Simple and delicious, these gluten free lemon cupcakes are a great snack cake your family will love. These homemade dairy-free lemon cupcakes are topped with a dairy-free icing that adds a whole new dimension to how they taste.
For the best cupcake recipes, check out my Gluten Free Cupcakes for more yummy recipes to try!!
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Our lemon tree is overflowing right now and we have to keep picking lemons off the tree to prevent the heavy fruit-filled branches from breaking off the tree.
These gluten free dairy free moist lemon cupcakes are a delicious way to use some of my lemons and celebrate lemon flavors.
You can also celebrate all things lemon with this incredible Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake recipe!
You are in for a special treat if you love lemons as much as we do. Check out all of these incredible Gluten Free Lemon Desserts!
Well, I am going to apologize in advance, you are going to see a lot of new lemon recipes coming in the next month. You will see already I have already created this delicious Gluten Free Lemon Tart and Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake, so we are off to the right start with easy lemon recipes.
Why you need to make this recipe:
This gluten free lemon cupcake recipe is homemade, from scratch, and is bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Store-bought gluten free cupcakes will never be as good. I made this cupcake recipe really easy to follow so you can make these in your kitchen!
What you need to make these:
- 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.
- Eggs - size large.
- Sugar - you can use organic or regular. Both work perfectly fine.
- Lemons - fresh or bottled. If you have a lemon tree like me, use fresh!
- Non-dairy milk - I used almond milk but you can also use a different one like flaxseed milk or soy milk.
- Coconut oil - feel free to use another light oil like avocado or canola. Just make sure the oil you use can tolerate high heat, and won't impart any gross flavors to these cupcakes.
- Baking powder and salt - these give the cupcake some rise.
- Powdered sugar - for the yummy lemonade glaze.
How to make this recipe:
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix well.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just "barely mixed".
Step 4: Mix up your ingredients and spoon the cupcake batter into a parchment paper-lined muffin tin to bake. I like to fill them about ¾ full so they can rise up, but not spill over the top of the liner onto the muffin tin.
Step 5: Bake at 350º F for 20-25 minutes until done. You can test to see if they are finished baking by inserting a toothpick in the center of a cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are finished baking. If you see crumbs or batter, they will need to bake a little longer.
Step 6: Allow your cupcakes to cool on a cooling rack, then drizzle on the icing. These gluten free lemon cupcakes have a wonderful lemonade icing drizzle making them so refreshing. Dig in!!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
If you over mix the cupcake batter, your cupcakes will not turn out so light and fluffy.
You definitely can, but fresh lemons are usually better tasting.
Of course! Top these fluffy gluten free cupcakes however you like. They even taste good with no frosting or icing!
The best way to keep your cupcakes light and fluffy is to be very careful not to over mix the batter.
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.
These cupcakes will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Most dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
More Delicious Lemon Dessert Recipes:
- Gluten Free Lemon Donuts
- Easy Gluten Free Lemon Yogurt Cakes
- Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake
- 3 Minute Gluten Free Lemon Mug Cake
Reader Reviews:
"So yummy! Love this recipe"
Lauren T, Pinterest User
"We loved your Strawberry Muffins (I used a bit less sugar) and so I'm going to make these cupcakes for my son's bday this week."
Kamala
Tools:
- An easy muffin pan ensures your cupcakes are cooked evenly.
- This gluten free flour guarantees these cupcakes are light and fluffy.
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes with Lemonade Icing
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup gluten free flour blend (*Note, my flour blend has xanthan gum included. If yours doesn't, add 1 teaspoon.)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cups almond milk
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- tablespoon lemon zest to top cupcakes with
- For Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Line a cupcake tin with paper cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients.
- Whisk to blend.
- In a medium bowl, add all wet ingredients and whisk.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well.
- Use a soup scoop to pour batter into each cupcake liner. Fill each about ¾ full.
- Sprinkle top with lemon zest.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until done. (*See note)
- Allow to cool.
- Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
- Drizzle over cupcakes.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with two gluten free flour blends. King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Blend and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend. This does not mean they are the only two that work for this recipe, it just means I haven't tested all of the gluten free flour blends out there.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain Xanthan Gum, please add 1 teaspoon to the dry ingredients.
- For light and fluffy cupcakes, mix your cupcake batter until it is just barely mixed, it will help make your cupcakes lighter and fluffier.
- To test to see if your cupcakes are done baking, insert a toothpick into a cupcake. if the toothpick comes out clean, your cupcakes are finished baking. If you see batter or crumbs, you will need to bake them a little longer.
- You can top these cupcakes with the icing in the recipe, or frost them with butter cream frosting.
Nutrition
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Karen
I’m not able to have coconut products nor almond milk. Do you think I could use canola oil and rice milk?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Karen, what gluten free flour blend will you use? Sometimes canola and oils can affect certain flour blends.
myra
hi,
do you use coconut oil in liquid form or coconut oil - like butter? i’m meaning to try this for the weekend. my coconut oil is solid like a butter - so i’m not sure if i need to buy a coconut oil in liquid form.
thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Myra, you want to melt the coconut oil first :-). I do this in the microwave.
Tiffany Barnes
Is it 1/4 c melted coconut oil or 1/4 c coconut oil measured first, then melted?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Tiffany, that is the melted amount.
Tiffany Barnes
Thank you. I just finished making these and they turned out very dense. They aren’t risen nearly as high as the ones in your pictures. Also, I can’t taste any lemon. I used fresh lemon juice, but all I can taste is the coconut oil. I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on why I only taste the coconut oil? What brand do you use? I followed the recipe exactly. I used Krusteaz flour instead of the 1 to 1 since I couldn’t find that brand. It already had the xanthan gum. Thanks for your help.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Tiffany, I have never used Krusteaz flour mix before so I looked up the ingredients. I notice it has no starch in the mix, just a lot of gluten free flours. Starch is what gives these a more fluffy texture so I am thinking this is why your cupcakes were denser. I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend or King Aruthur's Measure for Measure mostly.
Deeanna
Do you know if this recipe could be baked into a layer cake instead of cupcakes? Usually cupcake and cake recipes are interchangeable but I’m still fairly new at gluten free baking and wasn’t sure. Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Deeanna, I am sure you could make a cake. I have a lemon cake recipe on the blog too if you want to make that one instead. They have a very similar flavor. Just put lemon cake into the search bar on the right.