Gluten Free Brownie Sundae Cupcakes
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes are made of flourless chocolate cake, creamy vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache, sprinkles and a cherry on top! Just like an ice cream sundae, but better! These gluten free chocolate cupcakes are super fudgy, and have a texture similar to that of a brownie. Best part is that they’re inherently gluten free – no flour substitutes needed.
Gluten free chocolate cupcakes
When I started working on this recipe I was trying to replicate some of my favorite gluten free chocolate chocolate chip muffins from a local Brooklyn bakery. After a few tests I ended up with a version that I thought was even better, probably because they tasted more like brownies than they did muffins.
There isn’t a typical rising agent like baking powder or baking soda in this recipe. The cupcakes get their rise from beaten egg whites. Be patient folding the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, in order to retain the volume you created when beating the eggs. It will take a few minutes for it to come together. You want to fold until no white streaks remain. After baking, these cupcakes will have a slightly crackly top, as seen in the photo below. They might also sink slightly in the center as they cool, but that’s to be expected.
decorating your brownie cupcakes
You can decorate these cupcakes in numerous ways. I’m not using any piping tips, but rather a piping bag that I cut about an inch from the bottom. You can also use a ziplock bag that you cut one of the corners off. Alternatively, try an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to make little mounds of buttercream that look like ice cream.
Products used in this recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups extra dark or bittersweet chocolate chips (I am using the 63% Extra Dark Baking chips by Guittard 11.5oz)
- ½ cup avocado oil (or sub olive oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter)
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 5 eggs, separated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp espresso powder, optional
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips, optional
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks or ½ pound), softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar (1 pound)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
- pinch salt
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
- sprinkles
- maraschino cherries with stems
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a microwavable bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to heat for 30 second increments until completely melted and smooth.
- In a medium bowl combine the melted chocolate, avocado oil, ½ cup of sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, espresso powder, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer beat the egg whites until thick and white. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup of sugar while beating until it forms still peaks.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until there are no white streaks remaining. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners. They should be filled to the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes. The cupcakes with have a crackly top and might sink a bit in the center as they cool, but that's normal. Cool completely before frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar one cup and a time. **see notes below
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add a pinch of salt (to taste) and mix.
- Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or until it just starts to boil.
- Put the chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over top. Whisk until smooth.
- To decorate the cupcakes, fill a piping bag (or ziplock bag) with buttercream. Cut the piping bag about an inch from the bottom. Pipe the frosting on each cupcake. Alternatively, you can use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to scoop buttercream on top of the cupcake to replicate an ice cream scoop.
- Using a spoon add some chocolate ganache to the top of each cupcake and let it run down the sides. Add sprinkles and a maraschino cherry on top.
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