Chocolate Butterfly Cakes (Gluten Free)
Celebrate an icon of the British children’s birthday party with these gluten free Chocolate Butterfly Cakes. As good as (and probably better than) any fairy cake you remember from your childhood, they’ll bring a smile to adults and children alike. Optional dairy free.
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A British Childhood revisited with gluten free Chocolate Butterfly Cakes
Growing up in the UK in the 1970s, Butterfly Cakes were at EVERY child’s birthday party… Little morsels of soft, fluffy sponge carefully carved to look like butterflies. We all had a favourite way to eat them. Mine was to nibble off the wings before working my way inward around the main sponge towards the sugary buttercream centrepiece, saved until the end.
In this post, I revisit the quintessential icon of 20th Century British party childhood with a Gluten Free update of my favourite cocoa-rich Chocolate Butterfly Cakes. Topped with a swirl of custard buttercream (for more tempered sweetness) and some pretty sprinkles (in celebration of butterfly beauty), they are a delight.
Fairy Cakes or Butterfly Cakes? The great debate…
For as long as I can remember, there has been a clear distinction between fairy cakes and butterfly cakes. They were NOT the same thing in my childhood…
A Fairy Cake was a simple small sponge, most often decorated with a dribble of basic icing and colourful ‘hundreds and thousands’ cake sprinkles. The top was flat or lightly domed… but never was it cut or shaped. It was in effect, the dainty British version of the much larger American Cupcake and without the excess of frosting or buttercream that came to characterise the future. These days, it is cupcakes that ‘rule’. But when it comes to kids, a dinky fairy cake is really all they need!
A Butterfly Cake on the other hand was something very special… That same fairy cake with a circle of sponge cut from the top and halved to make semi-circular ‘wings’ before the hole was filled with butter icing and the wings placed at an angle to create an endearing butterfly. Extra sprinkles or not, this single decorative change elevated the humble fairy cake to a delightful and exceptional childhood treat.
Nonetheless (and despite my very British recollections from growing up), the internet tells me that fairy cakes and butterfly cakes are (to some people) the same thing. How can this be? One has wings and the other doesn’t… Maybe they see a basic fairy cake as a wingless butterfly or a chrysalis?
But whatever you call them, enjoy and devour these winged morsels, because they are as delicious as they are delectable.
Use a different sponge for non-chocolate fairy cakes
Although chocolate Butterfly Cakes are my favourite, you can make them with any fairy cake (or indeed cupcake) flavour. And pair them with your most loved buttercreams!
- Vanilla Butterfly Cakes – my Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes recipe is perfect.
- Orange Butterfly Cakes – my Gluten Free Orange Cupcakes sponge is divine.
- Coffee & Walnut Butterfly Cakes – These would be incredible (and very adult)! Use my sponge recipe for Coffee Walnut Cupcakes.
- Banoffee Butterfly Cakes? – Hell yeah! Use my amazing banana sponge from my Banoffee Cupcakes recipe (but probably without chocolate chips).
Plus they’re the perfect bake to involve the kids… whether for a birthday or not!
How to make the wings on butterfly cupcakes
If you’re new to the world of Butterfly Cakes, you may well be wondering the best way to cut out the butterfly wings from a fairy cake (or cupcake)… It’s not a tricky thing to do. And it honestly doesn’t need to be super-neat either. But you will need a sharp, small knife (such as a paring knife).
- Take each fairy cake and using the knife at a gentle angle of around 25 degrees, carefully cut a circle shape out of the top of each cupcake (leaving a rim at the top of the sponge of around ½ to ¾ cm).
- Next, cut each sponge circle in half to create two semicircle ‘wings’ and set aside with the cupcake they belong to.
- Pipe or spoon some buttercream into the cut crater on the top of each cupcake.
- Immediately and gently (while it is soft) press the sponge ‘butterfly wings’ (cut side facing downward) into the buttercream at a slight angle… one opposite the other.
- Lastly, if including sprinkles and ‘antennae’, add these now. Gently press into the buttercream as necessary, to secure in place.
Finding gluten free Sprinkles
When finding suitable gluten free sprinkles to decorate your Butterfly Cakes, ALWAYS read labels carefully. A lot of cake sprinkles use wheat or wheat starch and are unsafe for people with either Coeliac Disease or a wheat allergy.
For the butterfly antenna, I used rods from a box of PME Out of the Box Matte Pastel Sprinkles. The pastel ‘confetti sprinkles’ were from Sainsbury’s.
Making chocolate Butterfly Cakes dairy free as well as gluten free
The recipe shared at the bottom of this post is gluten free and safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac). However, my butterfly cakes can also be made dairy free as well. Simply substitute the butter, yoghurt and milk for dairy free alternatives as required and otherwise, follow the recipe as written.
I recommend using a like-for-like BLOCK dairy free butter. In the UK, Flora Baking Block or Stork Baking Block are a good option.
