My son is performing in his first play this week through his home school program. I am so very excited for him and proud of him that I volunteered to help out with the cast party. I like to help out with food when possible, both because I love food, and because it ensures there is something (yummy!) that we can eat. And that is how I found myself baking 5 dozen gluten-free, dye-free cupcakes.

The play they are performing is “Wonderland,” an adaptation of Lewis Carrol’s Through The Looking Glass, thus the name, “Wonderland” Cupcakes. These gf cupcakes turned out delicious – moist and vanilla-y. I topped them with a simple, naturally colored buttercream frosting, and a few over-the-top decorations (to celebrate an over-the-top show).

Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour (or starch)

1 cup cane sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Xanthum gum

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup coconut milk

1 med egg (or 1/4 c egg replacer, if making vegan)

3 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, combine dry ingredients, whisking to mix. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients, whisking to ensure the egg gets thoroughly combined. With a hand or stand mixer, set on low, combine wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Beat on low until batter is thoroughly mixed, but do not over-beat. Batter will be slightly thicker than regular cake batter. Line a muffin tin with cupcake wrappers. Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, fill each wrapper about 3/4 full of batter. You may want to smooth the tops of the batter with wet fingers (as anyone who has done GF baking can tell you, it’s sticky business!).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops are rounded, and cupcakes are spongy, but firm. Remove from oven, and let cool a few minutes in the pan. Remove when you can touch them to finish cooling on a wire rack (don’t wait too long, or the bottoms will get steamed).

Let cool completely before frosting.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Simple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks butter, softened

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/4 c + 2 tbsp whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

You may want to sift your sugar, if it is lumpy. Combine all ingredients and beat on high until the mixture has become thick. If it is warm, you may want to refrigerate it briefly. Use a spoon, knife, or piping bag to frost your cupcakes.

The cupcakes were a hit with kids and adults, alike! Here is a shot of a bunch of them before we left for the party.

And the final display. I used the container I carried them in as a stand. Not fancy, but it worked!

Overall, a fun, delicious, and satisfying contribution. But I’ll be happy not to make cupcakes again for a while. Or, 2 weeks at least, until the kids have their birthdays…