Fudgey, comforting and a chocolate overload, it's impossible to beat a good brownie!
Well, almost!
If you fancy your treats a little more autumnal, then when not give these guys a try!? Topped with a fusion of cornflakes and nuts and smothered in caramel, my favourite brownie recipe has just got itself an upgrade!
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Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins
MOIST.
INDULGENT.
CHOCOLATE
MOIST.INDULGENT.CHOCOLATE
- Gluten-Free!
If I’m baking cakes for a big gathering, this recipe is one of the first I turn to! A simple bake which everyone knows and loves, the last batch of these I made disappeared in about 3 minutes, so I’m pleased to say that they clearly appeal! 😁
They’re also near infinitely customisable, working well as both muffins and cupcakes and very accepting of additional fillings, making this a great staple chocolate cake recipe to get to grips with!
In a hurry? Then here’s your recipe!
If you like to see some more tips and tricks, then scroll away for a bit of light reading!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins
Course: TreatsCuisine: CakesDifficulty: EasyServings
12
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
25
minutesIngredients
125g unsalted butter
125g dark chocolate (70%)
1 tbsp coffee granules, dissolved in 60g water
3 medium eggs, beaten
200g caster sugar
75ml buttermilk
150g gluten-free plain flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
30g cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 190C / 170C fan / Gas Mark 5.
- Place the butter, chocolate and coffee into a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the butter and chocolate melts. Leave to one side to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until combined.
- Add the buttermilk to the mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and fold them until they are fully incorporated.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into each of the cupcake cases and bake for 25 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cakes. The top of each cake should also spring back when lightly prodded with a finger.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 2 or 3 minutes, before removing each muffin from the tin and placing on a wire rack until completely cool.
Peak performance!
While these are practically perfect as muffins, they also make for fantastic cupcakes! If you want a pipe a tall buttercream design onto your cakes, such as a high, soft-serve ice cream style swirl, then baking these to the recipe above could come in handy, as the wild peaks you get on these muffins make a great foundation for your design, allowing you to use less buttercream than you would piping it onto a flat cupcake. This will make your cakes more pleasant to eat, with the added bonus of stretching your buttercream out a bit further! An example of where I've used this technique can be seen in my Ferrero Rocher cupcakes below!
However, should you want a more rounded, dome-like top to your cupcake, follow the recipe as above, but reduce your oven temperature to 180 C / 160C fan / Gas Mark 4 instead. While this recipe will never provide you with a perfectly flat topped sponge, due to the amount of raising agent in the mix, baking at this lower temperature will give your cakes a more controlled rise in the oven, leading to a more domed surface for you to decorate.
I’ve used this technique a few times to create cupcake designs where I’m using additional accessories to decorate the cake, spreading a thin layer of coloured buttercream over the sponge before adding my decor, rather than any faffing about with any intricate piping. Here are a couple of images of cakes I’ve made in this style to provide some inspiration!
I’ve used this technique a few times to create cupcake designs where I’m using additional accessories to decorate the cake, spreading a thin layer of coloured buttercream over the sponge before adding my decor, rather than any faffing about with any intricate piping. Here are a couple of images of cakes I’ve made in this style to provide some inspiration!
Shake it up!
Chocolate muffins are a classic staple for any coffee break or bake sale, but if you fancy giving this recipe your own twist, then you'll be pleased to know that it's very customisable! Chocolate chips are an obviously amazing choice, but you can also choose to add nuts, both of which can be folded into the mixture just before you add it to your cupcake cases.
Alternatively, if you fancy something even more decadent, you can use a sharp knife to cut a small, round core out of your muffin and spoon into the hole a variety of delicious fillings, such as chocolate ganache, orange curd, cheesecake filling or a berry coulis! You can then plug the hole back in with the core of cake you removed earlier, keeping your hidden filling a surprise! Of course, there will be marks left on the top of the muffin, but there's a solution to that too, should you want one! If you create a simple chocolate ganache of equal parts (1:1) dark chocolate and double cream, you can dip the muffin into it to give it a glorious chocolate glaze, hiding your handiwork and providing a gorgeous finish!
I can't believe it's not butter(milk)!
Finally, if you don't fancy buying buttermilk for your bake, then there's an easy work around! To make your own buttermilk at home, you can pour 75ml of milk into a bowl or mug and stir in 1 TSP of lemon juice. Leave the mix to one side for 10 mins, then give it stir! Although not as thick as shop bought buttermilk, your custom version should have thickened slightly and the acid content you've added should be enough to react with the bicarb in the cake batter and get your muffins rising beautifully! Lemon juice lasts a long time stored in the fridge and milk has a wider variety of uses than buttermilk does, so feel free to run with this tip should you want to save potential waste and perhaps a little money!
I hope this helps you create some marvelous muffins! If you have any questions, feel free to ask below!
Also, if you’re social media savvy, tag me on Instagram at @toofarfletched with your creations!
-Tom 
Comments
Tom
Hi! Thanks for stopping by!
I set up this site to share with you everything I love about baking, so hopefully there’ll be something here you enjoy too!
If you’d like to get in touch, feel free to use the links below!
I set up this site to share with you everything I love about baking, so hopefully there’ll be something here you enjoy too!
If you’d like to get in touch, feel free to use the links below!
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