Gluten Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
These are gorgeously cinnamony cupcakes topped with chocolate, chili, cinnamon buttercream
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 400kcal
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!