Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes

Name: Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 54 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour ((I use a 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum)); 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (or vegan baking stick, room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar; 4 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons water; 1/2 cup sour cream (, full fat); 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (or vegan baking stick, room temperature ); 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1/4 cup water (, room temperature )

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

These Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes are light, soft and fluffy eggless vanilla cupcakes! You'd think you're biting into a buttery cloud! The recipe is easy to follow and even with making my vegan vanilla frosting, you can have cupcakes in under an hour! If that wasn't enough, these ethereal beauties are also nut free and can easily be vegan!

A bite cascades down the cupcake leaving delicate and tender crumbs along the bite.

This Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcake recipe is going to be your favorite classic cupcake go to! They're light and sweet and go perfectly with the vegan vanilla frosting! For a little switch up, you can frost them with my chocolate fudge frosting, strawberry buttercream or even my blueberry frosting.

For more vanilla recipes, try my Eggless Vanilla Cake, my Gluten Free Vanilla Cake, my Irish Tea Cake and my Vanilla Strawberry Cake.

Jump to:

Reasons to Love These Cupcakes
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Expert Baking Tips
Recipe FAQs
Other Cupcake Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes

Reasons to Love These Cupcakes

Allergy Friendly- These cupcakes are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
Soft & Fluffy- The cupcakes are super soft and delicious.
Easy to Make- The batter mixes up in less than 20 minutes!
The Perfect Base- This vanilla cupcake is the perfect base to use with any type of frosting!

Ingredient Notes

Sour cream, gluten free flour, water, cornstarch water, butter, granulated sugar, milk, baking powder, vanilla, cornstarch, baking soda, kosher salt, vegetable oil and confectioners' sugar in separate containers.

Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
Cornstarch- We use this in the dry form to be mixed with the gluten free flour to create a lighter crumb. More like a cake flour.
Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Stick- Don’t use melted or softened; we want to cream it together with the sugar. Only use room temperature.
Vegetable Oil- Adds a little extra moisture into these cupcakes.
Sour Cream- This ingredient is key! It really helps to make the crumb of these cupcakes super light! For vegan, use a dairy free sour cream.
Cornstarch Water- This helps bind everything together since the cupcakes are eggless.
Pure Vanilla Extract- Make sure the vanilla you use is pure and gf.

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

How to Make this Vegan

Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
Use a vegan sour cream.
Make sure to use my recipe for Vegan Vanilla Frosting.
Read the label on your sprinkles to ensure they're gluten free and vegan.

How to Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour

Use 1 ¼ packed cups of regular flour (210 grams).
Only use ½ cup of milk.

This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!

Rainbow sprinkles fall in an eye-catching design on the swirl of the Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcake.

How to Make Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes

Here are the step by step instructions to make these vanilla cupcakes!

Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Once combined, whisk in the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water

In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 4 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 6 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.

A whisk with the dry ingredients. — Step 1

Step 3: Cream the Sugar

In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and the sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add in Wet Ingredients Minus the Milk

Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture into the creamed butter and sugar.

With the mixer still on low speed, mix in the sour cream, vanilla and oil. The mixture will look chunky. That's normal.

Creamed sugar and butter in a bowl. — Step 3

A glass bowl of the wet ingredients. — Step 4

Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients

Slowly mix in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until all combined.

Step 6: Add in the Milk

Slowly pour the milk into the batter while the mixture is on low speed. Mix until just combined.

Once it is combined, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. You don’t want to over mix this. Just make sure everything is fully combined. The batter will be thin.

Mixing the wet and dry ingredients into a cupcake batter. — Step 5

Step 7: Fill the Cupcake Tins

Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake tins ¾ way to the top. Smooth the tops with a small knife. There should be enough batter for 14 cupcakes.

You do not want to overfill the cupcakes. This will result in them spill out of the top and not baking evenly inside.

Step 8: Bake the Cupcakes and Cool

Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are golden brown, spring back at you when carefully touched or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool almost completely in the pan before trying to remove them.

Filling cupcake wrappers in a tin with batter. — Step 7

Golden brown cupcakes risen from the pan. — Step 8- Part 1

Placing the cupcakes on a cooling rack. — Step 8- Part 2

Make the Vanilla Frosting

Step 1: Cream the Butter/Vegan Baking Stick

In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter or vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.

Step 2: Add the Confectioners' Sugar and Vanilla

With the mixer on very low speed, slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until combined.

Step 3: Add in the Water

While the mixer is on, slowly add in the water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.

Creamy delicious vanilla frosting with a spatula in a bowl.

Decorate the Cupcakes

Step 1: Pipe the Frosting

If you have piping bags, pipe the vanilla frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.

If you don’t have piping bags, put a thin layer of vanilla frosting on top of each cupcake.

Step 2: Chill the Cupcakes if You Don't Have a Piping Bag

If you frosted the cupcakes by hand, pop the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes to let that thin layer harden.

This is your crumb layer so that when you frost the tops of the cupcakes, the crumbs don't get all over the frosting.

If you have a piping bag, you don’t need the crumb layer or this step.

Step 3: Add Sprinkles if Desired

Immediately after finishing frosting the cupcakes, add the sprinkles so they stick to the frosting.

Swirl of the cupcake is a perfectly piped peak of creamy, vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles.

Expert Baking Tips

Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or read the gram measurement.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients- Make sure to use ingredients that are all room temperature or the batter might split.
Smooth the Batter- Many gluten free batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. When the batter is in the cupcake pan, gently smooth the tops with a butter knife prior to baking.
Use Paper Muffin Liners- It will ensure you're able to get the cupcakes out of the tins. If you don't have any paper liners, grease each cupcake tin with vegetable oil prior to adding the batter.
Cool the Cupcakes- Make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely prior to frosting them. If the cupcakes are even slightly warm, the frosting will become liquid.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?

You can, but they are freshest the first day. If making them ahead of time, make the night before and store them, already frosted, in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you refrigerate them without frosting them, the cupcakes can form a sticky later on the top.

Can I make the frosting the night before?

Yes! Store the frosting in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.

When ready to use, bring the frosting to room temperature and rewhip it to regain that creaminess.

Can I use something other than sour cream?

If you want these cupcakes to be super light and fluffy then you must use the sour cream. You can try yogurt instead but I have not tested it and the crumb will not be as light as with the sour cream.

How do I store these Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes?

Store cupcakes in an airtight container or individually wrap each cupcake in aluminum foil for up to 2 days at room temperature or in the fridge. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the top of the frosting as much.

Let each cupcake come to room temperature prior to serving.

Can I freeze these cupcakes?

Once the frosting on the cupcakes has hardened a little (you may need to pop them in the fridge), individually wrap each cupcake in aluminum foil.
Pop them in a zip top bag and freeze the cupcakes for up to 30 days.

To defrost, put the cupcakes in the fridge the night before or leave them out on the counter for 2 hours prior to eating or until the cupcakes are room temperature and soft.