Name: {BEST} Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, not dutch processed (.75 oz by weight); 1 1/4 cup white sugar (9.5 oz by weight); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (8.25 oz by weight) (I have only tested with my GF Cookie/cake blend; 1/2 cup milk *see note; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 2 eggs**see note; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon vinegar; 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red food coloring***see notes; 1 recipe Easy Cream Cheese Frosting **** see note

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This is the best gluten free red velvet cupcakes recipe ever. Moist cupcakes with a hint of chocolate and vanilla. Dairy free and vegan options!

This is the best gluten free red velvet cupcakes recipe ever. Moist cupcakes with a hint of chocolate and vanilla. And that cream cheese frosting on top... You should make it!

I developed this gluten free red velvet cupcake recipe last summer when I was running my gluten-free baking company, and then I never actually baked it to sell at the market. I guess red-velvet isn't a big summer flavor, more for holidays and special occasions. Like Valentine's day. Red velvet is perfect for Valentine's day.

The very first Valentine's day that I was married I spent the whole morning baking a special dinner for my hubby. I made a bunch of dippers for fondue, and baked several mini red velvet cakes with cream cheese frosting. I was really proud of myself for pulling it off, that week we were moving from our first apartment( a less than 500 sq foot studio) to our second apartment and I was 7 months pregnant with our daughter (we had been married 11 months.) I proudly served these cute little mini red velvet cakes that were covered in sweet cream cheese frosting and my sweet hubby only ate half of his. I had not yet discovered that he doesn't like cream cheese, at all. So for him the cream-cheese frosting ruined the yummy red velvet.

The best gluten-free red velvet recipe that you will ever eat. Moist, sweet, with just a hint of vanilla and cocoa. These cupcakes really are the best! Easy to follow recipe with weight and volume measurements. — Original photo from 2014

If you are like my hubby and don't love cream cheese, feel free to use your favorite buttercream. If you aren't a cupcake person, or a cake person, keep your eye out for my gluten free red velvet cake pops.

UPDATE 2/2016 I have since made this recipe dozens more times. I made these gluten free red velvet cupcakes with my gluten free red velvet layer cake to serve at my sister's wedding last spring. It got RAVE reviews from Gluten free friends and family, and gluten-eaters alike. I made a few adjustments to the gluten free red velvet cupcake recipe too, so they turn out even better. They really are the best gluten free red velvet cupcakes!

I've made these cupcakes using an egg replacer several times with great results. If you need to bake egg-free check out this Egg-Free Baking guide from my friend Nicole who blogs at Allergylicious.

📖 Recipe

{BEST} Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yield: 16 regular gluten free red velvet cupcakes or 48 mini gluten free red velvet cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Moist gluten free red velvet cupcakes with a tender crumb and a hint of chocolate and vanilla. Easy dairy free and vegan red velvet cupcake recipe substitutions! This is the best gluten free red velvet cupcakes recipe ever!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons cocoa powder, not dutch processed (.75 oz by weight)
1 ¼ cup white sugar (9.5 oz by weight)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (8.25 oz by weight) (I have only tested with my GF Cookie/cake blend
½ cup milk *see note
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs**see note
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
½ - 1 teaspoon red food coloring***see notes
1 recipe Easy Cream Cheese Frosting **** see note

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners or lightly grease
Mix together all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
In a large liquid measuring cup mix together all the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Fill the muffin pan cups ½-3/4 full and bake until the cupcake springs back when you touch it, about 20-25 minutes for regular gluten free red velvet cupcakes and 18-22 for mini red velvet cupcakes.
Cool before frosting with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting or Vegan Frosting

Notes

*I have used dairy-free milk with the same results.

I have made GF on a shoestring's recipe with dairy-free milk and I thought it turned out great.

**I have used a flax egg substitute with almost the exact same results. For each egg mix 1 tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken before adding to the batter.

For this recipe you need the equivalent of 2 eggs. I used 2 TBS of flax seed with 6 TBS of warm water.

I also really like Bob's Red Mill's Egg Replacer and think it would work beautifully in this recipe.

*** I have no issues using food coloring to make red velvet. I use a concentrated gel color. If you use a liquid food coloring or natural food coloring you'll probably need a little more.

If you wanting to avoid artificial food coloring I would suggest using a natural food coloring, like THIS ONE.

**** If you need a dairy free or vegan frosting, do not fear. Either use a dairy cream cheese substitute to make my easy cream cheese frosting, flavor my vegan frosting with some super-strength cheesecake oil, or you could frost your cupcakes with a traditional roux-based frosting, subbing in dairy-free milk and vegan butter. I have made GF on a shoestring's roux frosting recipe with dairy-free milk and vegan butter and I thought it turned out great.

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Nutrition Information

Yield 16 Serving Size 1 regular cupcake
Amount Per Serving Calories 159Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 26mgSodium 124mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 0gSugar 16gProtein 2g