. Do this step for about 5 minutes.
- Turn up to a boil and wait for the jam to thicken and so there is only a little liquid left in. Then turn off the heat.
- Wait to cool slightly and press the jam through a sieve or a fine mesh strainer over a bowl so the puree is now seedless. Set aside to cool fully.
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat your oven to 160C Fan/ 180C and prepare your muffin tin with 12 cases.
- Sieve together your gluten free flour, baking powder and xantham gum into a large bowl and add the caster sugar. Stir together.
- Cube your butter and mix into the bowl with the dry ingredients with the electric whisk until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. It's very messy but it'll be worth it!
- In a separate bowl, briefly whisk together your vanilla paste and eggs then add to the dry ingredients in 2 additions. Whisk thoroughly between each addition.
- Gently fold in your chocolate chips and until the mixture 'flops' over and it is all mixed together.
- Spoon your mixture equally into the cupcake cases using spoons or an ice cream scooper.
- Put straight into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. To check if they're baked, insert a skewer into the biggest cupcake and if it comes out clean its baked.
- Leave the cakes in the tin for 5 minutes before putting on a wire rack to completely cool.
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- Make sure your butter is soft and at room temperature. Cube your butter and beat it until pale, light and smooth.
- Sieve your icing sugar little by little and mix inbetween each addition. I do this in 2-3 stages.
- 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 2 tbsp milk or 1 tsp boiling water.
FOR THE PIPING
- Once the cupcakes are cool, you need to place the nozzle inside the piping bag with a snipped end.
- Place inside a pint glass with the 1M nozzle inside at the bottom and the edges folded over the glass. This makes it easier to spoon the buttercream in.
- Spoon the seedless blackberry jam/puree on the two seams of the piping back going upwards. Make the line about an inch wide.
- Spoon all of your buttercream into the bag being careful not to disturb the puree and twist the top of the piping bag.
- Use your top hand to squeeze the buttercream down NOT your bottom hand. Squeeze a small amount into the bowl. I just find this helps to get the buttercream going and excess puree out.
- Hold the bag vertically above the cupcake, starting from the edge swirl round into the middle making sure to cover all the cupcake. You can do a flick on top. Ta-da!
- Add a blackberry to decorate them if you wish. Enjoy!
Notes
So thank you for reading my post! Feel free to rate and share my recipe it means a lot. And I’ve love to see your comments and pictures!
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