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Home » Gluten-Free

Vanilla Cupcakes {coconut flour}

Jun 26, 2011 · 187 Comments

Here's a very simple, festive vanilla cupcake recipe using coconut flour.

To get a very vanilla taste to these cupcakes, you can add vanilla bean seeds. And here's a video on how to scrape the vanilla seeds from a vanilla bean.

People do a lot of interesting things with vanilla beans. Besides steeping it in milk and cream when making vanilla ice cream, you can make your own vanilla extract, put it in your vacuum bag to freshen up your "environment", or add it to baked and seasoned dishes, as I've done here with this vanilla cupcake recipe. I also added vanilla beans to the buttercream frosting on these cupcakes in the photo above.

Vanilla beans are not inexpensive, so no worries if you don't have one—these cupcakes will still make someone's day without the extra vanilla.

So that I haven't left you with a naked cupcake, here's some posts that have frosting for your cupcakes:

  • maple whipped cream
  • whipped coconut cream
  • marshmallow and creamy vanilla frosting
  • more marshmallow topping
  • chocolate frosting using coconut oil
  • buttercream frosting (vanilla, mocha, and chocolate)
  • chocolate frosting using avocado

Update on 3/15/2025: These cupcakes also work well with baking powder, so I've added a second version of this recipe below the original. It’s totally up to you, but if you’re ok with baking powder, your cupcakes will get a better rise and a slightly domed top which is nice to layer with frosting. Baking powder tends to have starch and aluminum added to it however you can find baking powder that is free of both these ingredients when searching online. I haven't tried it yet, but New England Cupboard makes a starch-free baking powder with no additives.

As featured in
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook
Everyday Keto Baking by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Everyday Keto Baking
Add to List Go to List Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Vanilla Cupcakes {coconut flour}

Update on 3/15/2025: I've tested this recipe with the addition of baking powder and it works quite well and the cupcakes rise more than without it. I've added the recipe using baking powder below this one.
I use 2 tablespoons of coconut milk for this cupcake recipe to make it a more tender muffin. You can use any dairy or dairy-free milk.  I recommend parchment cupcake liners or silicone muffin liners for all cupcakes made with coconut flour and I know some readers also grease the liners.  
If you'd like to reduce or replace the oil or butter in this recipe, you can replace all or part of it with an equal amount of applesauce.
For SCD, use honey only.
The Keto version can be found in my Everyday Keto Baking cookbook. Or, replace the honey with a low-carb sweetener. See my book for more details.
Servings: 8 cupcakes
Calories: 210kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup olive oil or sunflower seed oil or other oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup or honey
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk or other milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • seeds from one vanilla bean optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C, or gas mark 4).
  • Combine all the dry in ingredients, except for the vanilla seeds, and blend well.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a mixer to blend well. You can use a food processor, hand or standing mixer to get it well-blended. Let the batter sit for a few minutes and mix once more. Optionally, add the vanilla beans and blend well. The batter is thin.
  • Fill cupcake liners about ¾ of the way with batter.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  • Cool and then frost.
  • Store covered for a few days at room temperature, or the refrigerator for a few weeks, or freeze for a few months.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
As featured in
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
The Healthy Coconut Flour Cookbook
Everyday Keto Baking by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Everyday Keto Baking
Add to List Go to List Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Vanilla Cupcakes {coconut flour & baking powder}

Servings: 8 cupcakes
Calories: 215kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup olive oil or sunflower oil or other oil
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk or other milk
  • ½ cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C, or gas mark 4).
  • Prepare a muffin or cupcake pan with parchment cupcake liners.
  • Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend well.
  • Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk or blend with a spatula.
  • Fill the cupcake liners about three quarters of the way with batter.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until the cupcakes are starting to turn golden on top.
  • Cool fully before frosting. Store covered for a few days or in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Cheryl C says

    September 27, 2024 at 5:37 am

    So far my batter is thick…I think I should have had all room temperature ingredients, I believe my coconut oil solidified when it was added.
    Going to bake them anyway, we will see

    Reply
    • Erica says

      September 27, 2024 at 5:39 am

      Hi Cheryl, should be ok as long as the coconut oil was blended well before it solidified. Or, let the batter sit out to reach room temperature and then blend the batter again.

      Reply
  2. Julz says

    September 28, 2022 at 9:08 pm

    Made these vanilla cupcakes tonight for my daughters first birthday tomorrow and the taste is great, but the texture is off. Followed your recipe (almost) exact using unsalted butter for oil and maple for sweetener (slightly less than 1/2 cup) . They are sunken in the center and very dense/heavy. The opposite of light and fluffy lol. What do you think went wrong?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      September 28, 2022 at 10:11 pm

      Hi Julz! There are a few reasons why a cake or cupcake might sink in the middle: It could be underbaked, some of the ingredients were too cold, the baking soda expired, or there was too much liquid in the batter. If you think there was too much liquid you can add a pinch more coconut flour to the batter next time. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Julz says

        September 29, 2022 at 9:53 am

        Thanks! Tested the baking soda and ruled that out. How much more coconut flour would you add if I don’t change anything else? I baked them for 18 mins initially, then 3, and another 3 till toothpick was clean for a total of 24 mins baked. I think adding flour will be the best thing to try next time. I melted the butter and everything else was room temperature so I don’t think anything was too cold. Super bummed I used my only vanilla bean on the first attempt Thanks for replying so quick!

