Moist and decadent Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with a luscious Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting. One bite of this deliciousness and you’ll be swooning! It’s like an elevated chocolate covered strawberry … but in cupcake form. How could you resist?!
These cupcakes are gluten free but you’d never guess with how moist and fluffy they are. And while the cupcakes + frosting both contain dairy, I do offer suggestions for dairy free swaps down below. Be sure to check those out if needed!
If you’re now craving all things chocolate strawberry inspired, I’ve got another tasty recipe for you to try. These Chocolate Strawberry & Cream Truffles are naturally sweetened with dates, bursting with strawberry flavor, and coated in silky dark chocolate. The perfect no-bake and refined sugar free treat for when you’re craving something sweet!
Ingredients for Best Ever Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Gluten Free Flour – I love using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour but any brand should work, as long as it’s a 1:1 flour replacement.
Almond Flour – My favorite gluten free flour to bake with! Make sure to use super fine almond flour for optimal texture.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – You can also use unsweetened cacao powder. Since the flavor of these cupcakes is dependent on the brand of cocoa powder, I like to use a high-quality brand. My favorite is Rodelle’s Dutch Processed Baking Cocoa Powder.
Baking Powder & Soda – Both help these gluten free cupcakes rise while baking and help create the soft + fluffy texture, with a slightly domed top.
Coconut Oil – A healthy fat that adds moisture to these cupcakes. Make sure to use refined coconut oil to keep the neutral flavor (or if you don’t mind some coconut flavor, use regular!)
High-quality Chocolate – The key to deliciously rich chocolate cupcakes? Adding chopped chocolate to the batter! My go-to brand is Theo’s and for this recipe I used their pure 70% dark chocolate bar. Using a high-quality chocolate bar will ensure the flavor of these cupcakes comes out extra rich and decadent!
Coconut Sugar – A refined sugar-free sweetener that blends perfectly with chocolate flavor of these cupcakes and doesn’t taste like coconut!
Eggs – Add structure and helps the cupcakes to rise while baking. Don’t skip out on the extra egg yolk, it adds extra moisture to these cupcakes.
Sour Cream – The ultimate add in for ultra moist cupcakes. You can’t taste the sour cream at all but the amount of moisture it adds to the batter is amazing. I haven’t tested it myself but if needed, you can *try* substituting full fat greek yogurt.
Water – Getting “scientific” with this one but adding water to the batter actually helps to hydrate & break down the starches and other ingredients like baking soda, baking powder, sugars, etc. Overall, adding water helps to blend the ingredients fully and keep the cupcakes extra moist.
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together GF flour, almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to stir after sifting to ensure everything is evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt 70% chocolate and ½ cup coconut oil in 30 second increments for ~90 seconds total. Stir together until smooth.
- To a large mixing bowl, add coconut sugar and melted chocolate, using a whisk to stir together until smooth.
- Whisk in eggs and egg yolk until just combined.
- Whisk in vanilla extract and sour cream until just combined.
- Working in batches, add sifted flour to batter, using a spatula to fold in until just combined.
- Add 1 cup water and fold into batter until smooth, making sure not to over mix.
- Line 17 – 18 muffin liners and fill ⅔ full. I used a 2 tbsp cookie scoop sprayed with coconut oil to make it easier to evenly fill the muffin liners.
- Bake at 350F for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly crumb-free (you do not want to over bake these!). Let cool for 10 minutes in muffin tray, before removing to cool on a wire baking rack.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
We all know that a cupcake isn’t complete without an equally delicious frosting. The inspiration for this frosting came from the influx of chocolate covered strawberries that appear every February for Valentine’s Day. I thought, “why not make a cupcake like that?” Happy to say it does not disappoint.
And while I love to dabble in dairy free & vegan sweets, I just couldn’t resist a classic cream cheese frosting. It’s so thick and luscious, perfect for topping a cupcake!
