Gluten Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

It’s officially winter in San Francisco again – or, as we call it, “summer.” We seem to exist in a perpetual state of fog, sudden breezes that make a wool coat sound like a great idea in July, and brief, spotty, but glorious moments of sun and blue sky. In the midst of everything else going on this year, it’s key to take a moment to appreciate those sun-soaked moments, and then to plan for your next cozy night in in August with heaps of blankets and a good Netflix show (Dark, and Dear White People are fantastic). For those cooler days, these gluten free Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes give a bit of an extra kick of warmth that deepens that cozy-coze to a whole new level. We’ve done a Mexican Chocolate layer cake before (check it out – definitely a show-stopper for your next socially-distant park picnic), but I actually prefer these cupcake forms, with swirls upon swirls of ancho chili, chocolate, cinnamon buttercream.

Have you ever had a steaming mug of Abuelita hot chocolate, the quintessential commercialized Mexican hot chocolate with dark chocolate and cinnamon? If so, these cupcakes are for you – and might we recommend making a mug of that while munching on one of these? These are also a nostalgic bite for me, missing my formerly-monthly trips to Mexico City for work events. I would always have just enough time to get an order of Cochinita Pibil, a Mayan pork, pickled onions, and tortilla dish that, as a gluten free traveler, I adored (Mexico, alongside central Latin American countries, and some South American countries, are incredibly easy to eat through as a Celiac). And then, back in the CDMX airport I would snag bags and bags of Obleas (wafers sandwiched with cajeta – not for me), and Glorias (chewy cajeta candy with walnuts). For those of you new to the treat – cajeta is like caramel made from goat’s milk, and makes a gorgeous topping for ice cream, cakes, and candy as it has a deeper, more complex flavor than cow’s milk caramel.

So, if you’re also missing parts of Mexico, or just need a bit of warming up, make yourself a batch of these. With heaps of cinnamon, and equal parts cayenne and ancho chili powder in the frosting, you’re sure to settle nicely into a bank of pillows on the couch, just in time for the next episode. If you’re a cinnamon fan, check out our cinnamon roll cupcakes, or this pumpkin cinnamon roll cake, or if you’re in a chocoalte-y mood, you can’t go wrong with these chocolate truffle cupcakes or these German chocolate cupcakes!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Gluten Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

These are gorgeously cinnamony cupcakes topped with chocolate, chili, cinnamon buttercream

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time22 minutes mins

Chilling time15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: buttercream, chili, chocolate, cinnamon, cupcakes, gluten free, mexican chocolate

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Calories: 400kcal

Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

• Cupcake pans
• Electric mixer

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 Cup salted butter room temperature
• 1/4 Cup canola oil
• 3/4 Cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Cup white sugar
• 1/4 Cup milk
• 1 1/4 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum in it (if your mix does not contain xanthan gum, add 1 tsp of it now)
• 1 Cup packed blanched almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon

For the cupcake swirl:

• 1/2 Cup salted butter melted
• 1/2 Cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 Cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the buttercream:

• 2 Cups salted butter room temperature
• 4 Cups sifted powdered sugar
• 3/4 Cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder (NOT regular "chili powder")

Instructions

• First, make your cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two 12-cupcake pans with paper cupcake cups. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry cupcake ingredients (flour, almond flour/meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon) then set aside. Then, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until lighter and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until smooth, then add the oil, sour cream, vanilla, and milk and beat until combined. Pour the whisked dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir together until smooth. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each of the cupcake cups, then make the cupcake swirl.
• In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar until smooth. Spoon a teaspoon of the swirl mixture on top of the batter already in the cupcake cups, then spoon the remaining cupcake batter over the swirl to cover the top. Bake cupcakes for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Be sure that your powdered sugar is sifted or you'll end up with tiny powdered sugar lumps. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat your room temp butter for 2-3 minutes until lighter in color and completely smooth. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Add your cocoa powder, vanilla, cayenne, cinnamon, and ancho chili powder and beat until smooth. Continue to add the remaining powdered sugar one cup at a time until buttercream is totally smooth. Scoop buttercream into a pastry bag and pipe onto your cupcakes (or just frost with a knife!). Then serve!

Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your cupcakes!

Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber