These Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes are gluten-free and oil-free with a soft and tender texture. They have a subtle, sweet vanilla flavor and require just 6 ingredients! They're not overly sweet, with just enough sugar to add a hint of sweetness. And, thanks to a simple trick of beating the eggs and sugar together until foamy, these cupcakes are light and fluffy! (It's the same trick I use for my almond flour black forest cupcakes and lemon poppy seed cupcakes).
Quick Look: Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes
- ⏱ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👩🏻🍳 Bake Time: 18 minutes
- 🆒 Cooling Time: 1 hour
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
- 🧁 Servings: 12 cupcakes
- ⚡ Calories: 179 per cupcake (without frosting)
- 🍽 Diet: gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free
- 🔥 Flavor/texture: light and fluffy with a tender texture and sweet vanilla flavor.
- 👌 Difficulty: easy
- ❤️ Why you'll love: simple recipe with just 6 ingredients plus your favorite frosting!
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Behind the recipe: Light and fluffy gluten-free cupcakes
As many of you probably know, almond flour can be a bit finicky to bake with. Sometimes almond flour cakes and cupcakes can be a bit heavy and dense, especially when they include oil as an ingredient. So, I went through multiple rounds of testing with this cupcake recipe to ensure you're equipped with all the tips and tricks to make the perfect almond flour cupcake!
You'll notice that these cupcakes don't contain any butter or oil, but don't worry, they're not dry at all. The almond flour and eggs work together so these cupcakes are incredibly moist, and whipping the eggs with sugar ensures they're light and fluffy!
The best part about this recipe is that you just need 6 ingredients for the cupcakes, plus your favorite frosting! (Our current fave is my whipped cream cheese frosting)!
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes
- Behind the recipe: Light and fluffy gluten-free cupcakes
- Ingredient notes
- What is the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
- Measuring ingredients
- How to make vanilla cupcakes with almond flour
- Best frosting for almond flour vanilla cupcakes
- Storage instructions
- Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
- Expert tips
- Vanilla almond flour cupcakes FAQs
- More recommended cupcake recipes
- 📖 Recipe
Ingredient notes
- Almond flour - You'll need 2 ¼ cups or 234 grams of almond flour for these cupcakes. (I recommend weighing the flour for this recipe). Make sure you use fine blanched almond flour instead of almond meal or ground almonds.
- Sugar - These cupcakes are made with cane sugar as it is less processed than granulated sugar. They both act similarly in recipes, but cane sugar has a slightly coarser texture and golden colour. (I also use it in my almond flour lemon cake). You can usually find it in the organic section of most grocery stores.
- Vanilla - To add the essential vanilla flavor to these vanilla cupcakes, you'll need 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Be sure to use real vanilla extract for the best flavor and not artificial vanilla.
- Eggs - You'll need 4 large eggs at room temperature. The eggs are a key ingredient for rise, moisture and a fluffy texture. They need to be at room temperature so they beat together with the sugar properly.
- Baking powder - For leavening, you'll need one teaspoon of baking powder. Make sure your baking powder is fresh!
- Salt - Just ¼ teaspoon is added to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. The subtle hint of salt just pairs so well with the sweet vanilla. I used fine sea salt, but you can also use kosher salt or even table salt.
What is the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
Both are made from raw ground almonds but almond flour is made with blanched almonds (with skins removed) and is more finely ground. Almond meal is coarser as it is made from almonds with the skins on.
Measuring ingredients
For convenience, US cup measurements are included in the recipe card for this recipe. To ensure greater accuracy, however, weight and volume measurements are also provided. So, if you see grams (g), you'll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, and if you see milliliters (ml), you'll want to use a liquid measuring cup. Smaller quantities of ingredients are provided in teaspoons and tablespoons.
How to make vanilla cupcakes with almond flour
Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Add the eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl. On medium-high speed (not high), use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar for one minute. Add the vanilla and beat for another minute. The mixture should be foamy and just starting to thicken.
Step 2: Using a low speed on your mixer, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until fully combined. Don't over mix.
Step 3: Divide the batter out into a 12-cavity cupcake pan, filling each cup ¾ full. Gently tap the bottom of the pan off a hard surface to help remove any air bubbles.
Step 4: Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Best frosting for almond flour vanilla cupcakes
The great thing about vanilla cupcakes is that they work with almost any type of frosting. Here are some options:
- While I topped these vanilla cupcakes with a simple cream cheese frosting, this peanut butter cream cheese frosting is pretty amazing too.
- If you love your cupcakes topped with buttercream, this sour cream vanilla frosting is a delicious alternative with a similar texture.
- Chocolate is always a great choice. We love this chocolate peanut butter frosting, chocolate sour cream frosting or chocolate whipped cream cheese frosting. All three pipe beautifully onto cupcakes!
- This chocolate avocado frosting is one of my favorite naturally dairy-free options for chocolate frosting.
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Storage instructions
You can store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Just make sure they're stored in a single layer as the tops of the cupcakes will start to get a bit tacky and will stick together.
Frosted almond flour cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and will last 3-4 days.
You can store these cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure your frosting can withstand freezing and store the cupcakes in a single layer.
I usually freeze the cupcakes unfrosted, then let them thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
While these almond flour cupcakes will not have a domed shape, they should not sink in the middle. Sunken cupcakes could happen for a number of reasons:
- The baking powder was out of date. If the leavening agent doesn't work, the cupcakes will not rise properly.
