A true treat for those with a sweet tooth who need to avoid wheat and gluten. These Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Prunes are so incredibly delicious that anyone will fall in love with them at first bite. They are wonderfully moist, packed to the brim with tender dried fruits soaked in juice or wine, and exceptionally easy to make. You can use store-bought rice flour or simply grind raw rice in a coffee grinder for a quick homemade alternative.
Aromatic gluten-free cupcakes with prunes, perfectly paired with a cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 70 g (2.5 oz) white rice or rice flour
- 35 g (1.2 oz) cocoa powder
- 2 small eggs or 1 large
- 50 g (1.7 oz) butter
- 85 g (3 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 g (5.3 oz) mixed prunes, dried apricots, and raisins
- 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) apple juice
- cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste
- powdered sugar
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Prune Cupcakes
Pour the rice into a coffee grinder in small batches and grind for a few minutes. Homemade rice flour doesn’t differ much from store-bought; it might be slightly coarser, but this won’t affect the quality of the cupcakes.
Homemade rice flour might be slightly coarser than store-bought, but it works beautifully in this recipe.
Rinse the prunes, dried apricots, and raisins thoroughly. Finely chop the apricots and prunes. Pour apple juice over the dried fruits. Instead of juice, you can use white wine or cognac—choose whatever fits your taste or budget. If using cognac, it’s best to soak the dried fruits for a few hours so you don’t waste a precious product.
Soaking the dried fruits in juice or liquor makes them incredibly soft and flavorful.
Pour granulated sugar into a bowl, crack in 2 small eggs, and whisk the eggs and sugar together. You want the sugar granules to start dissolving.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the sugar granules begin to dissolve.
Add the rice flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking powder to the bowl. If desired, sprinkle in some ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
Fold in the rice flour, cocoa, and spices. The spices will give the cupcakes a cozy, warming aroma.
Melt the butter and let it cool for a few minutes. Whisk the batter, then pour in the cooled melted butter. Never add hot ingredients to a batter containing baking powder or raw eggs!
Only use cooled melted butter so you don’t prematurely activate the baking powder.
Fold the dried fruits into the batter along with 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid (juice or wine). A little extra moisture won’t hurt the batter.
Fold the soaked fruits into the batter along with a couple of tablespoons of the soaking liquid for extra moisture.
Mix the batter thoroughly and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. As it rests, the sugar will fully dissolve, the rice flour will absorb the moisture, and the batter will thicken.
After a short rest, the batter will thicken significantly as the rice flour absorbs the liquid.
Line a metal muffin tin with paper liners. Fill the liners with the batter (you’ll need about 70 g / 2.5 oz of batter per cupcake). Don’t fill them all the way to the top; leave at least half a centimeter (1/4 inch) of space.
Leave a little room at the top of each liner to allow the cupcakes to rise during baking.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes. Check for doneness with a wooden skewer, or gently press a cupcake with your finger—if it springs back immediately, it is ready.
Check for doneness using a wooden skewer—it should come out of the center clean and dry.
Cool the baked cupcakes on a wire rack and dust them with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve. These cupcakes store beautifully and stay fresh for 3-4 days. Enjoy!
Dust the cooled cupcakes with powdered sugar. They stay soft and fresh for several days.
These Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Prunes store remarkably well, making them a fantastic option for meal prep and ahead-of-time baking. After cooling completely on a wire rack, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. If you want to store them longer, cupcakes and muffins are perfect for freezing. Pack them in a zip-top plastic bag, squeeze out the excess air, and freeze at -18°C (0°F). When ready to eat, simply warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds to regain their soft, fresh-baked warmth.
For a lovely presentation, serve these Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Prunes dusted with powdered sugar through a fine sieve. They pair wonderfully with a warm cup of herbal tea, spiced chai, or a shot of espresso to balance the chocolate richness and natural fruit sweetness. You can also experiment with toppings like a dollop of whipped coconut cream or a light drizzle of dark chocolate ganache for special occasions.
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