These healthy vanilla almond flour cupcakes are light, fluffy, moist and have a sweet vanilla flavor. They are made with 10 simple paleo ingredients and are gluten free, grain free and dairy free. There's no better way to celebrate a birthday or special occasion than with this almond flour cupcake recipe!
I find it kinda funny, because I'm a chocolate person through and through. BUT, when it comes to cake, or in this case cupcakes, I prefer vanilla.
I would pick a simple, gluten free vanilla cake with vanilla frosting over any other combo. Anyone else?!
Anyway, it just seemed natural that I add an easy almond flour vanilla cupcake recipe to the blog. I already have one made with tigernut flour (nut free and paleo friendly) and plan to include many more vanilla variations. So, stay tuned!
This cupcake recipe is absolutely amazing in taste and texture. These paleo vanilla cupcakes are moist, delicate, fluffy and literally melt in your mouth.
They are sweet, but not too sweet, and topped with a paleo buttercream frosting.
Healthy Almond Flour Cupcakes
These healthy almond flour cupcakes are perfect for any birthday or fun celebration...or eaten just because. These cupcakes are:
- gluten free and grain free - made with almond flour
- paleo friendly - an excellent paleo cupcake recipe
- dairy free - no butter, no milk
- lower in carbs than your average cupcake
- made with simple, real-food ingredients
- soft, fluffy and moist - no one wants a dry cupcake
I promise, even your non-gluten free family members will love this vanilla almond flour cupcake recipe!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make these paleo almond flour cupcakes:
- blanched almond flour
- tapioca flour (or arrowroot)
- coconut sugar
- paleo baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- eggs
- avocado oil (or olive oil)
- coconut milk (or almond milk)
- vanilla extract
How to Make Almond Flour Cupcakes
To make these gluten free cupcakes, first preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grab a muffin pan (or pans) and place 14 paper liners in the slots, then set aside.
Next, combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. This includes the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. This includes the eggs, avocado oil, coconut milk and vanilla.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Next, pour the batter into the lined muffin pans, filling each slot about ½ way full. Do not fill the liners to the top, otherwise your cupcakes will sink after baking.
Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown on top. They should slightly rise, but will not have rounded tops.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, cool 5 minutes in the baking pan, then cool on a wire cooling rack.
Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature they can be frosted.
How to Make Paleo Buttercream Frosting
You may use any frosting you want, but I used a homemade vanilla buttercream frosting. It's paleo, gluten free and dairy free. Here's what you need:
- non-hydrogenated shortening (I recommend Nutiva shortening)
- powdered monk fruit sweetener
- tapioca flour
- vanilla extract
To make the frosting, simply whisk together all frosting ingredients in a small mixing bow. I do recommend softening the shortening. You don't want it completely melted, but soft enough that it's easy to whisk.
The frosting can be spread over the muffins or piped onto the cupcakes.
Best Paleo Cupcake Toppings
There are many easy cupcake toppings that are both healthy and visually appealing. Here's a list of my favorite paleo cupcake topping ideas:
- edible flowers
- cacao nibs
- mini dark chocolate chips
- dye-free sprinkles (not 100% paleo)
- dried fruit
- fresh fruit: sliced strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi, cherries
- mint leaves
- paleo granola
- homemade chocolate sauce
How to Store Almond Flour Cupcakes
These cupcakes last well in the fridge up to one week. Simply store in an air-tight container and place in the fridge.
More Paleo Cupcake Recipes
If you love these easy almond flour cupcakes, be sure to check out some of the other cupcake recipes on my blog:
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cassava Flour
- Tigernut Flour Cupcakes
- Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes with Almond Flour
Enjoy!
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Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 14 cupcakes
Description
These vanilla almond flour cupcakes are healthy, but delicious! They are made with almond flour, sweetened with coconut sugar and completely gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (190g)
- ½ cup tapioca flour (62g)
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp paleo baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- ⅓ cup coconut milk (or almond milk)
- ½ Tbsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening, softened*
- ½ cup powdered monk fruit sweetener (or powdered sugar)
- 2 Tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan/s with 14 paper cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. This includes: almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients. This includes: eggs, avocado oil, coconut milk and vanilla.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, whisk until smooth.
