Gluten-free Millionaire’s Cupcakes Recipe (dairy-free option)

Gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe – filled with oozing caramel and topped with a chocolatey buttercream. Just like your favourite Millionaire’s shortbread!

Gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe, anyone? These filled cupcakes are guaranteed to be a hit with whoever eats them and nobody would know that they’re gluten-free. Promise!

There are some truly mind-blowing ‘muggle’ bakeries (in London especially) that ONLY sell cupcakes.

(it’s been over 10 years since I’ve been able to eat anything in there, but I still remember!)

The choice is absolutely crazy – there’s everything from red velvet, to Oreo cookie cupcakes, lemon, chocolate, vanilla and all the crazy variations in between.

If we’re lucky, ONE of them will be gluten-free and (if you’re in the right place) they’ll be stored totally separately and free of cross-contamination, which is awesome. But of course, you don’t get to choose which flavour you want… which is half the fun, right?

Why make my gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes?

• Super easy to make – just make cupcakes, whip up some icing and construct!
• Get all the AMAZING flavours of Millionaire’s shortbread in one, beautiful cupcake.
• You’d never know this recipe was gluten-free AT ALL – yes, even muggles will eat these, so watch out!
• This one is easy to make dairy-free too with a few simple swaps.
• This is one of the few recipes on the blog with tons of step-by-step photos. So you absolutely can’t go wrong!

So not surprisingly, it’s that exact feeling that inspired my most recent cupcake creations. I want to bring ALL the choice back to being gluten-free so you can browse my blog and remember how that feels!

Because sadly, being gluten-free and having the luxury of choice, seem to be at two opposite ends of the spectrum. And so, my gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes were born!

The sponge is lovely and golden, super soft/moist with a subtle caramel taste thanks to the brown sugar and caramel extract. They’re filled with TONS of gooey caramel and topped with a fluffy, sweet, chocolatey buttercream.

And who could forget a little mini millionaire’s shortbread as a decoration? For me, if I could pick ANY cupcake in those bakeries again… I’d instantly pick something like this.

Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe – consider it your shopping list! Keep scrolling until you see the recipe card for the measurements and method ??

Gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe: Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• gluten-free self raising flour
• gluten-free baking powder
• xanthan gum
• butter (dairy free if necessary)
• light brown sugar
• eggs
• caramel extract

For the filling

• Carnation caramel

For the buttercream icing

• butter (dairy free if necessary)
• icing sugar
• dark/milk chocolate (dairy-free if necessary)
• mini gluten free millionaires shortbreads (dairy-free if necessary)

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling ??

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time baking this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe: Frequently asked questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten free products.

Can I make your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcake recipe dairy free?

Yep – it just involves a few simple swaps. Firstly:

• Use a dairy-free spread or margarine for the cupcakes. Use a hard dairy-free margarine for the buttercream – I’d recommend chilling it before piping as it’ll be a little softer.
• Use any kind of dairy-free caramel. You can usually find it online or you can easily make your own.
• Use any dairy-free chocolate for the buttercream and ensure your mini millionaire’s (added as a decoration) are dairy-free too – you can buy them in Asda.

That’s it!

Can I make your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcake recipe vegan?

Yep! If you follow the instructions above to make this recipe dairy free, then all you’ve got left to contend with is the eggs.

Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.

• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba, whisked until frothy – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
• 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp of water
• Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
• 1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce.

I haven’t tested all of these egg alternatives so let me know how you get on in the comments below ??

Is your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcake recipe nut free?

Yep, this is a nut-free recipe as far as ingredients go, BUT make sure you check the ingredients label on ALL the products you use to bake this cake just to be safe.

Even if the products don’t contain nuts, they may have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning due to being produced in a factory that handles nuts.

You can never be too careful so always read the labels on everything first.

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

Sadly, not as it is because of the amount of lactose in the caramel.

However, if you omitted the caramel, mini Millionaire’s shortbread decoration and used any kind of lactose-free chocolate in the buttercream, one cupcake would be suitable for the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.

I don’t know of any easy low FODMAP caramel options as regular caramel contains too much lactose and alternatives which use coconut milk instead, will likely be high FODMAP.

What do you fill your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes with?

I filled them with a nice, easy and quick option: Carnation caramel. You can easily find it in the supermarket!

Can I make your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes in a food processor or standing mixer?

Of course you can, but you definitely don’t need to. I use both a stand mixer and an electric whisk for this recipe. Here’s a link to the electric whisk I use.

A stand mixer makes making buttercream a breeze and an electric whisk speeds up mixing the cake batter.

You can of course, use either for both tasks too, just make sure you clean your bowl in between of course.

Can I make this recipe completely by hand?

Of course! Just a good ol’ fashioned wooden spoon or spatula will do. Just make sure you give it a lot of welly, otherwise your mixture won’t be consistent!

Making the buttercream can take a little longer by hand, but it’s definitely do-able.

Ensure you reference the step-by-step photos if making this by hand as you’re more likely to under-mix everything by hand.

Do I need any special equipment to bake your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes?

