Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
These Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes are gluten free chocolate cupcakes that have a soft rich chocolate cake and are topped with a decadent chocolate fudge frosting! The recipe makes 4 cupcakes and takes less than an hour from start to finish! It's perfect for when you only need a few delicious treats! Best yet, these beauties are also, nut free, eggless and easily vegan!
Servings: 4 Cupcakes
Calories: 298kcal
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (I use 1.5 tablespoons dutch or natural unsweetened and 1.5 tablespoons dark)
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 rounded tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1.5 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (I use 2 tablespoons dutch or natural unsweetened and 2 tablespoons dark)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water , room temperature
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 6 cup regular size cupcake pan with 4 cupcake liners. Fill the 2 empty wells with water. Set aside.
- Measure out ¼ cup of milk of choice. Add in ¼ tablespoon of white vinegar and stir to combine. I don't have ¼ table measuring spoon so I fill up my ½ tablespoon halfway. Estimating is fine. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir again. It will appear chunky and that’s normal.
- In a large bowl whisk together the ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons multipurpose gluten free flour, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, ⅛ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and 1 pinch kosher salt.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 1 rounded tablespoon cornstarch and 1.5 tablespoons water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add in the cornstarch water mixture, the homemade buttermilk, the ¼ cup warm water, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and combined. The batter may appear very thin and liquidy. If so, let it sit 10 minutes; it will start to thicken.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill the 4 cupcake tins ¾ way to the top. Smooth the tops with a small knife.
- Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes 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.
Make the Frosting
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the 3 tablespoons butter or vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on very low speed, slowly add in the ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- While the mixer is on, slowly add in the 2 tablespoons water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need to use all the water.
Decorate the Cupcakes
- If you have piping bags, pipe the chocolate frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.If you don’t have piping bags, put a thin layer of chocolate frosting on top of each cupcake.
- 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.
- Immediately after finishing frosting the cupcakes, add the sprinkles so they stick to the frosting. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Vegan: Use a dairy-free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks, non-dairy milk and vegan sprinkles.
All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon packed AP flour (42 grams plus 2 tablespoons).
Storing: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for 30 days. Let come to room temperature prior to eating.
If desired, warm each cupcake in the microwave for 5-10 seconds prior to eating. Be careful not to burn your mouth.
Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg