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These gluten free vanilla cupcakes are tender, moist, and packed with classic vanilla flavor. With a soft crumb and bakery-style texture, they’re perfect for birthdays, weddings, baby showers—any celebration where no one should miss out.
Bring these to a party, and no one has to settle for a second-best treat. Everyone gets to eat the same thing—and love it.
“Just made these cupcakes today for a wedding. I received nothing but praise. Everyone questioned whether they were gluten free or not!”
My take
Why you'll love these cupcakes
- Soft and fluffy crumb: Soft and fluffy crumb: Moist and tender, with a light, melt-in-your-mouth feel.
- Easy recipe: No sifting—just mix, scoop, and bake.
- Flat tops for frosting: No dome means perfect for decorating.
- Versatile for any crowd: Frost with vanilla or chocolate, add sprinkles or not.
- Freezer-friendly: Make ahead and freeze plain cupcakes for up to 3 months.
Cupcake ingredients
- Gluten free flour blend – The base of the recipe. Be sure to use a blend without too much xanthan gum (see Recipe Notes in the recipe card).
- Baking powder + baking soda – Help the cupcakes rise and stay light and airy.
- Salt – Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
- Butter – Adds richness and helps create that soft, tender crumb.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cupcakes and keeps them moist.
- Egg + egg white – Give structure and help the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Vanilla extract – Brings that classic birthday cake flavor.
- Buttermilk – Makes the most tender crumb. You can also use regular milk, but buttermilk gives the best results.
- Frosting included below! Learn how to make a classic vanilla buttercream with just butter, sugar, and vanilla.
How to make gluten free cupcakes
Making these gluten free cupcakes is as simple as whisking, creaming, and alternating the wet and dry ingredients. Here’s how it’s done:
1. Whisk the dry ingredients: Combine the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Cream the butter and sugar: Beat them together with the egg, egg white, and vanilla until fluffy and well-combined.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Mix in the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk or milk. Start and end with dry.
4. Portion the batter: Scoop into a lined muffin tin, filling each well about 2/3 full.
5. Bake at 325°F: Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when gently pressed.
6. Cool completely: Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack before frosting.
Expert tips
Use room-temperature ingredients: Cold butter, eggs, or milk won’t mix evenly and can cause texture issues.
Don’t overmix: Mix just until the batter is smooth. Overmixing adds too much air and can create tunnels.
Scoop evenly: Fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full to prevent overflow and ensure even baking.
Bake just until done: At 325°F, bake until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Skip the toothpick—it can be misleading.
Cool completely before frosting: Warm cupcakes will melt your frosting. Let them cool fully for best results.
Measure by weight: For reliable results, use a digital kitchen scale instead of measuring cups—especially for the flour.
Ingredient substitutions
Dairy-Free
Use block-style vegan butter (like Melt or Miyoko's brands are best) or butter-flavored nonhydrogenated shortening in place of butter.
For the best texture, replace buttermilk with a mix of half plain yogurt and half nondairy milk by volume. You can also use just unsweetened, unflavored nondairy milk, but the crumb will be a little more condensed.
Egg-Free
Replace the egg with a chia egg, Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer, or Just Egg. Avoid flax eggs—they add a strong flavor that doesn’t work well here.
Vanilla Gluten Free Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
For the vanilla cupcakes.
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (See Recipe Notes) (Click thru for full info)
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (50 g, weighed out of shell) egg, at room temperature
- 1 (25 g) egg white, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (5 ⅓ fluid ounces) milk or buttermilk, at room temperature
For vanilla buttercream frosting.
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more as necessary
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Milk by the teaspoon, as necessary
Instructions
For the cupcakes.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line 16 wells of standard muffin tins with cupcake liners or grease the wells, and set the tins aside.
- In a small bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Set the bowl of dry ingredients aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the butter, sugar, egg, egg white and vanilla, and beat at medium-low speed to combine. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until it appears whipped (about 2 minutes).
- To the large bowl with the butter mixture, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the milk or buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat lightly after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter should be light and fluffy.
