Gluten-free lemon cupcakes with coconut whip and fresh strawberries are light, bright, and so fresh! These beautiful cupcakes are the perfect treat for any special occasion! (Gluten-free, refined sugar free, and dairy-free!)
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Spring is here and I couldn’t be more excited!
Once the nicer weather hits, I want everything lemon and strawberry and this moist, but light and fresh lemon cake is the perfect treat! Whether you’re looking for a gluten-free Easter treat, gluten-free baby shower treats, or a healthier dessert for Mother’s day, spring and summer birthdays, Fourth of July, and every occasion in between, you’ll fall hard for these cuties!
If you want more spring desserts, try my strawberry icebox cake!
Why you’ll love these gluten-free lemon cupcakes
- They are effortless, but beautiful!
- These lemon cupcakes are gluten-free, grain free, refined sugar free, and dairy free!
- They are the perfect marriage of moist cake with fluffy coconut whip and fresh berries.
- Bursting with lemon flavor! So light & fresh.
- Great for any special occasion!
- These cupcakes are made with healthier, better for you ingredients than your typical cupcake or boxed cake mix!
How to make gluten-free lemon cupcakes
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Cupcake pan: This is the beautiful pan I used! I’m so excited to use it for all sorts of desserts. You can use my code “Dani10off” for 10% off your order!
- Zester: This one is my favorite!
- Cookie scoop: You don’t have to use a cookie scoop, but I find this the easiest method to get an even amount of batter into each cupcake crevice.
Ingredients
- Lemons: Fresh lemons are the star of the show! We will be using both the juice and the zest!
- Almond flour: Almond flour creates the most fluffy but moist cake. There is no 1:1 substitute, other than cashew flour.
- Tapioca flour: Tapioca flour adds to the amazing texture of this lemon cake. I haven’t tested any substitutes but I think arrowroot would work.
- Maple syrup: You can also use honey! Honey and lemon make an incredible pairing.
- Eggs: Eggs help bind the cake together and create the perfect fluffy texture. They cannot be subbed.
- Coconut sugar or monk fruit
- Coconut whipped cream: I like to use So Delicious coconut whip (it tastes amazing and you’d have no idea it was dairy free!). However, you can use cool whip or your favorite whipped cream.
- Fresh Organic Strawberries: It’s important to buy organic strawberries when possible! Strawberries are heavily sprayed with pesticides. There is nothing better than a fresh, juicy strawberry!
Steps to make gluten-free lemon cupcakes
- Mix together the cupcake batter
- Divide the batter amongst your cupcake tin. This is the cupcake tin I used to make the hollowing out process a piece of cake (it bakes with the center already hollowed out so you don’t have to do it and they turn out so beautiful). But you can also use a regular cupcake tin!
- Bake! Then, let the cupcakes cool to room-temp.
- Fill the cupcakes with coconut whip and top with fresh strawberries and lemon zest. If you aren’t using the pan I used, simply use a small butter knife to cut out a hole in the top of the cupcake and hollow out a little of the center to allow room to add the whipped cream!
What cupcake pan/mold works best for these cupcakes?
You have a few options! I used this hollowed out cupcake pan which not only makes these extra beautiful, because they come out perfectly, but makes them so easy to make. I feel like this pan is a great purchase because the possibilities are endless with what you could do with cupcakes like this! If you want a discount on the pan, you can use code “dani10off“.
However, if you don’t want to purchase a new pan, you can use a standard cupcake tin. After baking the cupcakes, you will just use a small knife to cut a circle out of the top and hollow out the cupcake yourself. You simply just remove a little bit of the cupcake center to make room for the coconut whipped cream.
Make them beautiful! Here are a few fun ways to top these cupcakes:
- Top with a mixture of fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
- Top with fresh berries and a sprinkle of flaked almonds.
- Sprinkle a little crushed granola over top.
- Add some shaved white chocolate over the coconut whip!
- Add edible flowers to the cupcakes.
- Top them with some fresh mint! Fresh mint, lemon, and berries pair so well together.
- Add candied lemon peel on top.
More healthy dessert recipes to try
- Carrot cake bites
- Strawberry icebox cake
- Vegan snickers cheesecake
- No bake vegan caramel pumpkin pecan cheesecake
- Blender banana coffee cake muffins
- No bake apple crumble cheesecake
gluten free lemon cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
Filling
- 1 container coconut whip or cool whip
- 1 pint fresh strawberies
- lemon zest
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Grease your cupcake tin well.
- Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a hand-mixer on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds or until combined.
- Bake in the oven for 20-30 min (time will vary depending on your oven/brands used). Use a toothpick to make sure the middle is cooked through. They should feel set to touch but may still be lightly colored on top. Let cool before removing the cupcakes from the pan.
- If you used the pan I did in the pictures/videos, you dont have to worry about this next step, but if you used a standard muffin pan you'll want to take a butter knife and make a small circle in the top of each cupcake. Hollow out the center slightly, to make room for the whipped topping.
- Pipe the center of the cupcakes with coconut whip (you can also just spoon it in if you don't care about it being perfect!). Top with fresh strawberry halves and extra lemon zest. Enjoy!
