Description
These candy corn cupcakes are tender and fluffy, topped with a sweet marshmallow frosting and finished with a candy corn. They’re the perfect sweet treat for Halloween trick or treat parties, or your fall harvest celebration. Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dairy-free sour cream
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free measure for measure flour
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already has it)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 2 drops yellow food dye
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup gluten-free marshmallow fluff
- 2 drops orange food dye
- 12 pieces gluten-free candy corn
Instructions
- Preheat and Line: Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Whisk Sugar, Oil, Eggs and Vanilla: In a mixing bowl add the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until combined.
- Add Sour Cream: Then add the dairy-free sour cream and whisk again until thoroughly mixed.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Milk: Whisk the dry ingredients together: gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Alternate half of the dry ingredients with half of the almond milk, mixing in between each addition.
- Mix in Yellow Dye: When all the dry ingredients and milk have been added to the batter add the yellow food dye. Mix until no streaks of yellow are left.
- Transfer Batter to Pan: Use a glass measuring cup to pour the batter into each cupcake liner. Fill the cupcake pan well ¾ of the way full.
- Bake Until Ready: Place in the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Prepare Marshmallow Frosting: While the cupcakes are baking, make the marshmallow frosting.Use a double boiler method. Place water in a pot over the stove and simmer. Put a heat proof bowl on top of the pot.
- Whisk Egg Whites and Sugar to Dissolve Sugar: Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl. Continuously whisk over the heat until the sugar has dissolved in the egg whites. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Whisk Until Fluffy Peaks Form: Remove the egg white mixture from the heat. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whisk the mixture together until white, fluffy and peaks form.
- Add Marshmallow Fluff and Vanilla: Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla extract. Mix on high again until stiff peaks form. Take ¼ the amount of the marshmallow frosting and set aside.
- Add Orange Food Dye: Add the orange food dye to the rest and fold together until no orange streaks are left.
- Place Orange and White Frostings in Piping Bags: Place the orange frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Place the white frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Cool Cupcakes Before Frosting: Once the cupcakes are done, let them cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
- Assemble Cupcakes: Create a first layer of orange frosting with the star tip, then add a round top of white frosting on top. Repeat for the rest of the cupcakes.
- Decorate with Candy Corn: Place a piece of candy corn piece in the center of each cupcake to finish.
Notes
Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but you can also use cane sugar instead. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will nor raise your blood sugar).
Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. However, you may use another vegetable oil of your choice (such as olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil etc) or unsalted dairy-free butter (vegan butter) if you prefer.
Eggs: Eggs are essential for binding the ingredients together. I have not tried making this recipe wihtout eggs, but if you are allergic to eggs, you may try using acquafaba or an egg-replacer instead.
Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor, but feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan of vanilla.
Sour Cream: I used dairy-free sour cream to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular sour cream instead.
Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe uses gluten-free measure for measure flour (a 1:1 gluten-free substitute for regular flour), and is not the same as gluten-free all-purpose flour. If you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, feel free to use regular all-purpose flour instead.
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it, make sure to add xanthan gum in.
Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent in this recipe, and is necessary to help the cupcake batter rise. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use gluten-free baking powder.
Almond Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my homemade almond milk. You may also use another non-dairy milk (such as cashew milk, rice milk, oat milk, or coconut milk etc). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular milk instead.
Food Dye: If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use gluten-free food dyes.
Egg Whites: Eggs whites are necessary for making the meringue for the frosting. If you are allergic to eggs, or would simply like to keep this recipe egg-free, you may substitute the egg whites with acquafaba instead.
Marshmallow Fluff: If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use gluten-free marshmallow fluff.
Candy Corn: If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use gluten-free candy corn.
Storing: To store, place these gluten-free candy corn cupcakes in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
