Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes
A marble cake is such a classic flavor, it was even the flavor of our wedding cake! While cake is always great, sometimes cupcakes are just what you need. So I decided to take my very popular marble cake recipe and turn it into Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes!
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Halving a Recipe
I made this original gluten free marble cake for a friend’s wedding last summer. For their anniversary, I decided to make them some gluten free marble cupcakes to celebrate! But this isn’t the exact recipe as the cake I made. That wouldn’t be very interesting.
Thing is, sometimes I don’t need two dozen cupcakes or a full on cake. Sometimes I want a small batch of cake batter. So I decided to try making a half batch of gluten free marble cupcakes. Not all recipes scale up or down well, but this one was a HUGE success!
Engagement Photo Shoot
Apparently, gluten free marble cupcakes are the flavor of love. Not only did I make these from my friend’s wedding anniversary, the other half of the batch went to an engagement photo shoot along with some Hazelnut Mocha Macarons. And it was such a beautiful shoot!

Photographer: Madi Serio | Madeline Serio Photography | @madelineseriophotography
Makeup: Ali Duca | MissVixen Makeup | @missvixenmua
Cupcakes/Macarons: Colleen Gershey | Bakes & Blunders | @bakesandblunders
Couple: Ashley & Dave | @ashleeeey_ox
While you can make these marble cupcakes with all-purpose flour, the gluten free version is so good that you won’t even notice. I forgot to tell them when I dropped off my goodies, but my printed ingredient list clued them in. “Your paper says those cupcakes were gluten free! Stop lying! They were too good.” was the response I got!
Print Recipe
Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes
But enough of that, let’s get down to business (and if you’re not singing Mulan right now, I’m sad). This recipe uses the reverse creaming method to combine the ingredients. While you could probably do this with a hand mixer, a stand mixer is a sure bet.
I’m a straight up anal retentive Virgo, so I use an electric scale to divide my cake batter. This is totes optional and you can just eyeball it if you like to live on the wild side. Before you mix in the chocolate, make sure it hasn’t cooled too much. When this happens, it won’t mix as well, but it’s perfectly fine.
Dividing the Batter
Once your cake batter is good to go, get out some small spoons. I like to use two tablespoons and baby spoons to help scoop the batter out. Unlike the original recipe, you can’t weigh out batter into each cupcake cavity.
I’ve found that 3 heaping – 4 scant tablespoons is enough batter per cupcake. There is just enough batter to make a dozen gluten free marble cupcakes. Some may be more chocolatey and some more vanilla, but I think that’s the nature of marble cake.
Related Reading: Gluten Free Marshmallow Brownies
Basic Vanilla American Buttercream
I made my basic vanilla American buttercream for these gluten free marble cupcakes to honor my original recipe, but I feel like a swirl of vanilla and chocolate frosting would be amazing as well. Or go full chocolate. The possibilities are endless.
This is such a great basic buttercream, especially for beginner home bakers. It’s important to add your sugar in 2- 3 batches and beat well. A good American buttercream should take about 10 minutes to make. No need to rush the process or your frosting could end up a bit grainy.
Let’s Watch
Since this recipe has been so popular on the blog and in my home bakery, I decided to make y’all a video! Now, I just had my braces tightened, so Ben did the honors of taking the first bite for me. This boy is not usually a fan of my cakes (he’s a macaron man), but even he was impressed.
If you liked this video, don’t forget to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Let me know if there’s ever a recipe or technique you’d like me to cover.
Enjoy!
While gluten free marble cupcakes are a smidge more tedious to make than a marble cake, they are crazy delicious. So moist, soft, and a wonderful blend of flavors. And with this small recipe, you won’t be drowning under a mountain of cupcakes!

Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes
Ingredients
Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk room temperature
- 1 tsps vanilla
- 3.5 oz King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour
- 5.25 oz sugar
- 1 tsps baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (scant)
- 8 Tbsps unsalted butter cut into 16 pieces, soft, but still cool
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 lbs powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 Tbsp clear vanilla extract
- 1- 2 Tbsps cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Gluten Free Marble Cupcakes
- Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the batter.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Weigh the bowl of your stand mixer and write that down for later. Line a cupcake pan with paper cases.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients on the lowest setting until combined, about 30 seconds.
- With the stand mixer still on the lowest speed, add the butter one piece at a time, waiting a few seconds between additions. Mix until the butter and flour begin to clump together, about 30-40 seconds after the last piece of butter is added. Scrape the bowl down.
- Add 3/4 of the egg mixture with the mixer on low and beat for 5- 10 seconds to incorporate. Bump the speed up to medium- high and beat until light and fluffy, about a minute. Scrape the bowl down.
- Add the remaining quarter of the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream down the edge of the bowl. If you hit the paddle, it will make a mess. It should take about 30 seconds to add this remaining mixture. Stop the stand mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat again at medium- high speed for about 15 seconds to thoroughly combine.
- Split the cake batter in two with the help of an electric scale. Subtract the weight of the bowl (from step 2) from the weight of the batter in the bowl. Divide that number in half. That is the amount of batter you will remove and place in a second bowl. Add the melted and cooled chocolate to one of the bowls. Gently fold the chocolate into the batter until it is combined.
- Alternate tablespoon scoops of vanilla and chocolate batter in each cupcake cavity. Each will take about 3- 4 tablespoons. Wiggle a skewer through the batter.
- Bake for 20- 22 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when touched. A skewer should come out clean.
- Cool in the pans for about 5- 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cupcakes must cool completely before assembling.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat the softened butter for 4- 5 minutes, scraping the bowl of the stand mixer down once or twice. The butter should be very pale and fluffy.
- Add about a third of the sifted powdered sugar and the clear vanilla extract. Beat on low until the sugar is incorporated. Bump the speed up to a medium- low and beat for a minute.
- Scrape down the bowl and add roughly another third of the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low before bumping up the speed. Mix for another minute.
- Crape down the bowl and add the remaining sifted powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoon of cream. Beat on low before bumping up the speed and beating for a minute. If necessary, add more cream to get a creamy, smooth texture.
Notes
- The cupcake ingredients must all be at room temperature to combine well.
- I like to microwave my milk for about 10 seconds to bring it to the right temperature.
My Favorite Products for this Recipe
Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
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5 Comments
Leigh
These puffed up so big and overflowed out of the pan. Probably would have worked if only filled half way. Big waste of my time, but will probably put them in a ziploc for cake pops later.
thesumofallsweets
You’re helper in the video is adorable 😉 These marbled cupcakes look fantastic, I love having small batch options! I’ve never done a marbled cake from scratch, so I’m definitely adding this to my baking bucket list! Thanks for a great post!
Colleen
He’s the best little helper 😀 And he loves making the videos. Today he wanted to make a video when we made some peach lemonade. Haha!
Phoebe Salva
These are the best GF cupcakes I’ve ever made! I got so many compliments! Thank you!
Colleen
I’m so happy you enjoy them!!