        Reply
        • Erica says

          September 29, 2022 at 4:02 pm

          Bummer, sorry. Baking is tricky sometimes. Let me know if you still have issues. Feel free to message me via Instagram.

          Reply
  3. Steph says

    August 30, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    5 stars
    I've made a lot of alternative recipes over the last 10 years, even though I don't have any dietary requirements simply because I like the taste better. I just made this recipe with my kids, using maple syrup, rice bran oil and water instead of milk (to make I'd dairy free without opening a new mylk). It was amazing - one of my favourites and will now become a go-to. My son (5) who has eaten lots of different foods including very sugary ones, said this was one of the best. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Ashley Rivera says

    October 11, 2020 at 5:22 pm

    Are these cupcakes low carb?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      October 11, 2020 at 7:38 pm

      For low carb and Keto, see my recipe in my Keto cookbook.

      Reply
  5. Juliette says

    March 21, 2020 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    Man these were good. My whole famIlya loved them!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      March 21, 2020 at 11:13 am

      Thank you! I have frostings and toppings in my cookbooks and on this site. Check the chocolate cupcakes for some butter cream versions. Best wishes!

      Reply
    • Erica says

      March 21, 2020 at 11:13 am

      Thank you!!

      Reply
      • AS says

        January 02, 2022 at 8:26 pm

        Why is the calorie count high even though healthier ingredients are being used?

        Reply
        • Erica says

          January 02, 2022 at 8:38 pm

          Most of the calories are coming from the oil, and to a lesser extent the sweetener. You can lower the calories by replacing some or most of the oil with apple sauce.

          Reply
  6. Juliette says

    March 21, 2020 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    OMG these were sooooooo good. I loved them ,mom loved them, and my brothers did. So what's a good topping for them?

    Reply
  7. Carolyn says

    December 05, 2019 at 4:53 am

    These look so yummy! I want to try making these without any sugar because my son has a rare genetic disorder and cannot have any sugars. How would removing the honey or maple syrup change the consistency and should I change the amounts of the other ingredients?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 05, 2019 at 7:55 am

      I haven't tried it but you can try replacing the lost liquid volume from the honey and add low-carb sweetener.

      Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 21, 2020 at 7:28 am

      5 stars
      My daughter has a genetic disorder as well. She cannot have sugar. We made these with monk fruit sugar as per her dietitian - Monk fruit sugar is lower on the Glycemic scale. We've also made them w/o the maple syrup and added a apple sauce instead. Very good.

      Reply
      • Erica says

        February 21, 2020 at 8:31 am

        Great to hear! Best wishes 🙂

        Reply
  8. Ap says

    November 09, 2019 at 8:25 am

    5 stars
    Will using salted butter affect the cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      November 09, 2019 at 9:01 am

      I recommend using unsalted, but if you only have salted butter then omit the salt. I don't think it will affect the recipe too much.

      Reply
  9. Dina says

    April 10, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Would I have to double the recipe for a square pan?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 11, 2019 at 7:41 pm

      It depends on the size of the pan. For an 8x8 inch square probably not. But for a larger sheet pan cake, such as 9x11 inches, I would double it.

      Reply
  10. Dee says

    March 14, 2019 at 5:41 am

    I'm definitely going to try this!
    I'm on Keto so how would i replace the maple syrup please with a low carb sweetner? Just not so sure of the conversion. Thank you so much

    Reply
    • Erica says

      March 18, 2019 at 10:22 pm

      To replace with a low-carb sweetener, it would depend on the recommended conversion, so use what the manufacturer calls for to make a 1:1 substitution for sugar and then add the equivalent measurement in liquid to make up for the loss in liquid from honey or maple syrup. So, for this recipe, you'll use the amount of low-carb sweetener to convert to 1/2 cup of sugar and then add 1/2 cup of liquid as well (water, milk, or dairy-free milk).

      Reply
  11. Nikki says

    September 07, 2018 at 9:09 pm

    Unfortunately this recipe didn't work out for me,
    The cake was very eggy, and tasted like baked eggs. I was really looking forward to this recipe and I was almost positive that it was gonna work, now all I have are wasted ingredients.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      September 10, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      I would check your measurements, and confirm you are using coconut flour. This is a well-tested recipe.

      Reply
  12. Fran says

    June 14, 2018 at 8:59 am

    Thank you Erica. My child is mainly allergic to the egg whites so would it would using just the egg yolks?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      June 18, 2018 at 8:15 pm

      I don't know if using just the yolks would work. The white contains protein that bonds the ingredients. Can you use chia or flaxseed meal?

