Red Wine Buttercream is sweet with all the flavor depth of your favorite red wine, the perfect garnish for your favorite gluten free cupcake!
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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 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!
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
I 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 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
33 Comments
Sasha @ Eat Love Eat
February 21, 2017 at 4:04 pmI’ve seen the red wine and chocolate combo around a lot lately – it must be good!
Abra
February 20, 2017 at 8:20 pmThe color is amazing! I love red wine and chocolate together so I’m sure this is great 🙂
Whitney Bond
February 19, 2017 at 8:11 pmRed wine and chocolate is the best combination in life! These look so delicious!
Monica
February 19, 2017 at 4:34 pmWhoa–red wine frosting!? Hubba hubba! 🙂 Seriously great idea!
Alyssa @ A Bite of Inspiration
February 18, 2017 at 7:22 pmThis 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!
Kitty
February 17, 2017 at 6:26 pmAnother way to enjoy red wine! Let me eat cake 😉
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
February 12, 2017 at 12:50 pmOh, I bet the concentrated red wine adds such an amazing flavor! These are just beautiful.
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:03 pmIt adds so much flavor! I had no idea it would work so well!
Lyn Corinne Liner
February 12, 2017 at 9:33 amThese look fantastic!! The frosting looks beautiful, and the cupcakes look melt-in-your-mouth moist and yummy.
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:05 pmThanks, they are delicious!
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
February 12, 2017 at 7:35 amI have to admit I would have never have thought of adding red wine to buttercream but this is amazing,
Igor @ Cooking The Globe
February 12, 2017 at 5:28 amThis 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!
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:06 pmIt is perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six
February 11, 2017 at 8:25 pmWell I never would have thought of using red wine in butter icing! You’re a genius 🙂
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:06 pmThanks! I try!
Tina
February 11, 2017 at 5:13 pmI love the color of these cupcakes. The red is really vibrant, and makes these stand out!
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:06 pmThey do stand out! Perfect for a party!
Veena Azmanov
February 11, 2017 at 4:34 pmI love Red Wine! I love the color on this and I cannot wait to give this a try. Yum…
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:07 pmIt’s all the flavor with none of the hangover!
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
February 11, 2017 at 4:19 pmvery festive colored frosting for Valentine’s day, and professionally frosted cupcakes. I could never make it look that good
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:09 pmThanks! I’m not professional, but they did turn out pretty!
Platter Talk
February 11, 2017 at 3:10 pmBeautiful color frosting and good sounding recipe. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:11 pmThanks!
Alisa Fleming
February 11, 2017 at 10:38 amThis 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.
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:11 pmWine always taste better when it’s sweet! At least, that’s my opinion!
Kortney
February 11, 2017 at 8:38 amHoly flip this is genius! I love how it colours the frosting so beautifully too! I need to try this recipe!
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:12 pmThanks! I’m sure you will enjoy it!
Megan
February 10, 2017 at 9:57 pmlove the color! and sounds so fancy!
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:12 pmIt is a bit fancy :), thanks!
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!
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:13 pmThank you, it does make the prettiest color and adds a nice punch of flavor!
Chrystal @ Gluten-Free Palate
February 10, 2017 at 3:46 pmI’ve used champagne in cupcakes, but never red wine. It looks amazing, and the color is so pretty.
Amanda
February 14, 2017 at 10:13 pmChampagne sounds great! I’m sure that gave a great texture!