Hi there, so I'm not a baker in any right. Putting that out there. I now live on my own, my mom used to bake gluten free stuff occasionally for me as a teen, but on my own it is literally about 20:80 ratio of me getting it to turn out (I fail about 80% of the time).

But I am having a party tomorrow and want to make gluten free cupcakes. I went the easy route and bought a box mix. But I've always wanted to try the thing where they add frosting to the batter... I tried googling it and it looks delicious! But there is nothing on how to do it gluten free. 

The gluten free stuff is tough to rise and make fluffy... will adding frosting to the batter compromise the delicate balance of the batter? IS this better left alone? 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated:)

Thanks!

do you mean mixing cake w/icing as in making 'cake balls'?

No I have made those before- I mean where you mix a jar of frosting with the raw batter then bake it. It's supposed to make a smoother, more moist, richer cake flavor.

I've never heard of this before.  It's hard enough to get a good rise on gluten free cakes.  Adding all that extra sugar and fat will just weigh it down.  I can't imagine it tasting like anything other than goop.

It's also called crawling cake, I guess. If it is done wrong, it'll fall and "crawl" everywhere. If done right, it is supposed to be very light and fluffy and sweet.

""Crawling Cake

1 box cake mix
1 container frosting
4 eggs
3/4c. oil
1c. milk

Mix all these by hand. Pour into a 12c. Bundt pan that has been buttered and floured. Bake @ 350º for about 1 hour. Make sure U don't open the oven door in case it should fall.""

However you are right, adding all the extra stuff will mess it up. Frustrating that there are some things gluten-free stuff just can't handle. Like croissants, pastries, phylo dough (My mom is Greek- Baklava is something I can't eat, now. Ever). Sigh. Can't even add frosting to cake batter.

Is okay... gluten free pre-mixed cakes are pretty good. They still have the tell-tale gluten-free taste but... Its been like 10 years. I should get over the hope of things acting and tasting like normal glutinous breads and treats.  

Doesn't mean I won't experiment someday when I have extra time and the money needed for lots of gluten-free experiments. Some day I'd like to conquer crawling cake and baklava- all gluten free!

gluten free has come a looong way in 10 years but the gf box cake mix i tried recently was awful --

i too have never heard of the crawling cake -- very interesting thanks for the idea --

here's a gf lava cake that worked out for me in a individual serving size

http://k8memphis.blogspot.com/2014/01/molton-lava-cake.html

brownies

http://k8memphis.blogspot.com/2013/11/better-brownies.html#more

great cookies, no aftertaste -- just like gluten-y cookies

http://k8memphis.blogspot.com/2013/10/ridiculous-chocolate-pecan-cookies-and.html

king arthur flour company has really really good products and while i've never tried their gf mixes or recipes i would still recommend them to you at least as a point of contact -- excellent baking company for online purchases --

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-yellow-cake-recipe

i haven't ventured too far into full sized gf cakes per se but those are a few recipes i've tweaked and there's some other really really good recipes out there now --  in fact i plotted my course over a period of time because it all add$ up pretty fast -- but bob's red mill brand gf flours are already mixed for you --

you can also buy the different powders/flours/starches and mix it yourself when you get along down the road  but read the boxes on the premixed gf flour-- for cake you'll want the one with xanthan gum in it -- bob's red mill makes this and local grocery stores carry it around here --

anyhow -- there are great recipes out there now -- what you might want to do is google "gluten flour mix recipe" you're in for an education -- i took about a year to get a grip on it -- still learning of course-- but i was digesting the different types of sugar available now too - spent a couple hundred dollars on supplies alone so you're right you need a budget for it -- but it's fun to me -

so all that to say using bob's red mill gluten free flour with xanthan gum which should make you a pretty good cake using maybe a king arthur flour company recipe -- save the icing for the baked cake -- see how it goes -- then try the crawling cake for the next time & please let me know how you do as you go

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/7854-americas-test-kitchen-gluten-free-flour-blend

just 10,000 ways to go 

best to you

http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/classic-gluten-free-chocolate-pound-cake/?go_print

^Link to Classic Gluten-Free Chocolate Pound Cake recipe.  (not able to post the link as attachment.)

and there is a recipe (couldn't locate the link) for a cake using coconut flour, honey and orange. In the limited testing I've done, these were the two deemed edible/decent by testers here. I think as my in law put it, you just get used to the taste. Must admit I am not a fan, but understand people w/certain health reasons/issues seek g-f recipes that taste good or even just ok. Good luck in your search, mine was limited, however, I am not a fan of anything (I've tasted/baked) with rice flour or a flour 'blend' with rice flour included in the blend. Know these were not specifically what you were seeking, just hth.

Thanks so much for all of your help! I shall definitely check out those recipes!!!:)

ok -- i went & found my book --

for the flour -- it's 2 parts grain 2 parts starch and 1 part protein

so just plug in some varieties for example

1 cup white or brown rice flour

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup tapioca flour (starch)

1 cup cornstarch

1 cup almond or coconut* flour

*it tastes coconutty which works in some recipes

i use bean flours sometimes too for the protein part but my aim is wheat free not gluten free so i haven't researched whether beans are gf -- just don't know -- so many facets -- but that's your basic flour formula and it's really really good -- not like 10 years ago -- but the mixes are weirdy

you got this

Hey everyone! Due to limited supplies and time, I just went with the box mix- I was so surprised! The texture was light and fluffy and there was no after taste at all! (I remember all g/f stuff having the lingering after taste of something like... garbanzo beans lol). 

They were also perfectly sweet! I didn't need to add the frosting to the batter. I'd been concerned it wouldn't taste sweet enough. But everyone loved them!

I can't wait to try out some of the recipes/ blends you all have suggested- it'll be fun and rewarding I'm sure:D