Copycat Hostess Cupcakes (Gluten Free & Vegan)
These homemade Copycat Hostess Cupcakes taste just like your favorite childhood treat yet they’re actually gluten free and vegan!
I recently made these Copycat Hostess Cupcakes for a dinner party that had vegan guests. The cupcakes are also gluten free so my daughter could eat them. Guess what, they were a hit! Even I was surprised how well they turned out. How exciting for my friends that couldn’t have dairy or gluten. They were able to enjoy a yummy treat and stick with their diet.
Before I share the recipe and instructions, I wanted to mention the current craziness. Yes, I’m speaking of the coronavirus. How are you all doing? Are you stir crazy yet? This social distancing/staying home thing isn’t easy but we are hanging in there and doing our part.
Trying to stay busy and of course, that includes baking. It’s truly very therapeutic for me and makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something. I will continue to share recipes with you and probably even more than I usually do since I have some extra time on my hands. I know cupcakes aren’t a necessity but they sure do make me smile and I hope they make you smile too!
Sending love and hugs to you all and praying for your health! Stay home and stay well everyone!
Back to the recipe.
How to make Copycat Hostess Cupcakes
1) Make gluten free vegan chocolate cupcakes and let them cool (recipe follows).
2) Meanwhile, make the vanilla filling and place in a pastry bag fitted with a #12 round tip.
3) Insert pastry tip into middle of cooled cupcake and squeeze filling into cupcake.
4) Let the filling spill onto the top just a little, then smooth with a offset spatula.
5) Refrigerate filled cupcakes for 1 hour.
6) Dip chilled cupcakes into melted chocolate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7) Pipe squiggles using the extra filling and a #5 round pastry tip.
When making gluten free/vegan cupcakes, they don’t rise up like regular cupcakes. But that’s ok because they’re completely delicious!
Fill the cupcakes with vanilla frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a #12 round tip. Insert the tip into the middle of the cupcake and squeeze until some frosting spills over the top. To make them more rounded, I piped some extra filling on top and spread it around with an offset spatula. Then I chilled the cupcakes to make them easier to work with when dipping into the chocolate ganache.
For the chocolate ganache, I simply melted chocolate chips and added some olive oil. That’s right, I said olive oil. But don’t worry, it doesn’t affect the flavor one bit. I chilled the dipped cupcakes for about 20 minutes to make sure the chocolate was set.
Now for the best part. Piping squiggles on the cupcakes was so much fun! And I think you will enjoy it too. I used a #5 round pastry tip and the same vanilla frosting that I used for the filling.
Make 7 loops as you pipe the vanilla frosting squiggles on top of your cupcakes.
Aren’t they cute and don’t they look so authentic. Just like your favorite vending machine treat (without the gluten and dairy of course). Yum!
I hope you enjoy these Copycat Hostess Cupcakes (Gluten Free & Vegan). Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Happy Baking!
Tools for success
Cake Decorating Kit – includes offset spatula, pastry bags, pastry tips #5 and #12
Note: The above items are affiliate links.
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Vegan Copycat Hostess Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups My Favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend by Mom Loves Baking
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla frosting for filling and squiggles on top
- 1/4 cup vegan margarine
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
For the chocolate ganache
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dairy free chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons light olive oil
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Add vinegar to almond milk in a small bowl. Stir and set aside. Meanwhile, place gluten free flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. Pour milk mixture, plus the oil and vanilla into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until everything is incorporated and you have a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool.
For the vanilla frosting (used for filling and squiggles on top)
- Place the margarine and shortening in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until smooth and creamy. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Once added, turn mixer up to medium and beat for a minute.
- Scoop frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a #12 round pastry tip. Fill cupcakes with vanilla frosting by inserting tip into the middle of each cupcake and squeeze until frosting spills over the top. Spread the extra frosting over the top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for an hour.
For the chocolate ganache
- Place chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat and stir again until completely smooth. Add oil and stir to combine. Dip chilled cupcakes into melted chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. For the squiggles on top: Change pastry tip to a #5 round tip. Squeeze about 7 loops onto the top middle of the chilled, chocolate covered cupcake. Serve and enjoy. Store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let us know by leaving a star rating and review!You might also like Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Cupcakes (Gluten Free)
Or Chocolate Sunbutter Cupcakes (Gluten Free, Vegan and Nut Free)
Or Nana’s Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins – they’re SO good!
All text and images © Lise Ode for Mom Loves Baking. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate. This post may contain affiliate links.
Hi! I was wondering- could I use a GF cup for cup flour and if so, is there anything I should swap out ?
Also, I’m not vegan, how could I change the vegan margarine etc? I’m not a fan of using margarine? Can I just use butter? And regular milk instead of almond milk?
Sorry if I’m being a pain!! I love baking and I love your recipes!! Having Celiac disease can feel like a punishment some days.
No worries. Yes, you can use the GF cup for cup flour. And you can substitute butter and milk, if you wish. Hope that helps. Enjoy!
It helps tremendously!!! I need to go make these today! Thanks Lise
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi! I know I messaged you about the recipe back in the spring when I said I was going to make them that day….. but I didn’t. I pinned this page so I wouldn’t forget. I know you said regular butter is ok – but what about the shortening?
Thanks so much for your time! Happy and Healthy holidays to you and your family!
Sorry for the delayed reply, the holidays got so busy last week. What are you asking about the shortening. Thank you, Lise
Hi, just wanted to let you know I was trying to read your delicious looking recipe but your page was inundated with ads that I couldn’t even get through it. Don’t know if others have the same problem?
Hi! These cupcakes look AMAZING!
I have celiac disease, so I appreciate that it is gluten free. However, is there a way to make it non-vegan? We have no dairy issues, and I know I can make it vegan, but I’d like to try it with dairy etc.
Thanks so much!!
You could substitute butter in the frosting (instead of the margarine and shortening).
When you say that you could also use King Arthur flour instead, do you just use 1.5 cups of that instead or do you still need the arrow root and Xanthan Gum ??
Hi Alex, Sometimes I substitute King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour INSTEAD of my Gluten Free Flour Blend Mix.
Hello. This is my first time attempting gluten free baking. I’m just wondering if these can be made with other gluten free flour or if it should be your recipe? And how much flour does your gluten free flower recipe yield? I’m not sure if I missed that info on your recipe for that. Thank you for your help!
You can try store bought gluten free flour if you wish. I like King Arthur the best.
Amazing and easy! Made these with my kids today in quarantine and have to say they are amazing. Thank you for an egg, dairy, and gluten free treat!!!
Yay! So happy to hear that you enjoyed them!
Hello!
The serving that you use to the nutrition facts, is one o two cupcakes?
=)
Thanks