Gluten Free Roy Rogers Cupcakes Recipe
Updated Feb 15, 2021, Published Oct 18, 2013
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It seems most of us have some sort of obsession in life. Personally I am a little obsessed with turning cocktails into gluten free cupcakes. Kiddie cocktails are no exception.
As kids, my sisters and I would always order Shirley Temples when we went out to a fancy restaurant with our parents. We felt so special when we sipped on our pretty little pink mocktails.
We were not allowed to drink soda when I was growing up except on very special occasions – Shirley Temples when dining out (which we rarely did), a cola on ice during our brief appearances at one of my parent’s cocktail parties, and ginger ale if we were sick. Apparently being sick was a special occasion in our house.
My sisters and I thought that Shirley Temples were strictly feminine. Girls ordered Shirley Temples, boys ordered Roy Rogers’. That’s just the way it was. I always wanted to order a Roy Rogers but I bent to the peer pressure and never did.
I am all grown up now and the idea of drinking a Roy Rogers (cola, grenadine syrup, and a maraschino cherry) doesn’t appeal to me much but the idea of a gluten free Roy Rogers cupcake – that’s a whole different story!
Recipe notes: I used my own gluten free all-purpose flour blend in this recipe but you can use any gf flour blend you like as long as it has some xanthan gum in it, if not add ½ teaspoon per cup of flour. For the maraschinos I used natural maraschino cherries which are available at some grocery stores and online. Also if you don’t have grenadine, just use maraschino cherry juice instead, if you buy the natural variety, there will be no corn syrup unlike in grenadine.
Happy trails to you…
Gluten Free Roy Rogers Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup buttermilk, or ½ cup dairy free milk with ½ tablespoon of white vinegar stirred in and left to sit for 5 minutes
- ½ cup cola
- ¼ cup grenadine or maraschino cherry juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (or dairy free butter substitute)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
Frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream, or dairy free whipped cream substitute
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, omit if using dairy free whipped cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, omit if using dairy free whipped cream
- 12 maraschino cherries with stems
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another mixing bowl whisk together the buttermilk, cola, grenadine, and vanilla and let sit until the cola stops fizzing.
- In an electric mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add half the flour, then the buttermilk mixture, then the remaining flour. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl making sure all ingredients are combined. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Frosting
- Whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top with a maraschino cherry.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These cupcakes look so yummy – and are GF! Yay!
Thanks Michelle!
Oh sweet grenadine! My sister and I used to drink Shirley Temples too :) I always felt so grown up! These are such fun cupcakes Carol, love it. Your pictures are beautiful, as always!
Thank you so much Maggie – my sisters and I felt oh so grown up drinking them too!
Delicious.