- The oven was too hot. This may cause the cupcakes to rise too much initially and then deflate.
- The cupcake pan was too full. If the cupcakes don't have room to expand as they bake, they may deflate when you take them out of the oven.
- The batter was over mixed. This may incorporate too much air into the batter and cause a sunken appearance. It also creates a denser cupcake.
- The eggs and sugar were beaten together too long. While beating the eggs and sugar until foamy helps the eggs to aerate and create a fluffy cupcake, if you beat them for too long they will increase in size. This will add too much liquid to the batter causing it to be too runny, which can also result in sunken cupcakes as the batter is too heavy to rise properly.
- The almond flour wasn't measured properly. While you can use the spoon and level measuring technique, for this recipe, I much prefer to weigh the almond flour. If you don't use enough almond flour, the batter will be too runny and will not rise properly.
Expert tips
- Measuring flour - While I usually just use the spoon and level method for measuring flour, I highly recommend weighing it for this recipe. Precision is best to ensure these cupcakes rise properly and have the best texture.
- Almond meal - Please don't use almond meal for this recipe as it's too coarse. Fine almond flour will produce the best results.
- Mixer - You'll need an electric mixer to beat the ingredients together. While you can use a stand mixer, I find a handheld mixer works best (especially for beating together the eggs and sugar).
- Eggs - Ensure the eggs are at room temperature as they will incorporate with the sugar easily and start to foam and thicken quicker.
- Wet mixture - Don't beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for any longer than 2 minutes as the mixture will increase in size and add too much liquid to the batter.
- Don't overfill - Make sure you don't overfill the muffin pan with batter. The cupcakes will rise over the top and bake up unevenly.
- Sunken cupcakes - These cupcakes will not dome like traditional cupcakes. They will have a flat top. If they look sunken, review the section above regarding cupcakes sinking in the middle and ways to prevent this.
- Best cupcake liners - I've used many different types of cupcake liners and find the parchment paper liners work best for releasing cupcakes. Other liners tend to stick to cupcakes.
- Cool cupcakes - Before frosting the cupcakes, let them cool completely. If they're still warm, the frosting may melt.
Vanilla almond flour cupcakes FAQs
This recipe has been specifically tested with almond flour. As almond flour is gluten-free with a high fat and moisture content, a 1:1 substitution with other flours will not work.
Unfortunately, these cupcakes will not work with an egg replacement. The eggs are essential in this recipe for texture and structure.
I haven't tried using this cupcake recipe to make a cake, but if you're looking for an almond flour cake recipe, I have many on my website including this almond flour orange cake and this almond flour lemon raspberry crumb cake.
While I included cup measurements in the recipe card, I also included the weight of the almond flour in grams. Precisely measuring your flour for this cupcake recipe will help you get the best results. It's easy to use too much or not enough almond flour when using a measuring cup. If you use too much, the cupcakes will be dry. If you use too little, the cupcakes will be too moist (and possibly have a sunken middle).
Yes! I had this question recently, so I decided to test and share a recipe for these almond flour chocolate cupcakes.
More recommended cupcake recipes
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If you make this recipe, please leave a review and rating below to let me know what you think. If you have a question, drop that below too!
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (234 g) fine blanched almond flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed (not high), beat together for one minute.
- Add the vanilla and beat for another minute. At this point, the mixture should be foamy and just starting to thicken.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the almond flour mixture to the egg mixture until fully combined. Don't over mix.
- Portion the mixture out into the muffin pan, filling each cup ¾ full. Gently tap the bottom of the pan on a hard surface to help release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost with your favorite frosting.
Notes
- If you can, weigh the flour for this recipe. Precise measurements will ensure these cupcakes rise properly and have the best texture.
- Don't use almond meal for this recipe as it's too coarse. Fine almond flour will produce the best results.
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature as they will incorporate with the sugar easily and start to foam and thicken quicker.
- Don't beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together any longer than 2 minutes as the mixture will increase in size and add too much liquid to the batter.
- Make sure you don't overfill the cupcake pan with batter. The cupcakes will rise over the top and bake up unevenly.
- These cupcakes will not dome like traditional cupcakes. They will have a flat top. If they look sunken, review the section above regarding cupcakes sinking in the middle.
- I find the parchment paper cupcake liners work best for releasing cupcakes. Other liners tend to stick to cupcakes.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
Did you make this recipe or have any questions?
I love reading your comments and addressing your questions, so please leave your comments and ratings or questions below!
Louise Amitrano says
I can only find dark cane sugar - is that the right one ?
Leanne Combden says
Hi Louise! I use golden cane sugar in this recipe, but if you can't find it, you can substitute with granulated sugar.
Kate says
OH MY STARS these are really good. I whipped them up super quick to bake while we ate dinner and then left then on the stove afterwards to get ready to leave. As people walked past they would pop one out of the silicone mini muffin tray (it made one whole tray and I baked for 17 minutes) and everyone stopped and commented on how good they are.
I added 1 teaspoon of almond extract as well and now, if you put a little honey on them, they taste like marzipan.
Thank you!
Leanne says
Hi Kate! I'm so happy you and your guests enjoyed these cupcakes. Adding almond extract and topping them with honey sounds delicious. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Jenbee says
I topped these with a gluten free, dairy free ermine vanilla buttercream and they were amazing!!! Without the frosting, they were just okay.
Leanne says
That buttercream sounds delicious!