Gluten-Free Cupcake Awesomeness: Apple Cider Cupcakes from Allyson Kramer

Gluten-free baking might seem intimidating… because, well… it sort of IS intimidating! Not only do most gluten-free recipes call for a lot of seemingly random ingredients (xanthan gum? sorghum flour?), there is so much talk about how hard it is to make good gluten-free baked goods that it makes you wonder why people ever start.

I’ve had my own ups and downs with gluten-free cupcakes and gluten-free vegan baking. Years ago I had some fits and starts, and I mostly failed miserably. But I failed because I didn’t follow directions. I made substitutions and swapped out flours, and this is a big no-no for GF baking. Though I pride myself on being an intuitive baker, gluten-free baking is different, and I encourage you to follow your GF recipes EXACTLY. This means using all those random ingredients (yes, even the gum and starches) and following the directions (yes, you have to use a stand or hand mixer for the dough). These tips will help ensure that your baked goods turn out beautifully and deliciously every time.

This cupcake recipe is counted as one of the huge successes in my baking repoitoire. And no wonder, since it comes from gluten-free vegan expert Allyson Kramer. Her work is well-loved and she is a successful blogger, author and photographer. She was the first blog I turned to when looking for a new cupcake recipes for my cooking workshop. I was super impressed with the success of these cupcakes: a lot of flavor, a stunning presentation and pretty easy preparation too! Allyson paired these cupcakes with a Caramel Frosting, but I thought they were so pretty that I didn’t bother with the frosting!

Apple Cider Cupcakes

1 Tablespoon ground chia seeds
¼ cup water
1 cup superfine brown rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
¾ cup potato starch
¼ cup sweet white rice flour (not mochi flour)
1½ teaspoons guar gum (can also use xanthan gum)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¾ cup melted butter or vegan butter
1⅓ cup sucanat (whole unrefined cane sugar)
½ cup sugar
1½ cups apple cider or apple juice

Find the instructions and her companion recipe for the Caramel Frosting on AllysonKramer.com.

For more gluten-free baking, check out our recipes for Gluten-Free Fruit Crumbles and Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies.

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