First Time Making gluten-free Cupcakes!

[Mom-of-Two]

My 8 year old's birthday party is this weekend, want to make gluten-free cupcakes with homeade cream cheese frosting (probably vanilla and chocolate). I have access to just a few kinds at the store, in fact our local grocery has no gluten-free mixes- no time to order online. I believe Namaste is at the store, we made their spice/carrot cake and it was AMAZING for my own birthday but I haven't heard anything about their chocolate or vanilla mixes. Any experience with kid and adult friendly gluten-free cupcakes, I would like to do chocoalte and yellow but either is ok. I do not want gritty and dry!!

I was also thinking of doing the yellow cupcake recipe by Elisabeth Hasselbeck in her cookbook, I believe she uses brown rice flour and coconut flour. But I have trouble finding some of the ingredients, may need to hit the health food store 30 minutes away.

Suggestions for a first time gluten-free baker?

[Mizzo]

Hi,

The Namaste chocolate is very good and not dry or gritty at all. Using coconut flour is a great low carb high protein alternative ( we make Elana's pantry Chocolate muffins often but they are usually denser (much) than non gluten-free cupcakes. It's very noticeable.

good luck

[jerseyangel]

The gluten-free Betty Crocker mixes found at regular grocery stores are really good made as cupcakes. Might be easier for your first time.

[tarnalberry]

My 8 year old's birthday party is this weekend, want to make gluten-free cupcakes with homeade cream cheese frosting (probably vanilla and chocolate). I have access to just a few kinds at the store, in fact our local grocery has no gluten-free mixes- no time to order online. I believe Namaste is at the store, we made their spice/carrot cake and it was AMAZING for my own birthday but I haven't heard anything about their chocolate or vanilla mixes. Any experience with kid and adult friendly gluten-free cupcakes, I would like to do chocoalte and yellow but either is ok. I do not want gritty and dry!!

I was also thinking of doing the yellow cupcake recipe by Elisabeth Hasselbeck in her cookbook, I believe she uses brown rice flour and coconut flour. But I have trouble finding some of the ingredients, may need to hit the health food store 30 minutes away.

Suggestions for a first time gluten-free baker?

Two things:

You can turn that Namaste spice cake mix into cupcakes - just cook it in cupcake liners.

If you can find the ingredients, the recipes here are GREAT! Open Original Shared Link (I served the strawberry ones for a party and everyone loved them. They use coconut flour and arrowroot flour, which shouldn't be too hard to find, and you could probably use arrowroot for the whole thing if you had to.)

[Mom-of-Two]

Because our Walmart had the Betty Crocker gluten-free cake mixes today, I went ahead and got several boxes including one to bake today and try (party is Saturday). The box says it only makes 12 cupcakes so I had to get 4 boxes, but still more cost effective than many gluten-free products.

I went with the chocolate/devils food, was going to do both yellow and chocolate, but was reading reviews online that the yellow mix wasn't as yummy at all. They also had Pamela's chocolate cake mix, which I had in my cart twice, going back and forth, it was so much more expensive for the amount I needed, I couldn't decide. I will try this mix and see how we like it, I can always return the other boxes if I need to start over!

We make homeade cream cheese frosting (chocolate) that I hope will be yummy for everyone!

[tarnalberry]

You can also make angel food cake into cupcakes. No terribly special ingredients except subbing rice flour for the wheat. (Arrowroot would be better, but in a pinch...)

[GottaSki]

Try adding a cup of chocolate chips to Betty Crocker or Bob's RedMill Chocolate Cake mixes...makes them taste homemade with sinful fudge frosting (2 cups choc chips, 1 can condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla melted in saucepan). Simple white frosting with a touch of peppermint extract is another favorite.

Always have many happy kids and adults

[Mom-of-Two]

The Betty Crocker calls for butter- would you say use the butter, or coconut oil? That is what we use in other cooking and baking often times.

[StephanieL]

If you are trying it at home, maybe try the coconut (I would cut back a little on it and remember it will impart a bit of coconut flavor which people may or may not like). For the party, I would stick with the recipe on the box unless you try it with coconut first. Nothing like a flip of a recipe when you expect guests any minute!

[freeatlast]

Because our Walmart had the Betty Crocker gluten-free cake mixes today, I went ahead and got several boxes including one to bake today and try (party is Saturday). The box says it only makes 12 cupcakes so I had to get 4 boxes, but still more cost effective than many gluten-free products.

I went with the chocolate/devils food, was going to do both yellow and chocolate, but was reading reviews online that the yellow mix wasn't as yummy at all. They also had Pamela's chocolate cake mix, which I had in my cart twice, going back and forth, it was so much more expensive for the amount I needed, I couldn't decide. I will try this mix and see how we like it, I can always return the other boxes if I need to start over!

We make homeade cream cheese frosting (chocolate) that I hope will be yummy for everyone!

I added 3 oz. of cream cheese to my Betty Crocker's chocolate batter, and it came out, in a word, PERFECT!

[Mom-of-Two]

Made a sample batch today, with butter as it called for, and added maybe 1/2 C good quality chocolate chips to the mix, they came out fabulous! Made some chocolate cream cheese frosting, they were great! I am so excited to be able to serve cupcakes everyone can eat, I don't have to worry about contaminating my kitchen, and can even keep leftover to eat ourselves!!!