      Reply
  13. Fran says

    June 05, 2018 at 7:15 pm

    I have made these cupcakes many times and kids love them. But just found out my kid has a egg allergy. Is there a way to make these using some kind of egg replacement? Thanks!

    Reply
  14. Fran says

    June 05, 2018 at 10:32 am

    I have made these cupcakes and kids love them. But just found out my kid has a egg allergy. Is there a way to make these using some kind of egg replacement? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      June 05, 2018 at 1:16 pm

      It will be tricky. I recommend flaxseed meal to replace the eggs, but not for all 4 eggs. To use no more than 2 flaxseed eggs, cut the recipe in half. I haven't tried this specifically with this recipe, but in general I've found no more than 2 flaxseed eggs in baked goods.

      Reply
      • Jennifer Bartlett says

        February 14, 2023 at 10:21 am

        Hi Erica, do you think I could use 3 whites and one yolk? OR 4 whites and 1 yolk? I ask because I am trying to reduce cholesterol and also my child is sensitive to yolk.

        Reply
        • Erica says

          February 14, 2023 at 11:27 am

          Yes, I think so. I haven't tried it but it might be a bit wetter. If the batter seems too thin and a pinch more coconut flour.

          Reply
          • Jennifer Bartlett says

            February 14, 2023 at 4:08 pm

            UPDATE: I used the whites from 4 large eggs, and just one yolk, and they turned out beautifully! I also used a very mild flavored EVOO and the texture is moist and delicious. Luckily my daughter didn't taste the olive oil. I am thrilled. Thank you for this recipe!

        • Jennifer Bartlett says

          February 14, 2023 at 4:09 pm

          5 stars
          UPDATE: I used the whites from 4 large eggs, and just one yolk, and they turned out beautifully! I also used a very mild flavored EVOO and the texture is moist and delicious. Luckily my daughter didn't taste the olive oil. I am thrilled. Thank you for this recipe!

          Reply
          • Erica says

            February 14, 2023 at 5:28 pm

            Hi Jennifer! Great to hear. Love using EVOO 🙂

  15. Sarah says

    January 24, 2018 at 12:20 pm

    I poured this into a 9 inch cake pan, but it’s not as thick as I’d like. Would making a double batch and splitting between two pans work okay? Maybe just bake them longer (I had to do 25 minutes for the one I made)? Also, this came out VERY sweet. Not sure if some honey is sweeter than others, but 1/2 cup was definitely too much. It overpowered any vanilla taste. Would I need to add more milk to it if I reduced the honey amount? I really want to find a cake recipe that tastes good for my son's bday party on Sunday. I was hoping this would have worked, but I think it’s too sweet to serve.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      January 24, 2018 at 7:44 pm

      Yes, I think you can reduce the honey and add more milk. Do you use almond and coconut flour together? My favorite birthday cake is the one in my SCD book which uses both flours.

      Reply
  16. Sara says

    April 29, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    What icing recipe is in the photo?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      May 02, 2017 at 9:18 am

      It's whipped cream. You can find various frostings/icings on my site - use the search at the top.

      Reply
  17. Melissa says

    April 16, 2017 at 9:36 pm

    What's the nutrition facts on these? They were fantastic btw!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 16, 2017 at 11:18 pm

      Thanks! Yes, this is a very reliable recipe. I don't list nutrition info, but it's easy to find using internet or phone apps.

      Reply
      • Erica says

        September 03, 2020 at 9:52 am

        Updated with nutritional info 🙂

        Reply
  18. Judith Brighton says

    April 16, 2017 at 2:35 pm

    I am sorry if I've already commented on this recipe, but it just keeps on being great! It is my GO-TO dessert recipe because I can make it all in a 1-quart pyrex measuring cup, using my old hand egg-beater! Paper cupcake liners, and boom! Gorgeous, moist vanilla cupcakes that are great with or without icing! Tonight, I might just go with whipped cream! I cannot say too much about this recipe - it's brilliant! 🙂

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 16, 2017 at 11:10 pm

      Awesome! it is a reliable, easy recipe. I have an old hand beater too! So much easier than setting up and cleaning a mixer 🙂

      Reply
  19. suzy says

    March 08, 2017 at 5:15 am

    celebrated my granddaughter's fourth birthday on the weekend and this recipe was a hit!...we searched long and hard for celebratory food choices using non-inflammatory, quality ingredients that would appeal to kids and adults alike...i used half honey/half maple syrup...didn't have a bean but will definitely try that option next time...and there will be many 'next times'..in fact, before i packed up and drove back home from my son's house, i baked up another triple batch per his request!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      March 08, 2017 at 8:34 am

      Thanks, so good to hear! Happy Birthday to your granddaughter 🙂

      Reply
  20. Trish says

    March 05, 2017 at 3:59 am

    there must be a misprint. 1/2 c coconut flour is not enough. it looks like soup.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      March 05, 2017 at 9:15 am

      Yes, the batter is thin. It will bake well.

