Light, fluffy, and bursting with vanilla flavor—these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes taste just like they came from a bakery! These moist gluten-free cupcakes have a delicate crumb, a rich vanilla flavor, and a perfectly tender texture—no one will guess they’re gluten-free! Plus, I’ve included a dairy-free option so everyone can enjoy them!
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❤️ Sandi’s Vanilla Cupcake Summary
1. Soft & Fluffy – These homemade cupcakes taste just like non-gf cupcakes!
2. Easy to Make – I use simple ingredients that are easy to find locally, and have lots of step-by-step instructions and photos.
3. Customizable – Top these beauties with any frosting flavor or add fun fillings. I share lots of great ideas for lots of tasty combinations!
4. Yummy Dairy-Free Option – I share an easy allergy-friendly version.
[👉 Jump to Recipe]
Cupcakes have been one of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy dessert. They are individually portioned and made with simple gluten-free ingredients. This recipe makes cupcakes that rise beautifully and stay light and airy, whether you’re baking for a birthday, party, or just because.
I love these cupcakes for birthday parties because you can top them with any frosting flavor. Want more delicious gluten-free cupcakes? I have a lot of great Gluten Free Cupcakes recipes on the blog!! This Gluten Free Lemon Layer Cake recipe is a fan favorite.
Allergen Information:
These homemade vanilla cupcakes are gluten-free, soy-free, oat-free, and nut-free. Substitute the butter and milk for plant-based butter and milk to make these gluten free cupcakes dairy-free.
This is a really good cupcake recipe. I was worried that I might have over mixed the batter, but it still came out tender. I also used whole milk. I will definitely make this my go to recipe. Thank you so much.”
victoria, blog comment
Flour Blends Tested:
- King Arthur Measure for Measure—This blend works really well in my gluten-free cupcake recipes.
- Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend—This blend also works well in my cake and cupcake recipes, but this flour blend does benefit from resting the batter for 15 minutes before baking. The rest allows the rice flour in this blend to soften, so you don’t have gritty baked goods.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using the two blends listed above. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I have not tested other flours, and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free for best results and no metallic aftertaste.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Dairy-Free Milk – I used almond milk. Other dairy-free and regular milk will work, but I do not recommend canned coconut milk because it will make the cupcake texture dense.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter or light oil if you are dairy-free.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – I do not recommend using imitation vanilla. Pure vanilla extract has a richer flavor, which will shine through in this recipe.
Tips For Success
1. Do not overmix the cupcake batter. I do not recommend using a stand mixer to make gluten-free cake or cupcakes. Overmixing the batter will lead to denser cupcakes.
2. Use these parchment paper cupcake liners to prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the paper.
3. Have patience…don’t frost the cupcakes until they are fully cooled!
4. I recommend using the bake oven setting and not the convection setting for a more even bake.
How to Make Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes (Step-By-Step)
Note From The Kitchen: Gluten-free batters don’t always behave like the ones you’re used to. Gluten-free flour blends vary widely. Don’t panic if your batter seems thicker or thinner. Trust the process and add more liquid or flour as needed to get the right batter consistency.
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Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients together. I like to use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients because it blends the ingredients more thoroughly.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. If you use butter or coconut oil and they are solid, heat them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to partially melt them.
Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Don’t overmix the batter, your cupcakes will turn out dense.
Step 4: Your batter should have a smooth consistency, like in my photo above.
Sandi’s tip to avoid gritty cupcakes: Some flour blends are grainier than others. If you use a grainy flour blend, let the batter sit for 15 minutes so the rice flour can soften.
Step 5: Line a muffin tin with parchment paper cupcake liners and fill each cup with cake batter. These are seriously the best…I hate eating cupcakes when they stick to the cupcake liner. You will never have this happen using parchment paper liners!
Step 6: Bake the gluten free vanilla cupcakes.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes. After, use a knife to gently lift each cupcake out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Do not frost the cupcakes until they are cool!
Step 7: Mix the frosting ingredients in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. I like to make the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling.
👀 Sandi Says: If you want to add color or flavor to your frosting, check out my Gluten Free Frosting Guide for instructions and tips!
Step 8: Decorate with sprinkles. Add frosting to a frosting bag with a piping tip. Pipe the frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Check out my guide to all of the safe gluten free sprinkles brands!
