Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting
A classic vanilla cupcake made gluten-free, vegan, and also grain free stacked with homemade vegan blackberry frosting using real blackberries! These Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting are sure to be a top candidate for your next birthday party!
I had some leftover blackberry buttercream frosting just chillin’ in my freezer from when I made my BLACKBERRY CREAM OATMEAL SANDWICH COOKIES and I was craving cupcakes. Sometimes a gal just needs a cupcake, ya feel me?! Haha So, that’s what I set out to do… make these scrumptious Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting. Did I say scrumptious? Because if I’m being honest… they are more than scrumptious! OMG. Please allow me to pat myself on the back here 😉
The grain-free vanilla cupcake recipe is taken from my dessert book, The Beginner’s Guide to Gluten-Free Baking. In fact, it’s the cover photo, just using blackberry buttercream frosting instead of strawberry. Dang, I forgot how good these cupcakes are. SO soft, light and fluffy. Sometimes gluten-free baked goods can be dry and dense. But not these perfect little gems. And bonus! They are made plant-based by using one of my favorite grain-free flour combos.
I mean, that bite shot is an example in itself for just how light and airy these cupcakes are. These Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting are perfect to make for an allergy-friendly birthday party without really even knowing they are allergy-friendly, they’re that good! Kids and adults alike will love these gluten-free, vegan cupcakes, no doubt.
They are made with a combination of almond flour, coconut flour, and cassava flour. Now, I do want to note that not all cassava flours are made equal. So I would suggest either the Otto’s brand, Bob’s Red Mill (what I used in these cupcakes), or Let’s Do Organic from Edward & Sons. You can find it in select stores as cassava flour is becoming more popular to use as a grain-free flour replacement, or you can find it on Amazon. And because the frosting does contain powdered sugar, I’m keeping the cupcakes refined sugar free and sweetening them with maple syrup. So you go right ahead and have 2 of them 😉
If you’re curious about how to bake more gluten-free vegan (and some grain-free) desserts, give my dessert book a try! You can read more about the book in THIS POST, but I talk all about my go-to gluten-free flours, egg swaps, dairy-free products, and natural sweeteners. I hope you are as obsessed with these Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting as I am! Be sure leave a comment below and tag me on Instagram or Facebook!
Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting
A classic vanilla cupcake made gluten-free, vegan, and also grain free stacked with homemade vegan blackberry frosting using real blackberries! These Grain-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting are sure to be a top candidate for your next birthday party!
Ingredients
- 2/3 + 1/2 cup almond milk (or other plant milk)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of cinnamon
Blackberry Frosting
- 1 (15 oz) can (approximately 1/2 cup) canned/frozen blackberries
- 1/2 cup vegan/plant shortening
- 1/2 cup vegan/plant butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups organic powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat the canned or frozen blackberries in a small saucepan over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until they soften reduce, about 15-20 minutes. Cool them completely. You can place them into the fridge to speed up the process.
- In a glass bowl or measuring cup whisk together the almond milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, maple syrup, and avocado oil and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, then add wet ingredients and stir just enough to form a batter. Line a cupcake pan and then fill each liner just below the top. Bake 15-17 minutes or until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- To finish making the blackberry frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the shortening, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth then slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until the filling is sturdy. Add the cooled blackberries and beat on low speed to incorporate, adding more powdered sugar if needed or a splash of almond milk to make the cream filling to your desired texture.
- Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and top with a fresh blackberry if desired. Store the cupcakes covered on your counter for up to 3 days.
Notes
*If you're using frozen blackberry frosting, I found it helped to let the frosting thaw to room temperature and then re-beat it with the electric mixer adding a splash or two of plant milk to make it nice and fluffy again.
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About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
Hi! All of your recipes look so amazing and I can’t wait to try them! I’m new to cooking with cassava flour and I’ve read that you should whisk or sift the flour before measuring. I was wondering if you did this with your flour? Just so I know the best way to measure the flour to get the same results you did. Thanks so much1
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for your kind compliment! ☺️💗 So I do not sift my cassava flour, however the brand of cassava does matter! I usually use Bob’s Red Mill. I’m also a no fuss kind of baker so I just scoop right from
the flour bag and don’t like level off the flour or anything like that lol. Hope this helps!