- Fill the prepared wells of the muffin tin about 2/3 of the way full of the batter. Shake the tin back and forth to evenly distribute the batter in each of the wells.
- Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the cupcakes are very lightly golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly in the center (about 20 minutes). Don’t over bake.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for at least 5 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cupcake batter. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting and/or decorating.
For the frosting.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter. Beat on medium speed until creamy (about 30 seconds).
- Add the 1 cup (115 g) of confectioners’ sugar, the salt, vanilla, and 1 teaspoonful of milk, and beat on medium speed until well-combined (about 1 minute).
- Beat in more confectioners’ sugar until the consistency is thick but not stiff. Turn up the mixer speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes, or use two spoons to scoop a dollop onto each cupcake.
Video
Notes
For best results, use Better Batter original blend or Nicole’s Best multipurpose blend with added xanthan gum. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 also works well—just add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum to the dry ingredients to prevent crumbling. To make your own blend, see the All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blends page. Nutrition information: Approximate nutrition information is per cupcake, excluding frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Vanilla buttercream frosting (gluten free)
This classic vanilla buttercream is smooth, stable, and pipes beautifully. It’s naturally gluten free and the perfect match for these cupcakes—but works just as well on chocolate cupcakes or sugar cookies.
Key ingredients
- Butter – Room temperature for easy whipping and smooth texture.
- Confectioners' sugar – Sweetens and thickens; it also helps the frosting hold its shape.
- Vanilla extract – Adds depth of flavor.
- Milk (as needed) – Helps thin the frosting to piping consistency.
How to make the frosting
1. Cream the butter – Beat until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk – Mix on medium until combined.
3. Whip until fluffy – Turn the mixer to high and beat for about 5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and airy.
4. Adjust consistency – Add more sugar to thicken or a few drops of milk to loosen.
5. Frost your cooled cupcakes – Use a piping bag or just scoop with a spoon.
Storage suggestions
Room temperature: Store unfrosted or frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Avoid the fridge—it dries them out.
Freezing unfrosted: Once completely cool, wrap each cupcake tightly in freezer-safe wrap, then place in a sealed container or zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Freezing frosted cupcakes: You can freeze them fully frosted, too. Let them defrost at room temperature—don’t microwave or the frosting will melt.
To serve from frozen: Unwrap and let sit at room temperature until thawed, or microwave unfrosted cupcakes at 50% power in 20-second bursts.
FAQs
Yes, vanilla bean paste works well and has a stronger flavor than extract. Use the same amount as you would vanilla extract.
Yes—just reduce the baking time. They’re ready when the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
That usually means the oven was too hot, so the outside set before the inside had time to build structure. Use a standalone oven thermometer to be sure your oven temperature is accurate.
Yes! Freeze them (unfrosted or frosted) as soon as they’re completely cool. Defrost at room temperature for best results.
You can—just divide the batter evenly across more tins, and rotate them during baking for even results.
Definitely. These cupcakes are delicious on their own or with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Hi Nicole! Do the cupcakes freeze well?
Yes, Samantha! They freeze beautifully. Freeze them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, then pile them into a freezer-safe container and eliminate as much air as possible. Defrost at room temperature!
Mmm, these just came out of the oven and smell amazing! Mine happen to have divots in the middle. Do you know what may have caused that? I had to make substitutions for dairy and egg, and I used Presidents Choice gluten free flour blend. They aren’t extremely sunk in, so there’s just a little more room for frosting ;).
It’s all of your substitutions, Heather. You’ve made quite a few, including the flour blend, and each influences the result. Together, it’s nearly a different recipe altogether. Glad they smell good, though!
A couple of questions. I’m new to gluten free baking and bought 2 of your books. Do all your recipes work with Better Batter unless a blend is otherwise specified? If you just say gluten-free all-purpose flour and don’t specify a blend, can Better Batter be used? And I think cupcakes are where I should start, right? Is that easy enough to be a first recipe, or is there something else you’d recommend for someone just starting out? I don’t think I am prepared for the cost to make a custom blend right now, and have a lot to learn before I can do so. So, I’d like to make things a little easier and start with Better Batter.
