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Easy Gluten-Free Cupcakes (Eton Mess)

A community recipe by

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

I came up with this recipe after much experimentation to find the perfect gluten-free cupcake, as my mother is a coeliac and can never enjoy most cupcakes in coffee shops etc. I served these at a tea party and no one could tell they weren't gluten-free as they were so light with good crumb texture, often difficult to achieve while baking gluten-free cakes & pastries etc. The recipe that follows is for a Strawberry Eton Mess style cupcake, but could easily be ammended to make Lemon Meringue style Cupcakes by omitting the strawberry jam & fresh strawberries while decorating and using lemon curd and finely grated lemon zest instead.

I came up with this recipe after much experimentation to find the perfect gluten-free cupcake, as my mother is a coeliac and can never enjoy most cupcakes in coffee shops etc. I served these at a tea party and no one could tell they weren't gluten-free as they were so light with good crumb texture, often difficult to achieve while baking gluten-free cakes & pastries etc. The recipe that follows is for a Strawberry Eton Mess style cupcake, but could easily be ammended to make Lemon Meringue style Cupcakes by omitting the strawberry jam & fresh strawberries while decorating and using lemon curd and finely grated lemon zest instead.

Ingredients

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Metric Cups

For the Cupcake Base

  • 110 grams gluten-free self-raising flour (Dove Farm or Asda own)
  • 110 grams unsalted butter At room temperature
  • 110 grams caster sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons full fat milk (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 small lemon (optional)

For the Vanilla Buttercream

  • 140 grams unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 280 grams icing sugar
  • 2 tablespoons full fat milk
  • 1 pinch of vanilla powder (or seeds of half a vanilla pod)

For the Decoration

  • 12 strawberries (hulled & halved)
  • 6 tablespoons strawberry jam (Bonne Maman is best)
  • 12 mini meringue
  • 12 sprinklings of red/silver edible glitter (optional)

For the Cupcake Base

  • 3⅞ ounces gluten-free self-raising flour (Dove Farm or Asda own)
  • 3⅞ ounces unsalted butter At room temperature
  • 3⅞ ounces superfine sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 small lemon (optional)

For the Vanilla Buttercream

  • 4⅞ ounces unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 9⅞ ounces confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 pinch of vanilla powder (or seeds of half a vanilla pod)

For the Decoration

  • 12 strawberries (hulled & halved)
  • 6 tablespoons strawberry jam (Bonne Maman is best)
  • 12 mini meringue
  • 12 sprinklings of red/silver edible glitter (optional)

Method

Easy Gluten-Free Cupcakes (Eton Mess) is a community recipe submitted by GERRANCE and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

For the Cupcakes:

  • Line a 12-hole cupcake/muffin tin with paper liners and preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C (fan assisted).
  • Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy using either a handheld whisk or a wooden spoon.
  • Add the Vanilla Extract to the eggs in a glass jug and lightly whisk with a fork to combine, add this little by little to the butter and eggs so it combines without curdling the mixture, then add the lemon zest (if using).
  • Sift together the flour and baking powder and gently fold this into the mixture.
  • Add milk to achieve a dropping consistency that just drops off the spoon.
  • Divide the mixture evenly between the cases and bake in the centre of the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean.
  • Once cooked leave in the muffin tin for ten minutes. Then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

    • For the Buttercream:

  • Beat the soft butter in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until soft and add half the icing sugar and continue to beat until smooth. (It is a good idea to sift the icing sugar over the butter to prevent lumps or a gritty texture forming in your buttercream.) Add one Tbsp of the milk along with the vanilla powder/vanilla seeds and then the rest of the icing sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. If it still feels a bit loose add more milk. If it still hasnt got quite stiff enough, add a bit more icing sugar.
  • It is easiest to make buttercream in a free standing mixer, with a clean tea towel over the bowl before you start mixing to prevent the icing sugar shooting out all around the kitchen.

    • To Decorate:

  • Either pipe or spread the icing on the cupcakes leaving a slight dip in the centre of the icing. Spoon a little strawberry jam in the centre.
  • Top with a mini meringue and one strawberry sliced in half. Sprinkle lightly with a little red/silver edible glitter for an extra special touch!

    • Enjoy!

    For the Cupcakes:

  • Line a 12-hole cupcake/muffin tin with paper liners and preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C (fan assisted).
  • Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy using either a handheld whisk or a wooden spoon.
  • Add the Vanilla Extract to the eggs in a glass jug and lightly whisk with a fork to combine, add this little by little to the butter and eggs so it combines without curdling the mixture, then add the lemon zest (if using).
  • Sift together the flour and baking powder and gently fold this into the mixture.
  • Add milk to achieve a dropping consistency that just drops off the spoon.
  • Divide the mixture evenly between the cases and bake in the centre of the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean.
  • Once cooked leave in the muffin tin for ten minutes. Then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

    • For the Buttercream:

  • Beat the soft butter in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until soft and add half the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until smooth. (It is a good idea to sift the confectioners' sugar over the butter to prevent lumps or a gritty texture forming in your buttercream.) Add one Tbsp of the milk along with the vanilla powder/vanilla seeds and then the rest of the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. If it still feels a bit loose add more milk. If it still hasnt got quite stiff enough, add a bit more confectioners' sugar.
  • It is easiest to make buttercream in a free standing mixer, with a clean tea towel over the bowl before you start mixing to prevent the confectioners' sugar shooting out all around the kitchen.

    • To Decorate:

  • Either pipe or spread the icing on the cupcakes leaving a slight dip in the centre of the icing. Spoon a little strawberry jam in the centre.
  • Top with a mini meringue and one strawberry sliced in half. Sprinkle lightly with a little red/silver edible glitter for an extra special touch!

    • Enjoy!

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    Tell us what you think

    What 5 Others have said

    • HELP PLEASE

      I made these today and all went well until a minute before I took them out and then they sunk in the middle. I decided to make another batch and all was well again until 1 minute before I took them out of the oven and the same thing happened. Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received.

      Posted by val-mackinlay on 26th December 2022

    • Just made this recipe for the first time and they taste DELICIOUS! I used my own gluten free flour mix and worked perfectly well. They are light, fluffy and taste amazing. I used 44g of garbanzo bean flour, 33g of white rice flour and 33g of cornstarch. Just perfect. Thanks for sharing!!

      Posted by sabrinabonini on 26th March 2017

    • Trying these cupcakes, hope they turn out nice.

      Posted by Julieregan on 1st August 2016

    • This is by far one of the BEST gluten free cupcakes recipes I have ever made! Normally you have to make GF cupcakes dense just so they are not dry...but these are light, fluffy and no one knew they were gluten free they were so good. I added in the lemon and it gave a great little zing to the muffin. These will definitely be a regular in my family, its so hard to find GF recipes that regular people will enjoy too. Fantastic, thank you!

      Posted by Jelphick on 10th April 2014

    • I have made this recipe many times and every time they have turned out great. They also freeze well.

      Posted by jayjay.claus on 21st December 2013
    Show more comments
    Bara Brith

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