If you genuinely love vanilla, you MUST give this Gluten Free Vanilla Cake a try. It makes a great birthday cake or even a wedding cake! Or, if you also love chocolate, you can make these delicious Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes and serve both flavors!!
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can easily make these ahead. You can make the batter up to two days before baking the cupcakes, or you can make the cupcakes without frosting and freeze them until you are ready to use them.
These cupcakes will stay fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or the freezer for up to 4 months.
This gluten-free cupcake batter can also be used to make a sheet cake or layer cake—it is very versatile!
I wrote up all of my gluten free baking tips to help you! If you are a coconut fanatic like me, you may also want to try making this easy Gluten Free Coconut Cupcakes recipe!
Common Gluten-Free Cupcake Problems & Fixes:
There are many reasons why your gluten-free cupcakes don’t turn out as expected. Here are the most common cupcake issues I hear from my readers…and how to fix them!
My cupcakes are too moist.
If your cupcakes are too moist, there could be a few reasons. Here are the questions to ask yourself:
- Did you bake them long enough?
- Did you use too much butter or oil?
- Did you use too much milk?
- Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio, affecting the liquid levels and how the fat is absorbed in the flour blend. (Imagine starch and oil combined…it can make a pasty gunk. Many gluten free flour blends have a very high starch content.) If you use a flour blend different from the one I tested, be sure to look at my step-by-step photos and compare the batter consistency of your batter to mine.
My cupcakes sank in the middle.
There are two main reasons cupcakes sink in the middle.
- Did you open the oven door during baking? I know you are tempted to open the oven door to get a better look at the cupcakes, but opening the oven door adds a blast of cool air, which can cause your cupcakes to fall.
- Did you use too much liquid in the batter? If you use too much liquid, the cupcakes lose structure.
Need more baking help? Read my Gluten-Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide. It applies to cupcakes as well! You can also learn a lot from my Gluten-Free Muffin Troubleshooting Guide.
How to fill cupcakes:
Another fun idea is to fill these cupcakes so they have a hidden surprise in the middle. The secret is in this little middle scooper. That is probably not the actual name of this handy $4 gadget, but what an awesomely fun way to fill the cupcakes!
You can fill these homemade cupcakes with a lot of fun fillings! You can fill these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes with jam, frosting, Nutella, or whipped cream, or stick a fresh strawberry inside! You can also fill these with M&Ms or sprinkles to make a piñata cupcake…which is fun for birthday celebrations.
Love this recipe!! Just used it for Birthday cupcakes!! Simple to make and absolutely delicious to eat!!”
Lisa P., Facebook comment
Easy Gluten-Free Cake Recipes:
- The ultimate cake, we made this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Raspberries for Mr. Fearless Dining’s birthday!
- One of the best cake recipes, this Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake is perfect for a party.
- A popular recipe on my blog, this Gluten-Free Creamy Apple Cake is completely fool-proof.
Love This Recipe?
Have a question about making these cupcakes? Drop a comment below—I’m happy to help! Please include which flour blend you used.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Don’t forget to rate these cupcakes and leave a review! This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Homemade Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to bake 350º F and make sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven so the cupcakes bake evenly. I recommend using the bake oven setting and not the convection setting for an even bake.
- Combine 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour blendhe flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. I like to use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients because it mixes the ingredients more thoroughly.
- Add the partially melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk to another mixing bowl and whisk them to mix. If you use butter or coconut oil and they are solid, heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds to partially melt it.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is "just barely mixed." If you overmix the batter, your cupcakes will turn out dense.
- Optional: Some flour blends are grainier than others. If you use a grainy flour blend, let the batter sit for 15 minutes so the rice flour can soften.
- Line a muffin tin with parchment paper cupcake liners and fill each cup 3/4 full with the cake batter. You can use a large cookie or batter scoop to add the cupcake batter evenly.
- Bake the gluten free vanilla cupcakes at 350º F for 25-30 minutes. The best way to test whether cupcakes are baked is to insert a toothpick into the middle of one. If the toothpick comes back clean, the cupcakes are finished baking. If you see batter or crumbs, they must be baked a little longer.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes. After, use a knife to gently lift each cupcake out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Do not frost the cupcakes until the cupcakes are cool!
- Add the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk to a stand mixer bowl. Mix the frosting ingredients in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment for 3-4 minutes until the buttercream frosting is fluffy. I like to make the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling.