      Reply
  21. Betsy says

    December 06, 2016 at 9:05 pm

    This is a great recipe! Thank you. I have made them several times. One was even a wedding cake! Love the tip on letting the mixture sit for a few. I feel it makes a big difference.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 07, 2016 at 8:34 am

      Awe, thanks so much! Love that it worked for a wedding cake. Cheers, Erica 🙂

      Reply
  22. Lin says

    June 26, 2016 at 10:46 am

    My cupcake are slightly too moist inside. How can I make the cupcake less moist?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 06, 2016 at 5:18 pm

      add a bit more coconut flour

      Reply
  23. Alt Food Guy says

    February 07, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    These are great cupcakes and easy to make. I even made my own coconut/honey frosting to top them off

    Reply
  24. Epiphius says

    November 06, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    Absolutely fine! Not too much fiber and I usually make this as mini cupcakes for kiddo birthdays or baby showers. They turn out just as tasty but are a little extra cute! 🙂

    Reply
  25. Victoria says

    September 29, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    What would happen if more milk was added to this receipe?

    I really want to make an earl-grey cupcake (like this: http://www.bhg.com/blogs/delish-dish/2014/05/06/lavender-earl-grey-cupcakes/), but want to use coconut flour.

    (or perhaps you have other ideas about how to get the earl grey flavor in this cupcake recipe?)

    Thank you!! Excited to try this!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      September 29, 2014 at 7:01 pm

      I've haven't tried this, but, I think you can let tea sit in the milk for quite a while to infuse it naturally. Another option would be to simmer the coconut milk and earl gray tea for a while until it's reduced to 2 tablespoons. Let me know if you try it!

      Reply
      • Victoria says

        September 30, 2014 at 6:16 am

        Thanks for you reply! Hmm, simmering it could be a good idea....

        The recipe with the earl grey cupcakes calls for a lot more milk than in this recipe (e.g. 2/3s a cup of milk - granted, the recipe is for 18 cupcakes http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/lavender-honey-cupcakes/)

        Would adding more milk (like 5-6 tbsp) to your recipe cause the cupcakes to be overly moist? (i'm a beginner with baking, bear with me!)

        Reply
  26. Vivian says

    September 04, 2014 at 10:41 am

    These cupcakes are amazing!!! Moist and fluffy but not eggy! I have a hard time finding coconut flour recipes that have a good texture... Will make again!!!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      September 04, 2014 at 9:54 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  27. Jordan says

    August 24, 2014 at 6:36 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these...so delicious!... So healthy and tasty!!... Sweet but not too sweet!
    I had to cook mine for 25 mins and they were very brown on the outside but the inside was perfectly moist!

    Made cream cheese icing on top using coconut sugar! The two pairings worked very well together!
    Would also recommend melting dark chocolate to drizzle on top 🙂
    Or almond butter to use as a breakfast muffin.
    Definitely use your imagination with toppings

    Loving these alternative recipes for baking!!

    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      August 24, 2014 at 9:18 pm

      Thanks, Jordan. I've never had these turn dark, but glad they worked out.

      Reply
  28. Alisha says

    July 02, 2014 at 7:08 pm

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I was craving something cupcake-y and came across this site.

    I started making these and then found out I was out of vanilla (ugh - of course I would run out of vanilla). I ended up using mostly almond extract with a little lemon extract - and the cupcakes still turned out amazing.

    On a side note, I have a feeling if I add poppy seeds or raspberries to my almond/lemon mishap - I would have a very tasty muffins. 🙂

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 02, 2014 at 11:41 pm

      You're welcome! I love fruitful mishaps 🙂

      Reply
  29. Bridgette says

    February 22, 2014 at 9:37 am

    5 stars
    Have a second batch of these in the oven now. Made them for my birthday after completing the Whole30 and not wanting to reintroduce anything (aside from the honey), these were perfect! Not only were they perfect for my dietary needs, but they were more moist and simply more amazing than any other cupcake I've ever tasted. My entire family (who happily eats real junk food and enjoys it) absolutely loved them as well. Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂

    Reply
  30. Ashley S says

    February 13, 2014 at 4:05 pm

    Just for anyone who may be interested, I tripled this recipe today and made a 9 inch 2 layer cake and it turned out beautifully. So if you'd like to make a cake instead of cupcakes, it works very well!

    Reply
  31. deborah gessell says

    January 05, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    I am going to bake these today. Refined and GMO foods, especially high fructose corn syrup, have ruined my son's stomach over the past 10 years and we are using coconut parts all the time.

    Reply
  32. Marian says

    December 26, 2013 at 7:53 am

    I made this cake for Christmas yesterday. I used butter and 4 tbsp full fat coconut milk. It was delicious and moist. The only thing that I found is that it didn't rise. I'm going to play with the baking soda to see if I can't get a more cake like rise to it. Huge hit and I can't wait to share with my readers!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 26, 2013 at 11:33 am

      you may want to test your baking soda to make sure it's still active. To do this, put a few tablespoons of white vinegar into a small bowl and add a teaspoon of baking soda. It should bubble and the foaming should take several moments to subside. The more bubbles, the more potent the baking soda. If there is no reaction, or you only end up with a handful of small bubbles, you need to replace you baking soda.