Other delicious recipes from the British ‘children’s’ parties
While vanilla or chocolate Butterfly Cakes and Fairy Cakes are a must for a British children’s party, they are not the only icon of British birthday celebrations. No traditional party is complete without a plate of colourful Party Rings, Bourbon Biscuits, Jammie Dodgers and Custard Creams. And then of course, there have to be some Chocolate Mini Rolls and Jaffa Cakes too (alongside the ubiquitous jelly and ice cream) 😄.
From a savoury perspective (in addition to a large plate of sandwiches cut into mini triangles), a good British birthday bash should also include a pile of Sausage Rolls or Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls and some crisps and Mini Cheddars as well. These days, you probably need to throw in some Pizza Slices too!
Of course, for those of us who are gluten free, finding these traditional treats to buy is tricky. So I’ve created a great selection of copycat recipes (in gluten free form) so that no one ever has to miss out… Just click the highlighted links!
Ready to make gluten free Chocolate Butterfly Cakes?
And with that… you’ll find my recipe for light and fluffy gluten free Chocolate Butterfly Cakes below (scroll an inch or two further). I hope you have loads of fun making them and eating them too! If you have any questions, you can drop them in the comments section at the bottom, message me on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest) or send me an email (kate@glutenfreealchemist.com).
If you’re looking for more gluten free cooking and baking inspiration, you can also browse our MASSIVE Gluten Free Recipe Index. It’s easy to navigate and is your gateway to literally hundreds of FREE gluten free recipes for all occasions.
All shared with my love
Chocolate Butterfly Cakes
Key equipment
- 12 hole muffin tin
- cupcake cases
Ingredients
Sponge Cakes
- 150 g GF flour blend eg GFA blend A or B – See NOTES or alternative good commercial flour blend
- 30 g cocoa powder (unsweetened and without added milk powder)
- ½ scant tsp xanthan gum
- 2½ tsp baking powder (gluten free)
- 180 g butter (or block dairy free alternative) (softened)
- 180 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’) Combined shell weight approx 204g (full batch: 175 to 180g liquid egg)
- 5 to 6 tbsp plain runny yoghurt/kefir (or dairy free alternative)
Vanilla Custard Buttercream
- 120 g unsalted butter (or block dairy free alternative) softened
- 200 g icing sugar (powdered/confectioner’s sugar) – sifted
- 25 g custard powder (check gluten free and dairy free as required)
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tbsp milk (or dairy free alternative) – approx amount (to loosen)
Optional Extra Butterfly Decoration
- colourful cake sprinkles and 'rods' (check gluten free) For the rods, I used PME Out of the Box Matte Pastel Sprinkles
- a dusting of icing sugar (powdered sugar)
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Weigh and sift together the flour, cocoa, xanthan gum and baking powder. Set aside.
- Prepare a 12-hole cupcake tin by lining with large cupcake cases.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (170 Fan)/350 F.
- Using an electric whisk, cream together the softened butter and sugar with the vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl, until pale and fluffy.
- Break the eggs into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork to combine.
- Gradually add the egg to the butter mixture a little at a time, gently beating between each addition until well combined. On the last two to 3 additions (or if there is any earlier sign that the mixture may split), also add about a tablespoon of the dry mix with the egg before beating through.
- Add the sifted dry mix followed by the yoghurt (a third at a time of each) and lightly fold through until all ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to over-mix. The batter should have a soft, dropping consistency.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases (no more than two-thirds full) and level the tops.
- Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes (large cupcakes (or less for smaller cakes)), until the tops spring back to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool the cakes in the tin for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Buttercream
- Beat the softened butter with an electric whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the icing sugar, custard powder and vanilla extract a little at a time and beat well between each addition until smooth. Beat well to ensure the custard powder dissolves into the butter.
- If the buttercream feels too 'firm' for piping/spooning, add a very tiny drop of milk and beat again, to achieve the desired consistency. Set aside while you cut the wings.
Cut the butterfly wings
- Use a small sharp (paring) knife held at a gentle angle of around 25 degrees and cut a circle shape out of the top of each cupcake.
- Cut each circle in half to create two semicircle 'wings' and set aside with the cupcake they belong to.
'Top' the cupcakes with buttercream & butterflies
- Pipe or spoon the buttercream into the cut crater on the top of each cupcake.
- Immediately and gently (while the buttercream is soft) press the 'butterfly wings' (cut side facing downward) into the buttercream at a slight angle one opposite the other.
- If using sprinkle decoration and antennae, add these to the top, gently pressing into the buttercream as necessary, to secure in place.
- Give the butterfly a dusting of (optional) icing sugar (powdered sugar).
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Gluten Free Chocolate Butterfly Cakes shared with
- Fiesta Friday #551 with Angie
- Full Plate Thursday #708 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
These were perfect! Made them for a children’s party. Even the kids who weren’t gluten free devoured them.
Adding custard to the buttercream is genius! Less sweet for sure.
Thank you
Thank you Sarah. If the non-GF kids loved them, I’ll take that as a successful recipe! So pleased they were enjoyed. x