Chocolate cupcakes are always divine. When you add chocolate salted caramel frosting they are taken to the next level! These cupcakes are the perfect mix of salty and sweet, and full of rich, chocolatey flavor. You will absolutely want to take them to your next celebration!
Chocolate cupcakes are perfect to have in your repertoire of recipes. They are such a good, basic dessert recipe, and can serve as a blank canvas for so many other flavors. I love to serve chocolate cupcakes with my Chocolate Salted Caramel Frosting, but they are also delicious with Peanut Butter Frosting, Chocolate Frosting, and even a basic Vanilla Frosting.
If you’ve been around for long, you know that I stick to mostly gluten free baking. Sometimes that can throw people off a bit, but I can assure that these cupcakes are so rich and so delicious. AND, you can certainly substitute regular all-purpose flour in this recipe if you are not gluten free.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Gluten free all-purpose flour
- Dark cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
Now, let’s walk through how to make this super yummy, rich, decadent chocolate cupcake recipe.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Ideally, you want to use an electric stand mixer for this recipe, but if you don’t happen to have one, you can certainly use a hand mixer.
Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream on high speed until it is light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 3-4 minutes. NOTE: If you don’t have a stand mixer, follow this same process with an electric hand mixer, but you may find that it takes a bit longer to get truly light and fluffy creamed butter and sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time. This is SO important. I repeat. Add the eggs. ONE. AT. A. TIME. Adding eggs too quickly will cause your mixture to curdle and will make it difficult to combine all the other ingredients well.
Whisk together the gluten free all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the milk and vanilla extract.
Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, and add ½ of the milk mixture, mixing until just combined. Repeat with another ⅓ of the flour mixture and remaining milk mixture. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture, and mix until just combined, again scraping down the bowl as needed.
Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Place the cupcakes in the oven, and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed in the center (you can also insert a toothpick in the center, and pull the cupcakes from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean). Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
HOW TO MAKE SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING
While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting by placing the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until it becomes smooth. Add the butter and the salted caramel sauce, and beat on high until well combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Again, if you do not have an electric stand mixer, you can certainly use a hand mixer for this
Add the powdered sugar and salt. Turn the mixer on low until all the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, and then turn the mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and turn the mixer on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Once the cupcakes are cool, place frosting in a piping bag, and cut about 1 inch off the tip of the bag. Pipe a generous amount of frosting on each cupcake. If desired, top with more caramel sauce.
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- Baked Apple Donuts
- Salted Chocolate Caramel Sauce
- Vanilla Orange Cupcakes with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Muffin Pans (2)
- Measuring spoons
- Disposable Piping Bag
Ingredients
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 each eggs
- 2 ½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- Extra chocolate salted caramel sauce for garnish
Chocolate Salted Caramel Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce
- ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
- Place the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream on high speed until it is light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the gluten free all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup, mix together the milk and vanilla extract.
- Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, and add ½ of the milk mixture, mixing until just combined. Repeat with another ⅓ of the flour mixture and remaining milk mixture. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture, and mix until just combined, again scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Place the cupcakes in the oven, and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed in the center (you can also insert a toothpick in the center, and pull the cupcakes from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean). Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until it becomes smooth. Add the butter and the salted caramel sauce, and beat on high until well combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the powdered sugar and salt. Turn the mixer on low until all the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, and then turn the mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and turn the mixer on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, place frosting in a piping bag, and cut the tip of the bag off. Pipe a generous amount of frosting on each cupcake. If desired, top with more caramel sauce and a small pinch of salt.
Notes
- These cupcakes can be made using an electric hand mixer, if needed.
- If desired, you may omit the Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce from the frosting recipe
- If you are not gluten free, you may substitute regular all-purpose flour for the gluten free all-purpose flour.