      Reply
    • Nicole says

      November 21, 2014 at 2:22 pm

      I just came across your post and was wondering if you ever figured out the rising issue. I just made these last night and had the same problem. I tested the baking soda and it was fine. I really need to figure it out before next week...babies first birthday so I am practicing. Please help if you can

      Reply
      • Erica says

        November 21, 2014 at 6:37 pm

        I've never had a problem with these, they turn out great.

        Reply
  33. Christy says

    November 22, 2013 at 4:22 pm

    5 stars
    Our family is now getting away from modified food starches of any kind. All the recipes I have looked at on your blog here have been starch free. Thank you!!

    We baked these cupcakes tonight and LOVE them!!

    Reply
  34. Lauren says

    October 14, 2013 at 9:47 am

    If I was going to use this recipe to make a cake what size pan would you recommend?

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      October 14, 2013 at 2:19 pm

      This recipe makes one layer of a cake, so I'd use an 8 or 9-inch round pan.

      Reply
      • Lauren says

        October 15, 2013 at 5:47 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
  35. Alison says

    July 10, 2013 at 5:25 am

    This was my first time baking with coconut flour .... They taste amazing! My 2year old is going to love eating one for tomorrow's snack !

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 10, 2013 at 8:20 am

      Good to hear!

      Reply
  36. Makayle says

    June 23, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    Can you use regular liquid vanilla extract instead of the beans?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      June 23, 2013 at 8:48 pm

      Yes, or leave it out.

      Reply
  37. Marie says

    May 15, 2013 at 6:43 pm

    Hello - I made these tonight, but I can't figure out what it is I'm doing wrong. They came out TERRIBLY. They looked fine when I pulled them out of the oven, but when I went to remove them from the cupcake pan, i noticed that anything that was not directly exposed to the heat looked like a gelatinous mess. Upon further inspection, they were deflated and EXTREMELY oily and jiggly. When I picked one up, oil literally oozed from it into my hand. I followed the recipe and directions to a t. Now it's just a lot of good ingredients wasted because these are too disgusting to eat. Any ideas what happened?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      May 18, 2013 at 8:55 am

      not sure, but did you follow the recipe, or sub any ingredients?

      Reply
  38. Heather says

    April 19, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    I'm new to gluten free baking and this is my first recipe using coconut flour. These are the best cupcakes I've ever had!! They came out perfectly! Very moist and light with a wonderful coconut flavor. I also made the vanilla buttercream frosting (with maple syrup) and it is a perfect topping for the cupcakes. Actually, these cupcakes are so great they don't even need frosting! Thank you for posting such yummy, simple, easy to make recipes! I'm looking forward to baking many more of your recipes!

    Reply
  39. NOVAmom says

    March 09, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    hmm...these aren't awful. Mine came out a bit dry and more muffin-like than cake-like. And they definitely need frosting because they don't come out particularly pretty 😛 I had very high hopes, as I'm trying these grain-free recipes for my son's first birthday (we don't feed him any grains). The only substitute I made was using liquid stevia and unsweetened applesauce in place of the honey/syrup since I'm a type 2 diabetic.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      March 09, 2013 at 11:06 pm

      Yeah, I think this recipe really needs the full moisture of the liquid sweetener. Subbing in other ingredients is not always ideal.

      Reply
  40. Candice says

    March 02, 2013 at 7:23 am

    What kind of oil would you recommend using

    Reply
    • Erica says

      March 02, 2013 at 9:50 am

      I would say almost any oil but a finishing oil would work here. One with the least flavor would be good so it doesn't over power the vanilla flavoring - my personal choice would be sunflower oil, coconut oil, or ghee.

      Reply
  41. Jo-Anna says

    February 13, 2013 at 10:48 am

    I just made these and they are fantastic! Thank you so much for the recipe! We're new to gluten free, and baking is hard work, but these are a hit! Yum!
    Jo-Anna

    Reply
  42. Liyana says

    February 04, 2013 at 3:42 pm

    Wow! I just made this and it tastes amazing! Definitely for vanilla-lovers like myself! I didn't have a muffin pan so I baked it for 30 minutes in a 7" round cake pan and they came out perfect! Moist with a soft and crumbly texture. I did reduce the amount of honey to 1/3 cup as I prefer only lightly sweetened cakes. I also added some chopped macadamia nuts and dried cranberries because I happen to have some on hand.

    I'm definitely making this again probably adding other dried fruit or nuts or even spices. I can't thank you enough for sharing this wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      February 04, 2013 at 3:57 pm

      you're welcome! Yes, I sometimes add less honey as well. It actually bakes well with a bit less honey. Cheers!

