Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Get ready to bake moist, flavorful, and perfectly spiced Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes! Finished with a sweet, creamy buttercream frosting, these easy yet elevated cupcakes are the ideal Fall treat for any occasion.

Prep Time15

Cook Time22

Total Time37

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Method: Oven

Servings: cupcakes

Equipment

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup gluten free flour( with xanthan gum) I use King Arthur's Measure 4 Measure
¼ cup butter or sub vegan butter
¼ cup oil avocado or neutral oil of choice
½ cup almond milk or sub regular milk if not dairy-free
2 large eggs
½ cup brown sugar see notes for low sugar option
¼ cup white sugar see notes for low sugar option
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) or sub vegan butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar see notes for low sugar option
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp milk of choice (almond, heavy cream, etc.)

Fondant Pumpkins

Orange fondant (store-bought or homemade)
Green fondant
Cornstarch (for dusting your work surface)
A toothpick or sculpting tool
Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems (for the stem)

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
Mix butter and sugars: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until well combined and smooth.
Add wet ingredients: Add the avocado oil, eggs (one at a time), and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Then, stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
Mix wet and dry ingredients: Gradually fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with the almond milk. Stir gently until just combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
Fill the cupcake liners: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
Bake: Bake the cupcakes for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Cool: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frost: Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, you can frost them with your favorite frosting, such as cream cheese frosting or a dairy-free option.

Buttercream Frosting

Beat the butter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
Add powdered sugar: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Once incorporated, increase to medium speed and beat until smooth.
Add vanilla and milk: Add the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of almond milk. Beat the frosting on medium-high speed for about 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. If needed, add more milk (1 tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust: Taste the frosting and add a pinch of salt if you want to balance out the sweetness.

Fondant Pumpkins

Prepare your work area: Lightly dust your surface with cornstarch to prevent the fondant from sticking.
Shape the pumpkin: Take a small amount of orange fondant and roll it into a ball, about the size you want your pumpkin to be. Once you have a smooth ball, gently press the top and bottom to flatten it slightly, giving it a pumpkin-like shape.
Create the pumpkin ridges: Use a toothpick, the back of a knife, or a fondant sculpting tool to press gentle vertical lines around the sides of the pumpkin. Start at the top and work your way down to create those classic pumpkin grooves.
Add a stem: Take a Hu gem and add to the top for the stem.
Add leaves (optional): For leaves, take a tiny amount of green fondant, roll it into a small ball, and flatten it into a leaf mold.
Add edible glitter & let them dry: Add edible glitter using a brush all over the fondant pumpkin. Allow your fondant pumpkins to air dry for at least an hour to firm up, or longer if you need them completely dry for decorating.

Notes

Low Sugar Option: Swap the sugar for granulated monk fruit, the brown sugar for brown monk fruit, and the powdered sugar sub powdered monk fruit.. It is a 1:1 swap if using the brand, Lakanto.
Piping Tip: I suggest using a piping bag with your favorite tip such as an open star tip, like the Wilton 1M or 4B.
Dairy-Free Options: Swap out regular butter for vegan butter and use almond or coconut milk.
Flour: I don’t recommend any other flour substitutions other than regular all-purpose flour, which is a 1:1 swap. Using alternatives such as coconut or almond flour can change the ratios, and the cupcakes can turn out dry or crumbly.
Make sure your gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum. This will ensure proper texture and structure.
Store your frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept in the freezer for longer storage. The buttercream frosting can be stored separately in a container for up to a week.

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