To achieve the strawberry flavor I used freeze dried strawberries for the potent flavor and powdered consistency. Not to mention the pretty pink color you get as a result! We love it.
How to Make Strawberry Frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooling, start on your frosting. Add freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and blend until a smooth powder forms. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese and butter. Use a hand mixer to blend together until evenly combined and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and blend together until smooth. Stir in the freeze dried strawberries.
- Frost once the cupcakes are entirely cooled and enjoy!
Dairy Free Cupcakes
If you want moist cupcakes but can’t do dairy, I’ve got you covered. While I haven’t personally tested these options, I think they’d work perfectly fine as dairy free substitutions:
- For the sour cream in the cupcakes, try a dairy free sour cream (or yogurt) option like Forager or KiteHill.
- For the frosting, I’d suggest using KiteHill vegan cream cheese and Earth Balance plant based butter sticks. I have made the frosting this way, and because of the vegan cream cheese the frosting does come out a bit runnier. To thicken, you might need to add additional powdered sugar.
If anything, these dairy free swaps might change the texture a wee bit but that’s it. Comment below if you try any of these substitutions!
How to Store Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
To keep these cupcakes extra moist day by day, I suggest storing them in an airtight container at room temp (for up to 5 days) then in the fridge for any longer. You can also freeze and thaw later for a tasty late night freezer snack.
I also suggest storing the frosting separate from the cupcakes so they don’t get soggy from it. If you’re enjoying the leftovers for a few days that is … however they don’t usually last too long in our house 🙂
Healthy Chocolate Desserts
For more healthy and delicious chocolate inspired desserts, check out these blog favorites.
Chocolate Caramel Crumble Bar – Soft and chewy chocolate crumble bars layered with luscious vegan caramel. A deliciously layered sweet treat!
Chocolate Coconut Cake – Chocolate cake layered with dark chocolate coconut bars and a thick coconut cream frosting on top. This cake is soft, moist, and fluffy with the chewy coconut bars in the center of every bite … so delicious!
If you try this recipe (or any of the above), please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you, and it also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting 🙂
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup GF flour I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour replacement
- ¼ cup super fine blanched almond flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 oz 70% chocolate bar rough chopped (I used Theo Chocolate baking bar)
- 1 cup coconut sugar packed
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup water*
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries ~¼ cup once pulsed
- 5 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 oz butter softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together GF flour, almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to stir after sifting to ensure everything is evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt 70% chocolate and ½ cup coconut oil in 30 second increments for ~90 seconds total. Stir together until smooth.
- To a large mixing bowl, add coconut sugar and melted chocolate, using a whisk to stir together until smooth.
- Whisk in eggs and egg yolk until just combined.
- Whisk in vanilla extract and sour cream until just combined.
- Working in batches, add sifted flour to batter, using a spatula to fold in until just combined.
- Add 1 cup water and fold into batter until smooth, making sure not to over mix.
- Line 17 – 18 muffin liners and fill ⅔ full. I used a 2 tbsp cookie scoop sprayed with coconut oil to make it easier to evenly fill the muffin liners.
- Bake at 350F for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly crumb-free (you do not want to over bake these!). Let cool for 10 minutes in muffin tray, before removing to cool on a wire baking rack.
- While cupcakes are cooling, start on your frosting. Add freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese and butter. Use a hand mixer to blend together until evenly combined and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and use hand mixer to blend together until smooth. Stir in powdered freeze-dried strawberries until smooth
- Once cupcakes cool completely, frost and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to use a liquid measuring cup for measuring water (and bend down to look at eye level)
- I find it easiest to fill the muffin liners using a 2 tbsp cookie scoop sprayed with coconut oil – this helps the batter fall out easily and ensures equally measured cupcakes
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Beautiful and delicious!! Loved the texture and flavor. The frosting is amazing.
Made these & theyre sooo delicious! I absolutely love the frosting. Would make these again!!
So happy you loved these!!! – Casey 🙂