Halloween Devil's Food and Vanilla cupcakes

Today I made gluten free devil's food cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes decorated Halloween style :). I did 3 different styles; 1. is green coconut grass (coconut colored green) with festive toothpicks in it 2. Pink icing colored "brain" cupcakes with blood (red food coloring) and eyeball toothpicks on them 3. Orange swirl cupcakes with sprinkles and festive toothpicks in them. I didn't get quite as involved as I did last year on this "project" but it did basically take me all day long. I'll share the cupcakes recipes I used as well as step by step directions with picutres below.

Gluten Free Devil's Food Cupcakes

Yield: 20 cupcakes

Ingredients:
3/4c rice flour (brown or white)
1/2c sorghum flour
1/2c potato starch (or tapioca starch)
3/4t xanthan gum
1-1/2t baking soda
1/4t salt
2/3c unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2t vanilla extract
1-1/3c buttermilk
1/2c unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
1-1/2c sugar
2 eggs, room temperature

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 20 muffin tins with liners.

Whisk the flours, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Then, in a large bowl (or in your stand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one by one letting each be fully incorporated before adding the next.

Add the vanilla to the butter mixture.

Then, slowly alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture just until combined and most lumps are gone.

Spoon the batter into the muffin pans filling each 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes.

A toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cupcakes should come out clean and the cupcakes should lightly spring back when you touch them. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack completely before icing.

Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes



Yield: 15 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1c granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/4c Brown Rice Flour Mix (2c brown rice flour, 2/3c potato starch, 1/3c tapioca flour)
1/4t salt
1-1/2t baking powder
1/2t xanthan gum
1/2c canola oil
1/2c milk
1t vanilla extract

Directions:
(adapted from Annalise G. Roberts, Gluten-Free Baking Classiscs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 15 liners. Position oven rack in center of oven.

Beat sugar and eggs in a large bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute.

Add flour, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, oil, milk, and vanilla; beat at medium speed for 1 minute.



Pour batter into muffin tins. Place in center of oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until center springs back when touched and cupcakes are very lightly browned (bake about 35 minutes for a 9-inch round, 40 minutes for 8-inch round). Cool in tins for 5 minutes and then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

And now....here are some of the finished products after decorating... :)

Here's how I carry them to work. A big plastic dome goes over the top of it!! :) 


As always, if anyone has any comments or suggestions please feel free to let me know. I am not a professional baker and I don't claim to be. I make these cupcakes for my own pleasure. If you do see any typo's kindly let me know. HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!!!