It is true that I didn’t get my first (and only) birthday cake until I turned 31. Until then it was always cupcakes though I’ve no idea why. They weren’t ever very fancy - just plain vanilla with a plain vanilla frosting but it was something I looked forward to just the same.

But as I grew older, I became a little more, how shall we say this, sophisticated with my cupcake taste. I wanted more chocolate, more icing, variety of flavours. Then I wanted healthy, then I wanted pretty and then I wanted them not just for celebrations but for lunch! My cupcake obsession was ridiculous.

And then tragedy struck - I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and unable to eat gluten. And for over a year and a half I couldn’t find a gluten-free cupcake to eat was frustrating because all of a sudden little cupcake shops were opening up everywhere and books dedicated to the tasty little treats were coming out like crazy.

It wasn’t until my trip to New York a few months ago that I had my first cupcake in years - thanks to Babycakes NYC. Oh. My. Word. I was happy. It was then I decided that I needed to reunite with the pretty little things and see them on a more regular basis. Luckily I found a recipe to help me do just that:

Celebratory Cupcakes
(take from GlutenGuide)

Yellow Gluten Free Cupcakes (adapted from Delphi Forums)
1 package Gluten Free Pantry Old Fashioned cake mix*
1 package Jello vanilla instant pudding
1/2 cup sugar
4 extra large eggs room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 C orange juice
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract

*Do not follow the directions on the package

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and beat on high speed for two minutes.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill liners 2/3 to ¾ of the way full.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If making a cake, grease the pan first, pour in the mix and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Domino Sugar)
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
1 stick (8T) of good unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
¼ cup of milk

Combine half of the sugar with the butter and beat on low speed. Add the wet ingredients and beat. Slowly add the rest of the sugar while mixing until combined. Beat on medium-high speed for at least two minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy. If you want the frosting to be a little bit stiffer (better for decorating) add powdered sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time. Frost cupcakes with icing at room temperature.

Tip - I find if I am going to a party that cupcakes are difficult to transport already frosted. Instead I keep the cupcakes and frosting in separate Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers and then frost them quickly upon arrival. They may not be pretty but they will taste good. This recipe stood up against cupcakes made by a professional working at Martha Stewart! Making homemade frosting is key – it doesn’t take that much extra effort on your part but it will take your baked goods to the next level.

Gluten Free Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

2 eight-ounce packages cream cheese, softened slightly, cut into small pieces
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened slightly, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5-5 ½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In a medium-size bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar and beat until well incorporated.

With 5 cups of sugar the icing will be slightly runny. If you want a stiffer icing, keep adding sugar until it reaches the desired consistency.

This frosting worked well with the gingerbread but would also be great with other quickbreads or hummingbird cake.