- Put the creamy frosting into a frosting pastry bag with a frosting tip. Fold the top edge of the bag over 2-3 inches and add the frosting with a large spoon to the bag. Unfold the top edge and twist the open end of the bag. Squeeze the bag to pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
- Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- I used almond milk, but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work. I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- Be very careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing will make your cupcakes turn out heavy and dense.
- Use parchment paper cupcake liners to prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the papers.
- These cupcakes will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer. I recommend freezing the cupcakes without frosting and adding frosting when they are thawed.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Another fab recipe. Every one of her recipes are amazing and fool proof!!
You are so kind to say that, thank you! I am really glad you loved these cupcakes.
This is a really good cupcake recipe. I was worried that I might have over mixed the batter, but it still came out tender. I also used whole milk. I will definitely make this my go to recipe. Thank you so much.
I am so glad you loved these vanilla cupcakes, thank you so much for writing to tell me.
can I use regular milk for this recipe?
Hi Angela, regular milk is fine. Enjoy!
My go to recipe for cupcakes!!! Love these! Quick, easy, and delicious!!
I am so glad you love these cupcakes. They are one of my favorites as well. I also love that I can change up the flavor by using almond extract and other flavored extracts.
These are great.
I am so glad you loved these cupcakes. Thank you so much!
Hi, I made these cupcakes, doubled the batch because the liners I’m using are bigger than normal. My butter was in the freezer so I had to microwave it. I was very careful to not make it too hot and stirred it until I thought it was cool enough to use. As soon as I added it to the cold milk and eggs, it clumped up. When I took the cupcakes out of the oven, the wells had a lot of melted butter in them making the liners very greasy. I really hope they aren’t ruined as doubling the batch used a LOT of expensive ingredients. Can this recipe be made with canola oil instead of coconut oil? Thank you.
Hi Kathy, You mentioned that you used butter, but asked me about coconut oil, so I am not sure which you meant. The answer is yes, you can definitely use canola instead of coconut oil in this recipe.
Hi. Could I make this receipe into a 9 by 13 inch cake ? What adjustments would be needed?
Yes you can. You will need to bake it longer…I haven’t made this cake in that size pan so after 20 minutes you will need to do the toothpick test.
Do you melt the butter or cream it?
I soften the butter, but I am careful not to melt it 100% because I don’t want it to be too hot for the eggs.
What egg substitute would you use for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Queenie, I have not tested this recipe with any egg substitutes. Maybe someone will chime in if they have?
Made these in a mini muffin pan sprayed with avocado oil and filled with a raspberry fruit spread thinned with a little lemon juice for my daughter’s baby shower. Everyone loved them and the majority of folks did not know they were gluten free. I would like to reduce the sugar a bit. Any thoughts on doing so?
I am so glad everyone loved the cupcakes! I think you could reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup. Especially if you are frosting them.
I just made the vanilla cupcakes but used Earth Balance Butter sticks and Rice Milk. I also didn’t frost them and they are yummy!
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Karen. Thank you for coming back to rate the recipe 🙂
Is there any sweetener in the batter?
I am not sure if I understand your question. There is 1 cup of sugar in the batter.
Made these for our daughters 7th birthday party, they were perfect!!!
I am so glad you liked them!!!
Does the butter for the cupcake part need to be softened or melted??
Hi Alli, I usually melt the butter for baking. Thanks for reaching out :-).
This looks like a good recipe to use, and I was wondering, is a flour blend the same as just flour? Thanks!?
Hi Clara, a gluten free blend includes several gluten free flours, starch, and a gum for binding. One single gluten free flour will not work in recipes very well. I tend to use King Arthur, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend and Authentic Foods MultiBlend mixes mostly
Hello ? this recipe looks great! Can I ask – is it ok to use normal cow’s milk rather than non-dairy milk? Thank you!
Hi Katie, I haven’t tested this recipe with cow’s milk. If you try it, please come back and let everyone know. Thank you!!
I needed a gluten free dessert for a party and I made these. They were so delicious and no one could tell they were gluten free! Thank you!
I am so glad everyone liked them Julie. Thank you for letting me know 🙂
These look like so much fun to make! I love little hidden surprises in cupcakes. I made one with a hershey kiss in it once and I like the idea of M&Ms for my grandson as those are his favorite. I’m always searching for great tasting gluten-free recipes and this one looks like a keeper.
I love the idea of filling these with M&Ms 🙂