You are going to love these light and fluffy gluten free funfetti cupcakes. Use this funfetti cake batter to make cupcakes, or a cake, or bake it in gluten free ice cream cones to make festive birthday cupcakes!
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My daughter is all about colorful rainbow sprinkles, aka funfetti. I have used funfetti in a few desserts like these gluten free funfetti cookies, but I needed a good cupcake to bring to a birthday.
You are going to love how easy this recipe is to make. I used my popular gluten free vanilla cupcakes recipe and added a bunch of colorful sprinkles. Note with sprinkles, some are made on shared equipment, so check my list to know which sprinkles are gluten free.
Why I love this gluten-free funfetti cupcake recipe:
- These rainbow cupcakes are great because you have so much flexibility, depending on the occasion! Use any color combination of sprinkles for any holiday!
- You can make cupcakes like I did in cupcake papers or ice cream cones, or you can make a big cake.
- Nobody will know these cupcakes are gluten-free; they taste like they came from a bakery!
I used this recipe but made it as a smaller 4 layer cake, with buttercream frosting. It was so good!! Just starting to venture out with “homemade” GF baking, instead of using mixes! I will definitely make this again! Everyone loved it!”
Laura, blog comment
Allergen Information:
These homemade funfetti cupcakes are gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oat-free. Make them dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.
You can bake any of my flavored cupcake batter recipes in ice cream cones. Ice cream cone cupcakes are all the rage for birthday parties and dessert buffets! Check out all of my delicious gluten free cupcake recipes!
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 Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Gluten Free Sprinkles – Make sure you use sprinkles that are gluten free. Some brands use shared equipment!
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Milk – If you are dairy-free, use non-dairy milk.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
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Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to a smaller bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Do not over-mix the batter; mix it until barely mixed. This will keep your cupcakes light and fluffy!
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: Now you have two options. Add cupcake parchment paper liners to a muffin tin. Pour your batter into the muffin tin cups. Fill until they are about 3/4 full.
Step 5: You can also bake the cupcake batter in gluten free ice cream cones. The batter rises pretty high when baking, so fill your cones about the same as I did.
Step 6: Bake the cupcakes at 350º F for 20-25 minutes. Whether you use a muffin tin or bake the cupcakes in cones, baking time will vary.
Step 7: In a standing mixer or with an electric mixer. Mix up your frosting. I made a buttercream frosting using powdered sugar, softened butter, pure vanilla extract, and water.
Step 8: Add the frosting to a piping bag. Use any tip you like and add frosting to each cupcake. If you want to make flowers.
Step 9: Sprinkle with funfetti sprinkles and top with a maraschino cherry!
Frequently Asked Questions:
These cupcakes will last up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer. To freeze, I recommend freezing without frosting.
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cupcakes need to bake longer.
Joy and Goldbaums both make great gluten free ice cream cones to use for these cupcakes. I recommend using this ice cream cone baking stand if you are using sugar cones. This ice cream cone stand is better for flat bottom cones.
You can flavor and color frosting easily, too! Check out all of my easy Gluten Free Frosting Tips.
More Gluten Free Cupcakes:
- Gluten Free Churros Cupcakes
- Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Funfetti Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk or non-dairy milk
- ½ cup sprinkles
Frosting:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup milk
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a small mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted), 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, and 1 cup milk or non-dairy milk. Whisk to blend.
- In a larger bowl, add 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 cup cane sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, 1/2 cup sprinkles, and mix them gently. You want the batter to be smooth, but not too runny.
- Add parchment paper cupcake/muffin liners to a muffin tin. Fill each 3/4 with the cupcake batter.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes until done.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cupcakes needs to bake longer.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and put each cupcake onto a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes.
Frosting:
- In a mixer, add 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and 1/4 cup milk and whip until thick and creamy.
- Put the filling into a frosting pastry bag. Make sure to put the frosting tip in!
- Sprinkle with more funfetti sprinkles!
To Bake In Ice Cream Cones:
- Use an ice cream cone baking stand to hold up your ice cream cones.
- Fill each 2/3 with the funfetti batter. Don't overfill or the cake batter will explode over the top.
- Bake 20 minutes until done.
- Allow to cool and frost.
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 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cupcakes need to bake longer.
- I used almond milk but milk and other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition 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.
When you made these cupcakes, what type of pan did you use? A metal tin or a silicone baking mold? I have not made this recipe but I worry about burning them. That seems to happen when I use my metal cupcake pan.
Hi Jessica, I use a metal muffin pan. It is by Wilton. If your cupcakes are burning, I am happy to troubleshoot because that should not happen. Where you have the oven racks set up? Have you tested your oven temperature for accuracy? Are you using regular or convection?
The taste was very sweet but good! Only thing I didn’t like was how greasy the bottoms/liners came out to be. I didn’t pre grease anything. Same for silicone liners. Ah well! 4 and 5 year olds won’t mind haha!
Hi Ashley, I didn’t notice that happen. What flour blend did you use? If you used a starchy flour blend, it is possible you needed a little more flour.
I used this recipe but made it as a smaller 4 layer cake, with buttercream frosting. It was so good!! Just starting to venture out with “homemade” GF baking, instead of using mixes! I will definitely make this again! Everyone loved it!
I am so glad you loved this cake recipe!!! Thank you so much for letting me know everyone loved it.
YUM! I love how you’ve made gluten free taste SO good. These cupcakes were perfect for our son’s birthday. He’s gluten free – but we were all able to enjoy. Thanks.