- Scoop the batter into the lined muffin pan, filling each slot half-way full. Do not over-fill or the cupcakes will sink after baking.
- Place the cupcakes in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from oven, cool 5 minutes in the baking pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Frosting
- Whisk together shortening, powdered monk fruit, tapioca flour and vanilla until well mixed.
- Pipe or spread frosting over the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
*Warm the shortening in the microwave at 10 second intervals until it is soft (not liquid) and easy to whisk.
These cupcakes can be kept at room temperature for a day, but you'll want to store them in the fridge after that. They last well in the fridge up to one week.
Navya
Can we use maple syrup instead of sugar
Katie
Hi! I haven't tried this recipe with any liquid sweetener. Maple sugar would work though!
Tanya
So so good!!
Katie
I'm glad you like them 🙂
Eric
Great recipe!
Bonita
Great, healthy cup cakes! Had these last at my grandson’s birthday party....we all definitely had seconds! They are not super sweet; which I think is good. 👍🏼
Elizabeth
Just finished making these, and they turned out great! I am excited to have found an easy, Paleo cupcake recipe! Just curious, have you tried adding any additional ingredients to the icing? It tastes good, but seems like the flavor is a bit subtle. I am sure it will work well once I add it to the cupcakes, but just thought I'd ask for next time (Will definitely be making them again!). Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
Katie
Yay! I'm so glad they turned out. For the frosting, powdered monk fruit (or whatever powdered sugar you prefer) can be used in place of the tapioca flour. This will add more sweetness and flavor. I also have a coconut cream frosting for my chocolate cupcake recipe that is different but would work well for these vanilla cupcakes.
Emma
Any idea on if a flax egg or egg replacer would work in this recipe?
Katie
I have not tested this recipe with an egg replacement. If you try, I'd love to know the results 🙂
Barbara Harrison
Just tried this one. Delicious cupcakes!! Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Katie
Thank you! So glad you liked them 🙂
Ella
Will using arrowroot flour instead of tapioca flour work?
Katie
Yes! 🙂
Katie
These are my favorite almond flour cupcakes! Enjoy!
Luci
Just right for this paleo, low sugar sweet loving gal!
Allissa Moeness
I absolutely love these cupcakes! I substituted the coconut sugar for organic cane sugar as I was all out of coconut, and it didn’t taste any sweeter which was great!
Katie
Oh awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Briana
Would coconut oil work as a replacement for the avocado oil?
Katie
I'm not sure if coconut oil would work, but olive oil will!
Olivia
Hi there! Not sure if you'll see this since the recipe has been up for awhile now, but do you still have the original icing recipe that you had on here without the monk fruit sweetener? It was just the shortening, tapioca flour, and vanilla, but there was much more tapioca flour in the recipe than is listed now. I thought it was perfect! Thanks!
Katie
Hi! I don't have the old frosting recipe. I updated these cupcakes last year to make the batch larger, which meant I needed more frosting. You can, however omit the powdered monk fruit and just use tapioca starch. I think the old recipe may have had some maple syrup in it too.
Olivia
Okay thank you so much! That sounds right to me.
Luci B
This is my go to vanilla cupcake recipe! i think they are delicious. I cannot eat very much sugar and do reduce the amount. But they are still so good and, a nice little snack in the evening w/o being too much.
Carolina
Hi! Can I replace tapioca flour with oats or almond flour for the frosting? 😉
Katie
No, the tapioca flour acts as a thickener and cannot be replaced with anything other than arrowroot starch or cornstarch.
Anna
Can I follow this same recipe to make a 6” cake instead? And any substitutes for the tapioca flour? Thanks!
Katie
Hi! I would follow my almond flour cake recipe instead, as it's been well tested. Arrowroot flour is the best substitute for tapioca flour. Potato starch may work too, but I don't have much experience baking with that.
Lindsay
Amazing!! This recipe is perfect. This Will definitely be my go to cupcake recipe from now on.
Katie
Yay! It's my go-to recipe as well 🙂 So glad you love them!