      Reply
  43. Mari says

    December 20, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    Hi Erica,
    Can I use a bundt cake pan? I am not sure if the consistency will change.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 20, 2012 at 5:00 pm

      hmmm. I don't know.

      Reply
  44. Alissabeth says

    December 12, 2012 at 9:43 am

    I'm also getting a cookie dough type texture. This is not a 'batter' by any means....have to roll it off the spoon to get it in the liner. I used 1/2 honey, 1/2 syrup and liquified coconut oil....and even tried adding a tad bit of water to see if it would thin, but it didn't. I'm afraid they're going to be more like a muffin....we'll see.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:55 am

      Batters come in all shapes and sizes :). Yes, this can be more of a "scoopable" batter, but keep the faith. As long as you followed the directions it should be fine. BTW, the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of honey OR syrup.

      Reply
      • Alissabeth says

        December 12, 2012 at 10:20 am

        I have some local honey that's VERY sweet, so i used 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 syrup, as I've found that just honey is too much. 🙂

        Reply
  45. jodi says

    November 06, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    I made these for my Daughter's fourth birthday knowing they would be eaten by non~ gluten free, non grain free family. They passed the test with everyone. They were better than any gluten white cake cupcakes I have ever eaten. I have used coconut flour many times and seem to haveixed success with it but this was the best coconut flour recipe I have tried.

    Reply
  46. kate says

    September 13, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    I am vegan and I have egg replacers (the powder form you mix with water) and can I usees this in place of eggs?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      September 13, 2012 at 8:19 pm

      I haven't tried it, but it should work if it is meant to act as a binder.

      Reply
  47. ANGIE says

    August 28, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    Hi.

    I was wondering what type of oil you use to make these cupcakes? Is coconut oil okay? Thank you

    Reply
    • Erica says

      August 28, 2012 at 3:25 pm

      yes, or vegetable oil, or butter.

      Reply
  48. Sarah says

    August 26, 2012 at 6:04 pm

    Made these using brown sugar instead of honey, and lard and coconut oil for the fat. Baked for 10 minutes in a muffin top pan. They taste like cake donuts!!

    Reply
  49. Birthday Mom says

    August 25, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    Do you think this will taste as yummy if I freeze them for a few days before a birthday party then thaw and frost the day of the birthday party?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      August 25, 2012 at 5:26 pm

      I would guess they would be ok, but not as good as when freshly made.

      Reply
  50. Bethany says

    August 20, 2012 at 9:36 pm

    Do you use non-stick cooking spray on the the cupcake liners?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      August 20, 2012 at 9:56 pm

      No, but I use liners that are non-stick: http://astore.amazon.com/comfybelly-20/detail/B000FAIR96

      Reply
  51. wolfxfox says

    August 05, 2012 at 3:01 pm

    I just baked these and they are divine! Thank you so much. I googled coconut flour cupcake and got directed to your site. I am definitely getting your site on my reader! Thanks a million.

    Reply
  52. Mari says

    July 30, 2012 at 9:06 am

    These turned out great. I was thinking about using the same recipe, but change vanilla extract for almond extract.

    Reply
  53. Mari says

    June 21, 2012 at 9:29 am

    I baked these yesterday. They are absolutely amazing! Your SCD recipes are the best. Thank you sooo much.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 24, 2012 at 12:23 pm

      Thanks! So glad you have a treat being on SCD 🙂

      Reply
  54. Ronnda Stapleton says

    April 06, 2012 at 9:46 pm

    Hi! Do you have a suggestion to use instead of honey for a sweetener? Would stevia work?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 06, 2012 at 11:00 pm

      I haven't used Stevia, but do a search on Stevia on the site. Others have used it along with glycerin for the added moisture that honey has. I sub maple syrup with honey, and some have used sugar-free maple syrup.

      Reply
  55. stef says

    March 26, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    i just made these and they just came out of the oven. i haven't tried them but they smell amazing and licking the mixer paddle proved that they are going to taste great. however, every time i bake with coconut flour, my batter thickens up and becomes "scoopable", read more cookie dough. Is that how your batter looks? As a result, I don't get a smooth surface on the top of the cupcake. It's just a cosmetic thing but I'm just curious.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alissabeth says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:41 am

      Just had this happen too. I think it's from trying to get the lumps of flour out. Wondering if I had sifted the flour if it wouldn't have been as lumpy....

      Reply
      • Erica says

        December 12, 2012 at 9:53 am

        Sifting might help, but it's mostly the nature of coconut flour. Mixing it for a while is what I've found works the best.

        Reply
    • Erica says

      December 12, 2012 at 9:52 am

      (sorry about the late reply)

      Yes, they are more "scoopable", in general. Once trick I've found is if you leave the batter in the mixer and let the mixer "mix" for a while (I have an old Kitchen Aid mixer that keeps going) the batter does get thinner. So I recommend mixing for a while with coconut flour. Also let it sit for a bit to absorb the moisture.

