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Gluten Free Spumoni Cupcakes

These are an Italian classic in cupcake form! Layered with chocolate, pistachio, and cherry cake and buttercream - with a cherry on top, of course!
Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Italian
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: buttercream, cherry, chocolate, cupcakes, gluten free, italian, maraschino cherries, pistachio, pistachio paste, spumoni
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 450kcal
Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

  • Two 12-cup Cupcake pans
  • Cupcake paper liners
  • Electric mixer
  • Piping bags and tips

Ingredients

For the cherry cake layer:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 Cup canola oil
  • 1/4 Cup sour cream
  • 1/4 Cup juice from maraschino cherry jar
  • 1/4 Cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
  • 1/3 Cup white sugar
  • 2/3 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum added (if it doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum)
  • 1/2 Cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cherry extract
  • 2-3 drops red food coloring optional

For the pistachio cake layer:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 Cup canola oil
  • 1/3 Cup sour cream
  • 1/4 Cup milk
  • 1/3 Cup white sugar
  • 3 Tbsp pistachio paste link below
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum added (if it doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum)
  • 1/2 Cup finely ground raw unsalted pistachios should feel like flour (no chunks)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • green food coloring optional

For the chocolate cake layer:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 Cup sour cream
  • 1/4 Cup canola oil
  • 2/3 Cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum added (if it doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum)
  • 1/4 Cup dutched cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 Cup hot coffee

For the chocolate buttercream:

  • 1 1/2 Cup salted butter room temperature
  • 2/3 Cup regular cocoa powder
  • 2 Cups powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 Cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the pistachio buttercream:

  • 1 1/2 Cup salted butter room temperature
  • 2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Cup pistachio paste link below
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Cup finely ground raw unsalted pistachios
  • green food coloring optional

For the cherry buttercream:

  • 1 1/2 Cup salted butter room temperature
  • 2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2-1 tsp cherry extract

Decoration:

  • 24 maraschino cherries optional

Instructions

  • First, make your cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line two 12-cupcake pans with paper cupcake cups. First, make your three cupcake batters in three separate bowls. In the cherry batter bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, sour cream, sugar, maraschino cherry juice and chopped cherries, and cherry extract, then add in the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and food coloring (optional) and whisk to combine. Spoon about a tablespoon of the batter into the bottom of each of the cupcake cups.
  • Then make the pistachio cake batter. Whisk the egg, oil, sour cream, sugar, milk, pistachio paste and vanilla until combined. Add in the flour, almond flour, finely ground pistachios, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until smooth, then spoon this layer by tablespoon on top of the strawberry layer in each cupcake cup.
  • Then make the chocolate batter! Whisk together the egg, sour cream, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder and whisk until combined. Finally, add in the hot coffee and stir until glossy and smooth. Spoon this final layer on top of the vanilla layer and then bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely until frosting.
  • While cupcakes are cooling, make the frostings! First, the chocolate frosting: in a medium bowl, using the electric mixer, beat the butter for 1-2 minutes on its own, then add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time), cocoa powder, salt and vanilla until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too stiff, add a Tablespoon or two of cream, then beat to combine - it should be easily-pipeable (add more cream if not). Scoop the frosting into a large piping bag with your choice of piping tip, then clean the bowl and beaters.
  • Then, make the pistachio frosting: in the clean bowl, beat the butter for 1-2 minutes on its own, then add the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time), pistachio paste and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Then add the finely ground pistachios, salt, and food coloring (optional) and beat until smooth. Add a tablespoon of heavy cream if the frosting is too stiff. Scoop this frosting into a second piping bag and then clean the bowl and beaters again for the cherry frosting.
  • Make the final cherry frosting: beat the butter for 1-2 minutes on its own, then add the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time), and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add in the chopped maraschino cherries and cherry extract and salt and beat until combined and smooth. If you'd like a brighter pink color, add a few drops of pink or red food coloring and beat until combined. Add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream if the frosting is too stiff. Then scoop this frosting into a third piping bag.
  • Once cupcakes are cool, pipe circles of each frosting one on top of the other to create a three-layered buttercream top! Add a maraschino cherry on the very top if you'd like, then serve!