If you guys remember from my blog post on my website last week, I recently helped do some dessert catering for a friend’s baby shower. If you didn't see it, she requested Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes and these Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes. It was a great opportunity to practice making gluten-free desserts. I tested this recipe out a few times before the actual baby shower to make sure I perfected it in time for the party. This was the first time doing any kind of official catering so the pressure was on! I wanted to make sure everything was grade-A quality!

All ingredients used to make these cupcakes (and the frosting) are all naturally gluten-free and all things you probably already have in your pantry. The only oddball ingredient I had to invest in was some gluten-free flour. The recipe is very easy to follow with the usual mixing of the dry & wet ingredients and then incorporating them together. The only thing I do a little differently is boil a ½ cup water and mix it with the ½ cup cocoa separately. The boiling water helps break down the cocoa and gives it a richer, more intense chocolate flavor and consistency. This was a little trick I learned long ago that you should all try next time you make any baked goods such as cakes, brownies or cupcakes!

I’ve also included ingredients and directions on how to make the gluten-free buttercream frosting. Usually you need a lot of powdered sugar to help the frosting stay sturdy and thick. But I always find the sweetness to be a little overwhelming. So, I like to add a little extra butter and heavy cream to make my frosting lighter, fluffier and help alleviate the intense sweet flavor of the powdered sugar. You can also refrigerate the frosting for a bit to help it hold its shape on the cupcakes. Read on for the full recipe and let me know if there are any other gluten-free recipes you’d like me to try in the future! 🧁 🍫 👩🏻‍🍳

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
BAKE TIME: 20 minutes
MAKES: 24 cupcakes

Get the full Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting recipe on my website here! 🧁 🍫 👩🏻‍🍳

And be sure to follow me on Steemit @eyesclosedcookin