Gluten Free Vegan Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes (Top 8 Free Too!)

My husband was made in Haiti, but raised in Boston. Today for his birthday I think the only fitting way to celebrate my Boston boy, is to give him a moist yellow cake, filled with thick, vanilla cream and topped with rich, chocolate buttercream–my riff on the classic Boston Cream Pie, except it’s gluten free, vegan and allergy friendly. The only problem will be making sure there’s still some left when he finally gets home from work!

My husband is super proud of his heritage. He actually runs a Haitian genealogy group to help other Haitians find their family history. And, he has lots of love for his Boston and East Coast upbringing. I have to say that I feel that same pride…for these cupcakes!

It’s kind of a miracle that four years before I was born, in Haiti his parents got together. Meanwhile, my parents were newlyweds in Idaho.  What are the odds we got together? All I can say is that it was meant to be.  That and thanks to BYU for bringing us together.

I’ve tried making these before and the cake just wasn’t right. I think I’ve finally perfected it and made it gluten free vegan to boot.

The cake is moist and almost spongy. I also used to just use a thin Wilton tip to put a puff of cream in it.  No more! I scooped out a huge hole and filled these babies full of vanilla pudding. Instead of the typical thin, chocolate ganache I went for thick, rich, chocolate buttercream to compliment the cupcake more.

I also went for ease with the filling because three steps seems like a lot to me! Homemade, from scratch cupcakes and frosting helped me not feel bad for slightly “cheating” on the homemade portion of the filling.

I actually split the process and made the cupcakes yesterday and you’d never know. They are still so soft!

This is Boston Cream Pie in a handheld, decadent version–that also happens to be dairy, gluten, eggs, soy, peanut and tree nut free.  Talk about a perfect birthday present.

Happy birthday sweetie!

What if I only need these Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes to be vegan, and not gluten free?

Simply swap out the gluten free flour for regular flour and omit the xanthan gum! Easy!

What dairy free substitution do you recommend for these gluten free vegan Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes?

My favorite dairy free substitution for baking is rice milk since it leaves the least amount of after taste and is generally safe for most people.

Where can I find more gluten free vegan cake & cupcake recipes?

Since all of my baking is gluten free and vegan, you’ll enjoy these baking recipes as well:

• allergy friendly chocolate cupcakes
• gluten free vegan lemon cupcakes
• red velvet bundt cake

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Gluten Free Vegan Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes (Top 8 Free Too!)

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

A classic, Boston Cream Pie, made into decadent cupcakes without dairy, gluten, egg, soy, peanut or tree nuts.

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Ingredients

• CAKE INGREDIENTS:
• 2 and 1/2 cups gluten free flour
• 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum (or omit if using a blend that already includes it)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1 and 3/4 cup vanilla rice milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Yellow food coloring to taste, optional
• FILLING INGREDIENTS:
• 1 large package of vanilla cook-and-serve (THIS IS A MUST--NOT instant) pudding mix
• 1 and 1/2 cups vanilla rice milk (even though the box will tell you 3 cups...ignore!)
• CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS:
• 6 Tablespoons dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• 2 and 2/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup vanilla rice milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

1. CAKE DIRECTIONS:
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease cupcake tins.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients just until a nice batter evolves. Add in food coloring (if so desired--note that if you don't, this will still taste great, but be more white since we don't have the typical eggs to color it yellow). Scoop into cupcake tins. Bake 15 minutes or until the tops of the cakes bounce back when gently touched and the edges are lightly browned. Depending on your oven you might need to bake longer--note that I am at a very high sea level. Allow to completely cool on a wire rack.
4. FILLING DIRECTIONS:
5. Pour pudding mix and rice milk into a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until it boils. Boil for one minute. Allow to cool. It will thicken even more as it cools.
6. FROSTING DIRECTIONS:
7. In a stand mixer, beat shortening and cocoa powder. Be sure to scrape the bowl and don't allow the cocoa to stick to the bottom of the bowl, but rather get completely incorporated. Add the milk and then powdered sugar by alternating until you've added the full amounts. Add in the vanilla and mix until fluffy and blended.
8. ASSEMBLING:
9. Once the cupcakes have cooled, take a sharp knife and cut out a cone shape and eat or set aside for some light snacking later--you will not need that portion (I know some people try to re-top the cupcake, but I left it off for optimal filling size). Take a baby spoon, or small spoon, and fill it with the cooled pudding until it reaches the top of the cupcake. Using a baggie with a snipped corner, or a frosting bag with tip, frost the cupcakes with the chocolate buttercream. Keep covered.

Notes

If you don't need this to be gluten free swap out regular flour and omit the xanthan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 315Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 35gProtein: 2g

Cake recipe adapted from: Fork and Beans and Frosting recipe taken from: The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal