If you’ve ever hosted a combined birthday party for your kids you might have had the special fun of settling squabbles over what to do. Debates over themes, guests, and food abound. This spring my two youngest had a birthday party together since they share a lot of friends. They agreed on everything quickly and easily (enough so that I was starting to worry it was some sort of plot). Then it came time to pick a cake. They couldn’t agree. Not at all! I finally convinced them to try out my chocolate caramel cupcakes. They were a hit, just like they will be for your family!

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Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

I’m not kidding when I say these cupcakes were a big win at the birthday party. Everyone loved them so much and my family wanted to inhale the extras that night. I had to stash the leftovers in the freezer so I could have some for those crazy days when you just need a little treat.

They’re Easy

There is nothing complicated about these chocolate caramel cupcakes. You start with a basic vanilla cake mix and add a few special ingredients to transform it into a delicious and moist chocolate cake. The dairy free caramel buttercream takes only the ability to measure and mix.  They’re so easy even a child could make them!

Basic Ingredients

The ingredients for these cupcakes are mostly pantry staples that you likely already have on hand if you eat gluten free or dairy free. You’re not going to have to go out and try to source rare specialty ingredients because anything you don’t have should be available in your typical supermarket.

Allergy Friendly

With the plethora of allergies in my house you know any recipe you get from me is going to pretty allergy friendly! These chocolate caramel cupcakes are no exception. They are rich and delicious while being gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. If you need your cupcakes to be egg free, check out the substitutions section below.

Substitutions

Substitutions are a bit of a hot topic in the food world. Standard bakers and chefs often tend to shy away from them, but those of us with food allergies or Celiac Disease know that they’re a necessity. If you can’t have something that this recipe calls for, feel free to try swapping it out for what you can use. I can’t promise every substitution will work, but here are a few that I know would be fine.

Dairy

Can you eat dairy? Super! I’m a bit jealous that your body doesn’t treat cow’s milk like it’s a foreign invader, but that’s great. Feel free to swap in regular dairy versions for all of the dairy free ingredients in this chocolate caramel cupcake recipe. Butter, yogurt, and cream can all be used as 1 to 1 swaps for the dairy free options I list.

Eggs

If you need to make these without eggs, I’ve got you covered. Simply replace the 4 eggs with 4 tbsp very finely ground flaxseeds and with 1/2 cup hot lite coconut milk (or regular milk if you can have dairy). Stir those together and let them sit for a few minutes to cool and gel.

No Mix

Do you prefer to bake totally from scratch? That will work fine here. You can take whatever recipe you use for vanilla cake and make the adjustments with the cocoa powder and yogurt that I include here.

FAQ

Let’s go over some of the most frequently asked questions about this gluten free & dairy free chocolate caramel cupcake recipe.

Can I use chocolate cake mix?

You can absolutely use a chocolate cake mix in this. I use Bob’s Red Mill vanilla cake mix because a) that’s the one that is safe for my daughter and b) it’s easier to me to keep one type of mix on hand and adjust it to make different flavors. If you use a chocolate mix I would suggest still using the butter, milk, and yogurt in it.

What can I use for caramel sauce?

You have a few choices when it comes to caramel sauce for your dairy free caramel buttercream. You can go with a store bought option like Bloom caramel sauce. That would make the frosting even easier to whip up.  My personal preference is to make my own dairy free salted caramel sauce. You can get my fabulous Dairy Free Salted Caramel recipe as a free gift when you sign up for my newsletter.

Can the cupcakes be frozen?

YES! These gluten free cupcakes freeze fabulously. You can freeze them frosted or unfrosted, whichever works better for you. Let them thaw before eating (or if you are ravenously impatient like me, when they are at least somewhat thawed).

Gluten Free & Dairy Free Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

These chocolate caramel cupcakes prove that allergy friendly baking can be just as rich, indulgent, and delicious as standard dessert. Whether you’re preparing for a birthday party or just looking for a fun treat for home, you’re going to love these gluten free & dairy free cupcakes! I’d love to hear how they turn out for you. Tag me on Instagram @fearlessfaithfulmom so I can cheer you on in your gluten free baking journey!