Dessert

Red Wine Buttercream with Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Red Wine Buttercream is sweet with all the flavor depth of your favorite red wine, the perfect garnish for your favorite gluten free cupcake!

Red Wine Buttercream

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Red, Red, Red Wine

Having a glass of red wine can be great for your health, but it has so many other delicious uses. I love using it to deglaze beef, or as a reduction.

I will admit, it’s not my favorite drink, but it is an excellent drink to cook with!

Red Wine Buttercream

Red Wine ButtercreamRed Wine Butter Cream

Generally, I am a fan of cream cheese icing; it has a little bit less sweetness than a traditional buttercream. Last year I shared my gluten free chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing with you. They are delicious, but I wanted to take them to the next level. Make them slightly more grown up.

Red Wine Buttercream is the perfect way to take a childhood favorite and turn it into an adult treat. The punch that the red wine gives this icing is divine.

The trick is to reduce the red wine- a lot. All that flavor, in concentrated form. Reducing the wine makes a delicious syrup.

I took a plate of these to my last MOPs meeting, and everyone loved them. The chocolate cupcakes are great but topped with the red wine buttercream; they are heaven!

Red Wine Buttercream

Recipe Notes

Red Wine

Use your favorite red wine. Remember the flavor will be concentrated, only sweeter when mixed into the icing, so choose wine you like.

Gluten Free Flour

Use your favorite gluten free all purpose flour. I like to use GF Jules, but as long as it isn’t bean based, it should work well.

Chocolate Chips

american gluten freeI love putting chocolate chips in my chocolate cupcakes. This time I used some I got in my American Gluten Free Box, they were bittersweet, so it added a depth of flavor.

Dairy Free

The good news is that the cupcakes are dairy free! The bad news is it is a “buttercream” icing. I haven’t tried it with earth balance bars, but I have made buttercream with shortening before, and it does work so that it would be worth a try. Next time I make these, I will try it using earth balance bars and see how it goes!

What is your absolute favorite kind of cupcake?

 

Red Wine Buttercream
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Red Wine Buttercream with Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Red Wine Butter Cream

  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened butter

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 cup Gluten Free Flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup gluten free cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon gluten free espresso powder optional
  • 1/4 cup gluten free mini chocolate chips I use Enjoy Life- gluten and dairy free!
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Red Wine Buttercream

  • Bring red wine to a boil, reduce heat to low and and allow to reduce for 15 to 20 minutes. It will be 2 to 3 tablespoons.
  • Put in refrigerator and let cool completely.
  • Beat softened butter.
  • Add in powder sugar, beat until well combined.
  • Beat in reduced red wine.

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Mix together dry ingredients.
  • Add wet ingredients and stir until well combined.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Using a quarter cup measuring cup, spoon into prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool completely.
  • Frost with red wine buttercream

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33 Comments

  • Reply
    Sasha @ Eat Love Eat
    February 21, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    I’ve seen the red wine and chocolate combo around a lot lately – it must be good!

  • Reply
    Abra
    February 20, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    The color is amazing! I love red wine and chocolate together so I’m sure this is great 🙂

  • Reply
    Whitney Bond
    February 19, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    Red wine and chocolate is the best combination in life! These look so delicious!

  • Reply
    Monica
    February 19, 2017 at 4:34 pm

    Whoa–red wine frosting!? Hubba hubba! 🙂 Seriously great idea!

  • Reply
    Alyssa @ A Bite of Inspiration
    February 18, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    This recipe is amazing! What’s not to love about chocolate cupcakes topped with red wine frosting? It’s genius! They’re so pretty too! Can’t wait to try these!

  • Reply
    Kitty
    February 17, 2017 at 6:26 pm

    Another way to enjoy red wine! Let me eat cake 😉

  • Reply
    Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
    February 12, 2017 at 12:50 pm

    Oh, I bet the concentrated red wine adds such an amazing flavor! These are just beautiful.

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:03 pm

      It adds so much flavor! I had no idea it would work so well!

  • Reply
    Lyn Corinne Liner
    February 12, 2017 at 9:33 am

    These look fantastic!! The frosting looks beautiful, and the cupcakes look melt-in-your-mouth moist and yummy.

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      Thanks, they are delicious!

  • Reply
    Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
    February 12, 2017 at 7:35 am

    I have to admit I would have never have thought of adding red wine to buttercream but this is amazing,

  • Reply
    Igor @ Cooking The Globe
    February 12, 2017 at 5:28 am

    This buttercream looks like a great fit for Valentine’s Day. Not only the color is pretty but the red wine addition is a nice idea too!

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      It is perfect for Valentine’s Day!

  • Reply
    Nancy | Plus Ate Six
    February 11, 2017 at 8:25 pm

    Well I never would have thought of using red wine in butter icing! You’re a genius 🙂

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      Thanks! I try!

  • Reply
    Tina
    February 11, 2017 at 5:13 pm

    I love the color of these cupcakes. The red is really vibrant, and makes these stand out!

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      They do stand out! Perfect for a party!

  • Reply
    Veena Azmanov
    February 11, 2017 at 4:34 pm

    I love Red Wine! I love the color on this and I cannot wait to give this a try. Yum…

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      It’s all the flavor with none of the hangover!

  • Reply
    Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
    February 11, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    very festive colored frosting for Valentine’s day, and professionally frosted cupcakes. I could never make it look that good

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:09 pm

      Thanks! I’m not professional, but they did turn out pretty!

  • Reply
    Platter Talk
    February 11, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    Beautiful color frosting and good sounding recipe. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.

  • Reply
    Alisa Fleming
    February 11, 2017 at 10:38 am

    This is a beautiful and no doubt delicious idea! It isn’t my favorite drink either (thought I was the only one!), but imagine it tastes amazing like this.

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:11 pm

      Wine always taste better when it’s sweet! At least, that’s my opinion!

  • Reply
    Kortney
    February 11, 2017 at 8:38 am

    Holy flip this is genius! I love how it colours the frosting so beautifully too! I need to try this recipe!

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:12 pm

      Thanks! I’m sure you will enjoy it!

  • Reply
    Megan
    February 10, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    love the color! and sounds so fancy!

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:12 pm

      It is a bit fancy :), thanks!

  • Reply
    Alexa
    February 10, 2017 at 4:16 pm

    …. or an excellent drink to cook with while cooking. Like Julia Child said, “I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in my food …” I would have never thought of using it to color icing, You would have made Julia proud. Brilliant!

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:13 pm

      Thank you, it does make the prettiest color and adds a nice punch of flavor!

  • Reply
    Chrystal @ Gluten-Free Palate
    February 10, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    I’ve used champagne in cupcakes, but never red wine. It looks amazing, and the color is so pretty.

    • Reply
      Amanda
      February 14, 2017 at 10:13 pm

      Champagne sounds great! I’m sure that gave a great texture!

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