Certainly not! You will need a good quality muffin tray, so here’s a link to the one I use.

Of course, you will need a piping nozzle and piping bags if you want to finish them like I have in the photos. I use the 1M star nozzle in this set to pipe cupcakes and piping bags like these.

Do I need weighing scales to bake your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any of my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Can I bake your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes with less sugar?

I can definitely understand the need to reduce sugar in our foods, but this is one of the recipes where I wouldn’t advise removing it from the cake batter itself.

Of course, the sugar isn’t just for sweetness. It’s integral to the structure of the cake once baked and is sooo important.

However, if you want to reduce the overall sugar, you can always omit the caramel filling, or reduce the amount of buttercream on each cupcake.

Can I make this recipe without xanthan gum?

In some of my recipes, yes, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving xanthan gum out of this one. You’ll see xanthan gum in a lot of my recipes as it’s an essential ingredient in gluten-free baking.

Without gluten to bind the cake batter together, you can be left with a very loose and crumbly sponge texture which won’t work for this recipe.

Some people have asked if they can use psyllium husk powder instead of xanthan gum, but I’ve found that it definitely results in a denser sponge so I wouldn’t overly recommend it.

If you’re really against xanthan gum or you simply don’t have any, you can omit it if pushed. There’s a little in gluten-free self-raising flour anyway, so they should still turn out fine.

Can I make this recipe using other gluten-free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

There’s a big difference between ‘gluten-free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten-free flour. When I say ‘gluten-free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten-free flours, not just one, singular flour.

Most gluten-free flour you buy in the supermarket typically contains a blend of rice flour, potato flour, maize flour, tapioca flour AND buckwheat flour. That’s a lot of different flours!

In gluten-free self-raising flour, there’s usually even a little baking powder and xanthan gum in it too which always helps.

So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely go for a gluten-free flour blend.

How long can I keep your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes for?

I usually find that my cupcakes last for around 3-5 days in an airtight container. It’s usually eaten by that point, but I wouldn’t recommend keeping it for longer than that.

If it’s any longer than that then I’d highly recommend reading the next question…

Can I freeze your gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes?

Of course! I’ve frozen them for up to a month and after allowing them to fully thaw, you’d never know they were frozen.

Simply leave each cupcake out at room temperature for 4-5 hours to defrost.

How can I tell when my gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes are done?

Grab a skewer and give one a poke in the centre. If it comes out clean, then it’s done!

But if the skewer comes out moist and cake-like, it’s best to pop them back in for a bit longer.

Gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe: Method

For the cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 160C Fan / 180C and prepare a cupcake / muffin tin with cases. Adding a little rice under each case helps to reduce the chance of a ‘soggy bottom’!

Cream together your softened butter and sugar using an electric hand whisk. Do so until lighter in colour and fluffier in texture.

 

Gradually add your eggs (I whisk briefly in between each addition). Then add in your caramel or vanilla extract and mix once more briefly.

Sift your gluten free flour, baking powder and xanthan gum and then mix with your electric hand whisk until combined.

Spoon your mixture into your cupcake cases and place in the preheated oven for about 22 minutes.

Remove from the oven, check that they are baked through. Allow to cool briefly in the tin and then move the cases to a cooling rack.

For the buttercream

Melt your chocolate (I do this is the microwave in short 15 second bursts, mixing between each), put to one side to cool whilst making the rest of the buttercream.

Ensure your butter is soft and at room temperature. I find it takes a good hour out of the fridge to soften, but never let it go too soft! Place your butter into a stand mixer and mix on a medium speed for about 5 minutes until the butter has gone a lot more pale in colour.

Add your icing sugar gradually. I add it in 2-3 stages and beat for about 3 minutes between each addition. Start your mixer slowly to save your kitchen from a real icing sugar mess, but then increase the speed to medium / high for each of your 3 minutes.

Then add in your cooled melted chocolate – mix briefly to combine. It should be the right consistency at this point. If you think it’s too thick you can add a small amount of milk, or too thin add a little extra icing sugar.

To assemble

Once the cupcakes are cool, you need to make little holes in your cupcakes to fill with the white chocolate and hazelnut spread, use something circular to make a small hole – I used a metal piping nozzle. Just make sure you don’t go too deep as you need some of the cake beneath to hold the filling!

Spoon Carnation caramel (or a similar caramel sauce) into the hole you’ve made in each cupcake. Fill it full!

Spoon your buttercream into a piping bag with a large star nozzle. Then pipe your buttercream on top. If you don’t want to pipe it, you can spoon it on top too!

Finish with a mini millionaires shortbread on top (I cut up a larger one into smaller pieces as you don’t need much per cupcake!)

Oh and here’s a printable version of my gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️ Feel free to leave your written reviews in the comments below this post.

Thanks for reading how to make my gluten-free Millionaire’s cupcakes recipe! If you make them, I’d love to see how they turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your bakes and tag me on Instagram!

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo.

If you want to send me a photo of how your bake turned out, you can request to join my Facebook group and post it there. Myself and everyone else would love to see it!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!