Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

As many of your know, May is National Celiac Awareness month (and gluten-free awareness) . I was asked to contribute a gluten free cupcake recipe for the Cupcakes for a Cause event sponsored by the ACDA (American Celiac Disease Alliance). The number of cupcakes I needed to represent the number of years that I have been gluten free. Well, that seems simple enough, but because I fell off the wagon, so to speak, it hasn’t been quite 7 years, but that’s what I went with because that’s what I celebrate, the moment I found truth, gluten isn’t good. You’ll see my 7 cupcakes and a number of photos below. You may vote for which gluten free cupcake recipes you like on the Pinterest’s ACDA Cupcakes for a Cause page. Just like it or repin. Either counts as a vote. [Contest is now over.]

This cupcake recipe was adapted from Brown Eyed Baker’s Dark Chocolate Cupcakes recipe, which was adapted from Cook’s Illustrated into a gluten free version. It tastes like the real thing when you use my superfine rice flour blend recipe. The other changes I made, besides using a different frosting, are the use of gluten free non-fat Greek yogurt instead of whole sour cream, gluten free natural dark chocolate morsels instead of chopped bittersweet chocolate, substituted fine sea salt and evaporated cane juice instead of regular salt and sugar, (though you can use any type you desire), and added hot water.

Because I substituted non-fat Greek yogurt for whole sour cream, it is important to beat just long enough to blend the batter when adding the flour. The lack of the additional fat can make the batter tough if over-mixed. Though an entire stick of butter should be sufficient.

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep Time: 16 minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes

Total Time: 54 minutes

Yield: 1 dozen cupcakes

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

A moist, not-too-sweet gluten free chocolate muffin recipe, made with dark chocolate and Dutch processed cocoa, topped with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 1/3 cup Nestle's Natural Dark Chocolate Morsels
  • 1/2 cup gluten free Dutch chocolate cocoa powder*
  • 3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (3.75 oz.) Carla's Gluten Free Cake Flour Blend recipe
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice (or sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or salt)
  • 1/2 cup gluten free non-fat Greek yogurt**
  • 3/8 cup (6 Tbsp) almost boiling water
  • Gluten Free Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions:

  1. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift the flour blend and salt; and then add the sugar and sift again; set aside.
  3. Add butter, chocolate, and cocoa to a medium sized glass bowl. Place bowl large enough to fit over a saucepan much like a double boiler, or use a double boiler. Bring water to a simmer and continuously whisk ingredients until the butter and chocolate are melted. Remove bowl from pan and set aside to cool until it no longer hot to touch, about 5 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to Preheat to 350°F.
  5. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat eggs on medium speed, just until combined; add the beaten eggs to the the cooled chocolate mixture very slowly while whisking continuously. Add the mixture back to the mixing bowl and blend on medium speed until creamy.
  6. Add the yogurt and vanilla and continue to beat on medium-low speed until well combined.
  7. Add the flour to the chocolate mixture a little at a time while mixer is running; blend on low to medium-low speed until thoroughly combined. Add the hot water and continue to mix on medium-low until smooth.
  8. Evenly distribute the batter into the lined muffin tins. Bake until toothpick clean, approximately 18 to 19 minutes. If they begin to crack make sure you take them out.
  9. Remove cupcakes from pan and allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan; and then remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled.
  10. Frost with your favorite gluten free frosting. I used Gluten Free Cream Cheese Coffee Frosting.

Tips

* Dutch processed cocoa is higher in cocoa butter than regular cocoa powder. If not using Dutch chocolate, add an additional tablespoon of butter.

** I use FAGE brand Greek yogurt, as it is thick and gluten-free.

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