Hi, Crystal, those are all great questions! Yes, you can use Better Batter’s all purpose gluten free flour blend anywhere one of my recipes calls for an “all purpose gluten free flour.” There’s actually never a reason to make mock Better Batter, unless you can’t or don’t want to buy the actual product. Instead of cupcakes, I’d actually start with drop cookies, like these gluten free chocolate chip cookies. Measure by weight, mind the temperature of your ingredients as specified in the recipe, and you’ll do great.
Cupcake turned out to be sugar cookies lining muffin tins and the frosting was slime. Threw it all together and made delicious cake pops. Both taste amazing but neither resembled what they were intended to resemble. And I followed both recipes to a “T”! Even weighed the ingredients to be sure. super sad.
Lydia, it’s a shame that you weren’t successful with this recipe. Everyone states that they followed recipes to a T, but the recipe works when made as written, using the ingredients specified, including the all purpose gluten free flour blend specified, with the ingredients at the proper temperatures as specified. I assume you used a gluten free flour blend that is one I recommend against, but you didn’t give me any details, so I can’t help you troubleshoot to figure out where you deviated from the recipe as written. Regarding the frosting, it’s a classic buttercream. If you didn’t make substitutions, then your ingredients were too soft. There isn’t any other way a classic buttercream would be “slime.”
Could this batter be baked in a small loaf pan or a cake pan?
Definitely not, Elaine. I have recipes for quick breads, which are baked in loaf pans, and for an excellent vanilla cake, which is what you’ll need for a cake. Please use the search function!
HI! Thanks for this easy recipe. I made them a day before my son’s party. Should I refrigerate them unfrosted? Or is it okay to leave them in a sealed container over night?
Hi, Kim, I wouldn’t ever refrigerate them, since the that tends to be very drying. I would definitely leave them in a sealed container at room temperature overnight. For anything longer than that, I’d freeze and defrost, then frost and serve!
Made these tonight as a practice run for a welcome home party for our son. Used Pamela’s all-purpose GF flour (because I didn’t have the patience for the all-important science Nicole detailed in her blend (another time)). These were delicious, not very sweet, and I can’t wait to try The Best Vanilla Frosting recipe on them (if they last long enough to frost)! Thank you Nicole for your tireless efforts.
I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes, Jill. I actually don’t have any experience with Pamela’s all purpose gluten free flour blend. I’ve always shied away because it leads with brown rice flour, and contains guar gum, which isn’t as good in heated applications as xanthan gum. It also has a lot of moisture-loving flours in it, so I’ve assumed it makes things gummy. Just to give you some perspective!
Nicole, I have been following you for some time now. I consider you to be the top ” Kitchen Scientist” Baker there is. You are truly outstanding in your research, baking, recipes and caring for all of us who are gluten free and diary free. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do. Best wishes to you and your family. Sincerely, Rick W.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Rick! I really do try to do all of that, and consider it essential to my ability to promise you success in following my recipes. It can be very rewarding, and it’s definitely made much more so by your kind words. Thank you again for that. It means so much!
Hi, Pamela –
Can I substitute monkfruit for the granulated sugar?
Thanks –
Chris
Hi, Chris, I’m Nicole, not Pamela. I haven’t tried making these with an alternative, but I do like Lankato brand monkfruit granulated sugar replacement, generally. It does tend to be drying, though, so you may have to add more milk or buttermilk. Please watch the video carefully and try to mimic the consistency of the cupcake batter. In short, you’ll have to experiment!
I have made GF cupcakes in the past. They were great fresh out of the oven. I made them a couple of days in advance and froze them so I could take my time decorating them. When I defrosted the cupcakes, the texture was like riced cauliflower and had a doughy taste. Is that just the nature of GF flours, or is there something I can do to avoid this problem?
Hi, Pamela,
It’s really hard for me to say for sure, since you didn’t use one of my recipes, but it sounds like an issue with a gritty rice flour. That, and unbalanced, poorly-written recipes, are the most common problems with gluten free baking. I recommend taking a look at my Gluten Free Flour Blends page for full information.