Gluten-Free Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

I cannot get enough of cupcakes! Perfect single serving size treats that are always welcome by all. Though I absolutely love cupcakes made with traditional ingredients such as flour and eggs, I am also thrilled with the fact that it is now so easy to make gluten and egg free ones that taste divine with a wondrous crumb and moistness one doesn't usually expect in an allergy conscious sweet. I remember when I started making gluten-free treats years ago and it was NOT a pleasant experience. Picture a piece of cardboard covered in frosting. Not good. Oh how ingredients and availability have improved !

What is the secret to really tasty gluten-free baked goods? My opinion is the answer lies with the quality of ingredients and this holds true for all types of baking, including those that include gluten, eggs and dairy. Top-notch ingredients are key to success!

I have tried many gluten-free flour mixes and various brands of rice flour, tapioca flour, etc, and yes, I definitely have my preferred faves. I cannot be without Authentic Foods rice flour. It is light and silky in texture and is a must-have for my gluten-free baking. How did I find this flour? By buying Cybele Pascal's cookbook The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook and taking her recommendations to heart. She swears by Authentic Foods brown rice flour and now I do too! If you have the chance, order some. You can also now order the pre-blended mix as well. If you prefer to use a different brand then absolutely, give it a try. Please be forewarned - I cannot attest to the baking results.

I have shared many recipes on Lemon Drop from Cybele Pascal's cookbook The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook and here is another one for chocolate cupcakes, which I have altered (her recipe is also dairy free), and to which I added a fudgy caramel frosting.

You would never guess, in a million years, that these are gluten and egg free. The richness is supreme and the frosting adds an amazing sweetness filled with the flavor of creamy and buttery caramel. So let's get started shall we?

Get it ! You won't be disappointed !

Basic Gluten-Free Baking Mix
used throughout the book:

• 4 cups superfine brown rice flour (preferably from Authentic Foods)
• 1 1/3 cups potato starch (NOT potato flour)
  
• 2/3 cup tapioca flour or tapioca starch

You will need 1 cup of this baking mix blend for this cupcake recipe.
Store the excess in a plastic Ziploc bag. Keep refrigerated.


Absolutely Delicious!

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes, The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook

MAKE IT

CUPCAKES

1 cup Gluten-Free Flour Mix (see above)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Saigon ground cinnamon (regular cinnamon works too but Saigon has such great flavor!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
3/4 cup fine granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

FROSTING

1/2 cup unsalted butter ( 1 stick)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3 cups icing sugar, sifted

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 12 tin muffin pan with paper liners
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together first 7 ingredients
WITH ELECTRIC MIXER, in separate bowl beat together buttermilk, sugar, oil and vanilla for 1 minute on medium speed
SIFT in flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing on low speed 3o seconds after each addition
FILL muffin liners 2/3 full
BAKE in center of oven for 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
LET COOL in pan 5 minutes then transfer cupcakes to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting

FROSTING

IN MED SAUCEPAN, melt butter over med/low heat
WHISK in brown sugar and salt
CONTINUE WHISKING and bring to a boil
BOIL for 2 minutes whisking continuously
REMOVE from heat
WHISK IN heavy cream
RETURN to stovetop and bring again to a boil slowly over med/low heat
IMMEDIATELY remove from heat
STRAIN through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl or into the bowl of your stand mixer
LET stand at room temperature for 1/2 hr
BEAT in icing sugar in 3 parts, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

FROST as desired. I used a 1M Wilton Swirl tip for these cupcakes.

TOP them off with any candy you prefer or leave plain. I opted for chocolate covered caramel balls.

ENJOY !!!

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