GLUTEN FREE VALENTINE CUPCAKES WITH A LITTLE XOXO
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Who doesn't love a cupcake?? These gluten free sweet treats have an even sweeter message! Pretty 2-tone buttercream frosting tops these moist chocolate cupcakes. The chocolate decorations will help you share the love. X0X0
Makes: 12 cupcakes |
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SHOW ME HOW...
Click to watch this easy step-by-step video!
WALK ME THROUGH IT...
MAKING THE CUPCAKES
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STEP 1
Getting Ready: Put paper liners into your cupcake tray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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STEP 2
To a medium mixing bowl, add the white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour...
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STEP 3
...cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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STEP 4
Whisk together.
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STEP 5
Add in the sugar...
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STEP 6
...and stir or whisk together.
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STEP 7
Now add in the egg, water, oil, and vanilla.
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STEP 8
Beat on low speed until combined.
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STEP 9
Then, beat on medium speed for 2 or 3 minutes. Batter will be thin…don’t worry! You can pour your batter into a tall measuring cup for easy pouring if you like, but this is not necessary.
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STEP 10
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and place into oven immediately (I use a measuring cup to scoop 1/4 cup of batter into the liners. This works out perfectly for 12 cupcakes). Bake for about 18 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
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STEP 11
Remove cupcakes carefully…they will be hot and soft. Let cool completely before frosting.
MAKING THE CHOCOLATE DECORATIONS
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STEP 12
Set aside 1/4 of the chips in a separate bowl to use later. Microwave the remaining chips at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir the chips. They won't be ready yet, but it's good to go slowly. We only want to melt the chocolate about 80% of the way.
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STEP 13
Microwave again at 50% power for 30 seconds more. Stir.
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STEP 14
Continue melting chocolate in 30-second increments until the chocolate starts to melt. Then switch to 15-second increments. The chocolate in the picture above is starting to melt. Switch to 15-second increments now.
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STEP 15
Microwave and stir. This chocolate is 80% melted with chunks of chips remaining. Perfect. Remember, we don't want to melt the chocolate all the way.
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STEP 16
Pour in the chips that were set aside.
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STEP 17
Stir vigorously. The new chips and the stirring action will help to quickly cool down the chocolate and re-temper it. If your chocolate doesn't temper correctly, the chocolate decorations will not set well, and will melt easily. Continue stirring until chocolate is perfectly smooth.
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STEP 18
Prepare a pastry bag with a #3 tip.
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STEP 19
Spoon chocolate into pastry bag.
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STEP 20
Fold shut. Test chocolate to make sure it comes out smoothly.
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STEP 21
Pipe decorations onto the waxed paper.
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STEP 22
Cover and set in refrigerator. When decorations are set, use spatula to loosen from baking sheet. To avoid melting, handle as little as possible when placing onto your cupcakes.
MAKING THE TWO-TONE FROSTING
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STEP 23
Soften the butter ahead of time. To a medium-sized bowl, add the butter, vanilla...
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STEP 24
and confectioner's sugar.
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STEP 25
Mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated.
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STEP 26
Increase speed and mix until fluffy. If needed, add milk to thin the frosting, one teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until desired consistency is reached. To thicken the frosting, add a little bit more confectioner’s sugar.
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STEP 27
Divide out half of the frosting into a second bowl.
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STEP 28
Add in some red GF food coloring to one of the bowls.
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STEP 29
Stir until all streaks of food coloring are blended in.
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STEP 30
Prepare a pastry bag with a #2D piping tip.
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STEP 31
Turn cuff of bag over.
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STEP 32
Fill one side of bag with the white frosting.
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STEP 33
Layer pink frosting on top of the white. Unfold the cuff.
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STEP 34
Twist end of bag and press frosting forward toward the tip.
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STEP 35
Press out a little frosting to prepare bag.
FROSTING THE CUPCAKES
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STEP 36
Holding nozzle vertically, press on bag from the twisted end and start to swirl frosting around the cupcake's outer edge.
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STEP 37
When one frosting circle is complete, continue around and around, reducing the size of the circle as you go, until you reach the top. It should take about 3 circles to complete the frosting.
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STEP 38
At the top, press tip in slightly and pull out vertically as you release pressure on the pastry bag.
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STEP 39
Pretty!
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PUTTING THEM ALL TOGETHER
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STEP 40
Gently loosen chocolate decorations from cookie sheet with a spatula.
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STEP 41
Place decorations on cupcakes. Be careful not to handle them for very long, as the warmth of your hands will cause them to melt!
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STEP 42
Add sprinkles if you like!
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STEP 43
Look how adorable!
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YAY...TIME TO EAT!
A sweet treat with an even sweeter message!!
THE RECIPES...
THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Ingredients1/2 cup white rice flour (2.4 oz.)
1/4 cup potato starch (1.3 oz.) 1/4 cup tapioca flour (1.0 oz.) 1/2 cup cocoa powder (1.4 oz.) 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 cup water 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla |
DirectionsGETTING READY:
LET’S GET STARTED:
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Tip: These cupcakes work best with piped-on frosting as you see in this recipe. If you are spreading on frosting then make sure that the frosting is soft.
PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE:
THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
IngredientsINGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter 4 cups confectioner’s sugar (more or less, depending on desired consistency) 2 tsp. vanilla A few tsp. milk (as needed for correct consistency) Gluten Free food coloring Other: pastry bag decorating tip #2D sprinkles (optional) |
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DirectionsGETTING READY:
LET’S GET STARTED:
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PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE...
THE CHOCOLATE DECORATIONS
Ingredients3/4 cup chocolate chips
Other: pastry bag or parchment triangles cookie sheet #3 piping tip waxed paper |
Directions1. Set aside 1/4 of the chips to use later.
2. Microwave the remaining chips at 50% power for 30 seconds. 3. Stir the chips. They won't be ready yet, but it's good to go slowly. We only want to melt the chocolate about 80% of the way. 4. Microwave again at 50% power for 30 seconds more. 5. Stir. Continue melting chocolate in 30-second increments until the chocolate starts to melt. Then switch to 15 second increments. 6. Continue the pattern of heating/stirring until the chocolate is 80% melted and you have chunks of chocolate remaining. Don't melt the chocolate all the way! 7. Once chocolate is melted 80%, pour in chips that were set aside. 8. Stir vigorously. The new chips and the stirring action will help to quickly cool down the chocolate and re-temper it. If your chocolate doesn't temper correctly, the chocolate decorations will not set well, and will melt easily. 9. Continue stirring until chocolate is perfectly smooth. 10. Spoon chocolate into pastry bag. Fold shut. Test chocolate to make sure it comes out smoothly. 11. Pipe decorations onto the waxed paper. 12. Cover and set in refrigerator. 13. When decorations are set, use spatula to gently loosen from baking sheet. 14. To avoid melting, handle as little as possible when placing onto your cupcakes. |
PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE:
Tip: Please follow all directions exactly!! If you skip steps or swap ingredients then you may or may not like the end result :)
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· *** I AM NOT A NUTRITIONIST OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL***
THE INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO SUBSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT OR ADVICE.
PLEASE READ INGREDIENTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND ON PACKAGES, AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE SAFE FOR YOU
PRIOR TO USING THEM IN YOUR RECIPES. WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.***
THANK YOU.