      Reply
      • Alissabeth says

        December 12, 2012 at 9:58 am

        I didn't have success with these spreading in the cups or rising at all. Definitely not fluffy like the picture! They just cooked basically. So, do you keep mixing past the really thick stage and then it thins out? And what do you consider 'a while' as? 🙂

        Reply
        • Erica says

          December 12, 2012 at 10:06 am

          It sounds like something is missing from the batter. Maybe baking soda? Or enough eggs?

          Reply
          • Alissabeth says

            December 12, 2012 at 10:09 am

            I got everything in there. Not sure what happened. Will have to just try again! 🙂 I did just come across your 'baking with coconut flour' post and saw the mixing instructions there.

          • Alissabeth says

            December 12, 2012 at 10:10 am

            They taste fine, just no the right texture!

    • Jordan says

      August 24, 2014 at 6:39 pm

      Make sure you melt the coconut oil when measuring...using it in its solid state will cause for more measurent

      Reply
  56. katie says

    February 22, 2012 at 2:56 pm

    I made these and added the zest & juice of one clementine to the batter instead of the vanilla beans -- they were SO good!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!!

    Reply
  57. Kristina says

    February 14, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    Perfect! I added mini chocolate chips and baked a 9" round cake for my 3-yr's birthday. He loved it, brother and sister loved it, and my husband said, "What cake is this? It's delicious!!" -- probably the only gluten free cake he's ever had, and my first to bake from scratch. I'm the only one eating "mostly-paleo" on purpose and I will totally use this recipe again! Very nice cake, worked at high altitude (5000ft), and great to have a non-chocolate option. I bet it would be good with raspberries stirred in. Oh and the cake took 20 min in the oven.

    Reply
    • Kristina says

      June 08, 2014 at 4:12 pm

      Two years later this is still one of my favorite recipes. I recently added blueberries and baked it as a coffee cake for church volunteers. I got 4 recipe requests!

      Reply
      • Erica says

        June 08, 2014 at 6:48 pm

        Good to hear! 🙂 You would love my blueberry coffee cake in my SCD book!

        Reply
  58. Noël says

    February 11, 2012 at 4:17 pm

    Oooooh, these were gooood 🙂 I'm making another batch today because the first 8 disappeared! YUMMY! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  59. Ann says

    December 26, 2011 at 8:42 am

    I added chocolate chips to these and melted chocolate on top, these also and they make wonderful chocolate chip cupcakes!

    Reply
  60. Eileen says

    December 20, 2011 at 11:19 am

    I have coconut shreds. Can this be turned into coconut flour? It is organic unsweetened as well. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 20, 2011 at 11:29 am

      If you have a food processor or high-speed blender, I'd say yes. You want it really ground up - like almost powder.

      Reply
      • Sky says

        May 20, 2023 at 10:47 am

        Why is there no baking powder? The cupcakes will be denser than normal without it normally?
        I'm making these for my colleagues at work, and need a bit of advice. I have only 10 eggs but want to make at least 20 cupcakes. Is that the right number for 20 cupcakes?

        Reply
        • Erica says

          May 20, 2023 at 10:54 am

          Hi Sky, you can swap baking powder with the baking soda, I believe others have had success with it. I used baking soda to comply with SCD. For 20 cupcakes, you'll need to triple the recipe which means 4 eggs x 3 or 12 eggs. It would be a bit tricky to go down to 20 cupcakes given the ratio of ingredients for 21 cupcakes, so I recommend getting 2 more eggs, for a total of 12.

          Reply
  61. Jennifer @ The Unrefined Kitchen says

    August 26, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    I just made the vanilla and chocolate cupcakes of yours today! The flavor and textures are great! I was wondering if you or someone would happen to know what I am doing wrong. Both sets of my cupcakes are sunken-in in the middle...and I notice yours are nicely rounded on top. Could that mean I am mixing too much or not enough? I used butter and honey in both recipes...everything else was exactly as written. Our elevation is 3,000 -- could that be affecting something? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      August 27, 2011 at 2:25 pm

      hmm. I only have the sinking with the almond flour and honey combo in baked goods. I wonder if it's the honey? Is it softer in the middle? that would indicate it's not fully baked. Otherwise, maybe add less honey?

      Reply
  62. Ashlei says

    July 12, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    Can I substitute the coconut flour for almond flour?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 12, 2011 at 7:21 pm

      no - the ratio of ingredients would be different here. Look for my fluffy cupcake recipe.

      Reply
  63. candice says

    July 12, 2011 at 10:41 am

    So glad to see new recipes for coconut flour. After 2 years on SCD I became really allergic to almond flour from over exposure and since then well I just don't even cook anymore 🙁 I can't wait to try these.

    Reply
  64. Evelyne White on Facebook says

    July 09, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    Just made the vanilla cupcakes for my birthday! Yum! Remind me of nilla wafers, back in the day... only taste much better and are better for you. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 09, 2011 at 5:11 pm

      Happy birthday!

