Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

These gluten free red velvet cupcakes are one of my favorite things to bake. They come out soft, moist, and have that classic red velvet flavor that everyone loves.

If you’ve ever tried gluten free cupcakes that turned out dry or crumbly, I get it. That used to happen to me too. But this recipe actually works, and you really can’t tell the difference from regular ones.

The batter comes together quickly with simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store. No weird substitutes or hard to find items, just straightforward baking.

And the cream cheese frosting on top is the perfect match. It’s creamy, slightly tangy, and balances out the sweetness just right.

Whether you’re baking these for a birthday, a get-together, or just because you’re craving something sweet, they’re a solid choice. Let me walk you through how to make them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect for Gluten Free Baking – These red velvet cupcakes are made with gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, so you get the same soft, fluffy texture as traditional cupcakes without any gluten. No one will even know the difference.

Classic Red Velvet Flavor – That signature red velvet taste comes from the perfect combo of cocoa powder, buttermilk, and a touch of vinegar. It’s that iconic flavor everyone loves, just without the gluten.

Cream Cheese Frosting Included – Red velvet without cream cheese frosting is just not right. This recipe includes a rich, buttery cream cheese frosting that pairs perfectly with the light chocolate flavor of the cupcakes.

Simple Ingredients You Can Actually Find – You won’t need to hunt down any weird specialty items for this recipe. Everything from the cocoa powder to the buttermilk is easy to grab at any regular grocery store.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tbsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, red food coloring, white vinegar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 3

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined with no lumps. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.

Step 4

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 5

For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, then beat in vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Step 6

Pipe or spread frosting generously on each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle with crushed red velvet cupcake crumbs if desired.

Helpful Tips

Use the Right Gluten Free Flour

This recipe calls for a gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, and that specific type matters a lot. These blends already have xanthan gum mixed in, which helps the cupcakes hold together the way regular flour would.

If you use a gluten free flour that doesn’t have xanthan gum, your cupcakes will probably crumble apart once you bite into them. Check the ingredient list on your flour bag before you start.

Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur both make solid 1-to-1 options that work well here.

Don’t Overmix the Batter

Once you pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stir just until everything comes together and there are no more dry pockets of flour. That’s it.

Overmixing makes gluten free cupcakes dense and gummy instead of soft and tender. It also activates the baking soda too early, so you lose some of that rise in the oven.

A few small lumps in the batter are totally fine. They’ll bake out and you won’t notice them in the finished cupcakes.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Take your eggs and buttermilk out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start baking. When they’re at room temperature, they blend into the batter much more smoothly and give you a better texture.

Cold eggs and cold buttermilk can make the vegetable oil clump up a little in the wet mixture, and that means uneven batter. If you forgot to take them out ahead of time, you can put the eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes to take the chill off.

You Might Also Like

• Gluten Free Classic Vanilla Layer Cake
• Gluten Free Molten Lava Cakes
• Gluten Free Chocolate Raspberry Swiss Roll
• Gluten Free Strawberry Crunch Cake

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour?

Gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour is a blend designed to replace regular all-purpose flour in equal amounts, so you don’t have to do any math or adjustments. Popular brands include Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur.

These blends usually contain a mix of rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, and most already include xanthan gum to help with texture and binding. If yours doesn’t include xanthan gum, add about half a teaspoon to avoid crumbly cupcakes.