Vanilla and Mocha Swirl Cupcakes (Gluten Free)
This tuxedo like cupcake with flavors of vanilla and mocha is so moist! Everyone will thoroughly enjoy the texture and flavors, even the gluten eaters!
Equipment
- 2 12 hole cupcake trays
- 16 cupcake papers
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp butter, unsalted and softened omit salt if using salted butter
- 1 cup organic cane sugar or other sugar
- 1 xl egg
- 2¼ teaspoons Molina Reserve Mexican Vanilla, gf or other gf brand
- ½ cup packed almond flour, gf
- ½ cup Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour, gf or tapioca starch, gf
- ¾ cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten free Baking Flour, gf
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk or milk substitute for dairy free
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt for dairy free
- ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar, gf
- 1⅛ teaspoons baking powder, gf
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
Mocha Swirl Batter
- 3 tbsp dark chocolate chips, gf
- ½ tbsp heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Coffee Extract, gf or instant coffee
- pinch of pinches of ground cinnamon, gf
- 1 cup vanilla cupcake batter
Vanilla Frosting
- ½ cup plus 4 tbsp salted butter, softened or add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
- 2-2½ tbsp whole milk or milk of your choice
- 3½ cups powdered sugar lightly spooned into the measuring cup
- ¾ teaspoon Molina Reserve Mexican Vanilla, gf
- pinch or two ground cinnamon, gf
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Prepare the cupcake trays by lining with cupcake papers or parchment squares.
- To a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter. Cream the butter .Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix in until smooth.
- Add the milk, yogurt, and vinegar to the bowl and mix. Next add the dry ingredients on low speed. Mix for a minute until combined.
- For the mocha batter: Heat the chocolate chips and the cream together in a bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir to combine. Add the coffee extract (or omit for the vanilla and chocolate swirl cupcakes). Add a pinch or two of cinnamon, if desired. Add 1 cup of the vanilla batter into the chocolate bowl and stir to combine.
- Spoon into the papers, half vanilla on one side of the cupcake paper hole, and mocha (or chocolate batter) on the other side. Use a knife to drag through the batter to swirl.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the cupcake springs back when gently pressed. Or insert a toothpick to the center of a cupcake. It should come out clean when done. Remove the tray from the oven. Let sit for 10 minutes on a wire rack in the tray before removing the cupcakes to the wire rack to finish cooling. When completely cool, frost the cupcakes.
Vanilla Frosting
- In a stand mixer bowl or a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in two or three amounts, drizzling in a small amount of the milk with each. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Continue beating on medium high until fluffy and velvety. Add to a pastry bag with your choice of tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Add chocolate or sprinkles to the tops of the cupcakes.
- For a variation to the frosting: to half of the frosting add 1/2 teaspoon of ground espresso or ground coffee and mix in well. Add a small piping of vanilla frosting followed by the espresso frosting.
Notes
A couple of notes:
If you like a lot of frosting make 1 1/2 times the recipe. I hate to run out when frosting cakes or cupcakes. But for me I don't like a heavy amount so this recipe is plenty. I even had a little extra.