      Reply
  65. Christina Mckninney says

    July 02, 2011 at 7:32 am

    Did you put vanilla bean in the icing?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 02, 2011 at 10:17 am

      Yes 🙂

      Reply
  66. Lisa says

    June 29, 2011 at 11:20 am

    I found your website recently and I love your recipes. I would love to try replacing the honey with Truvia but I am scared to try it. I was wondering if I would need to add some liquid i.e more butter/ oil or another egg to replace the missing liquid of the honey. I would love any suggestions you might have. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      June 29, 2011 at 12:00 pm

      I'm not familiar with Truvia, but yes, you do want to replace the liquid from the honey or maple syrup with something - my instinct says water would be good enough.

      Reply
  67. Comfy Belly on Facebook says

    June 28, 2011 at 8:04 am

    love your frosting!

    Reply
  68. Michelle Merritt on Facebook says

    June 28, 2011 at 7:34 am

    Oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These cupcakes are amazing!!!!!!!!! There are not enough exclamation points in the words. I made a chocolate mousse frosting with cocoa powder, heavy cream, 1 mashed banana, vanilla, maple syrup, soft butter and a tiny bit of coconut flour.My toddler and I just finished the last one and we are seriously thinking about making more.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      November 21, 2014 at 2:12 pm

      Would you consider giving me more specific directions with amounts for your yummy sounding icing?? Please 🙂

      Reply
  69. Karen says

    June 27, 2011 at 8:14 pm

    I just got allergy results back and both almond and egg yolks are gone. I know I could sub 2 egg whites for per egg, but have you ever found anything else you could use instead of eggs? Would chia seed work? I love the lightness of coconut flour but don't want to over use the egg whites. Ideas?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      June 27, 2011 at 10:51 pm

      Flax seed works, I believe, but I haven't tried it. Egg whites would probably be the best if you can do it, but check here as well: http://www.cybelepascal.com/?page_id=99

      Reply
    • Kirsten says

      December 09, 2012 at 3:29 am

      I substituted 3/4 cups flaxseed mixture and 1/4 cup banana. It's great!

      This website should help.

      http://chefinyou.com/egg-substitutes-cooking/

      Reply
      • Erica says

        December 09, 2012 at 7:00 am

        great site. thanks for the link and the info!

        Reply
  70. gg says

    June 27, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    Yum! Lots of people liked them here. It's good I made a double batch! The texture is really good. I can't wait to try the yellow cake. Thanks.

    Reply
  71. Comfy Belly on Facebook says

    June 27, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    Good question - which I don't know the answer too. Sorry.

    Reply
  72. Libby Phillips on Facebook says

    June 27, 2011 at 11:31 am

    so...what's the verdict on coconut flour for a 1 yr. olds birthday? would it be too much fiber - any thoughts?

    Reply
  73. Michelle says

    June 27, 2011 at 7:20 am

    These look great. We have a lot of August birthdays here. Your banana muffin recipe with chocolate chips and your flourless brownie recipe are staples in our house.
    Love your recipes! Had my brother's family over last pm and they took a few brownies home for later...

    Reply
  74. gluten free cupcake recipe says

    June 27, 2011 at 6:57 am

    Nice website! Greetings from Glory Foods.

    Reply
  75. Tracee Portka on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 10:04 pm

    I'm going to try your thin crust pizza too! Many thanks!

    Reply
  76. Tracee Portka on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 10:04 pm

    You are amazing! My son will be SOOO pleased. Thank you!

    Reply
  77. Jennifer and Jaclyn @ sketch-free vegan says

    June 26, 2011 at 8:29 pm

    We have a ton of coconut flour and were always looking for ways to use it. This is a good thing to remember when we need to use it up!

    Reply
  78. Cammy Buren on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 8:22 pm

    Oh gracious! I need these!!

    Reply
  79. Faith Epp on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 8:14 pm

    How did you know that I have coconut flour to make something with? 1st time trying it. I love the seeing the vanilla seeds in the frosting - almost like sprinkles. The chocolate cupcakes look good too. Hmm . . . which one to make 1st? Thanks for posting this.

    Reply
  80. Bianca says

    June 26, 2011 at 7:54 pm

    I have never used coconut flour but I have been meaning to- this recipe is spurring me to action. Off to the store I go!

    Reply
  81. Comfy Belly on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    wow - you're fast!

    Reply
  82. Debra Gaskell Curry on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    Just put them in the oven! Yummy smelling!

    Reply
  83. Debra Gaskell Curry on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 5:06 pm

    Love vanilla cupcakes and missing them since turning Paleo...can't wait to try this! thanks so much!

    Reply
  84. Michelle Merritt on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 5:06 pm

    I was just sitting here thinking about what to bake tomorrow with my son. I can't wait to make these! I prefer maple syrup too! Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  85. Kristin Celeste McFetters on Facebook says

    June 26, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    Yum! And just in time for birthdays around here! 🙂

    Reply

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Welcome! I'm Erica, a cookbook author and writer. I offer whole food, grain-free, and gluten-free recipes, tips, and more. I'm passionate about food and the human microbiome. Also, I love vegetables.

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