Low Carb Chocolate Cupcakes

Editor’s Note: After making hundreds (maybe thousands) of chocolate cupcakes for my home bakery, my recipe has been revised to an almond flour base, and  this revision is much better. If you need the coconut recipe, I’ll put it at the bottom.

Low Carb Chocolate Cupcakes, Sugar Free Frosting

Back when I posted this a few years ago, it was near Valentine’s Day.  I promised to post as many heart recipes as possible, because Valentine’s Day is my jam!

As mentioned above, since then, I’ve opened a home keto bakery and have greatly improved the recipe. My chocolate cake gets raves and sells out all the time.

These are good. So good that they fool non-keto bakers. I’m so proud of this recipe.

Low Carb Chocolate Cupcake Recipe with Many Options

Top with Chocolate frosting or my new favorite, this keto vanilla buttercream. My biggest seller is chocolate with peanut butter frosting and I promise to bring that recipe to the blog soon. However, you can top with this Texas Sheet Cake frosting or my other wildly popular German Chocolate Cake Frosting.

My original (not low carb) chocolate fudge cupcake has never lost its amazing popularity, and that’s the standard I used to bake against.

I wanted chocolate flavor, easy execution, and moist chocolate cupcakes that would freeze well.

Ingredients for a Low Carb Cupcake  

After literally baking hundreds of these chocolate cakes, I know this recipe works. It’s a combination of almond and coconut flours with lots of eggs and good shot of espresso. You can leave the coffee out by adding a little more milk. It’s still amazing.  I use sour cream for extra moistness.

I am still using Swerve (powdered erythritol) as my sweetener.

The Process for the Low Carb Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Make sure you mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk very well.  Add eggs one at time.

Always spray the cupcake liners. For some reason coconut flour batter sticks more to the liners. The only liners I know to be truly non-stick are Oxo’s silicone liners.

What kind of Unsweetened Cocoa Should I use?

After much trial and error, and much frustration, I have found the one cocoa powder, actually a cacao, from Better Body Foods that works perfectly. I used to use Hershey’s natural with some of their extra dark. They changed their formula and it was a huge disappointment.  The ONE powder that works amazingly well with lots of flavor is the cacao from Better Body Foods.

What is Swerve?

I wrote an F.A.Q.  Swerve article here answering the most common questions.

Chocolate Frosting for a Low-Carb Cupcake Recipe

This is the easiest (but trickiest) part of a low-carb cupcake recipe. I use the Swerve Confectioner’s sugar with butter and a little cream cheese. Unlike regular confectioner’s sugar, you won’t need to use as much. I rarely use more than one cup. My ratio is 1/2 cup butter to 1/2 cup Swerve. You will NOT use as much as you think you will.

I chose not to pipe the frosting because I wanted a small amount of frosting per cupcake. Piping tends to use a lot of frosting which would be too much.

Mini Hearts Garnish

Quite by accident, I found the cutest little topper. I melted down 72% dark chocolate and filled this mini heart mold.

I ordered these adorable reversible cupcake liners on amazon.

Happy Heart Day everyone. Love All.

You might also love these grain free red velvet cupcakes and these most recent grain free coconut cupcakes. 

You will love this with this amazing chocolate frosting. 

Keto Birthday Cake

Keto Chocolate Ganache  Bundt Cake

Keto Chocolate Ganache

Keto Vanilla Butter Cream

Keto German Chocolate Cake

Keto Chocolate Whoopie Pie

Keto Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes

Keto Texas Sheet Cake

Print Recipe

3.72 from 7 votes

Low Carb Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

The most delicious low carb chocolate cupcake recipe you can imagine. Moist and chocolatey and not compromised.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Keto Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 414kcal

Author: Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour 230 grams
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour 26 grams
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cups unsweetened natural cocoa powder I use Better Body Cacao
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup granulated swerve powdered erythritol
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 cup strong coffee Optional can replace with more almond milk
• baking spray

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup butter unsalted room temperature
• 1 cup Confectioner's Swerve
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa see notes
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese softened at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream if needed

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcake Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together almond four coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, cocoa powder. Set aside.
• Mix avocado oil and erythritol (Swerve) together)
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Add coffee, milk, and sour cream. You can mix these together first.
• Add vanilla to wet ingredients.
• Add dry ingredients and mix on medium just until mixed. Don't overmix.
• Spray cupcake liners.
• Pour evenly making 12 cupcakes.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until a center is 207 degrees f. (no more than 210).
• Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting Instructions

• Sift together cocoa and swerve. Set aside.
• Whip together butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. You may need to whip these in separate bowls. Make sure butter is softened, but not melted.
• Add cocoa swerve mixture to butter 1/4 cup at a time.
• Add vanilla.
• Add heavy cream if you need to. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of boiling water instead to get a frosting easy to pipe.

Notes

In place of the coffee, you can use more buttermilk.

There is a different chocolate cake recipe here using coconut flour which was posted originally. I have improved the recipe. If you want the original find it at bottom of post.

If you don't think the frosting is sweet enough, add up to 1/4 cup more. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 12 | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g | Fiber: 6g

Please follow me on instagram. If you make this recipe,  please tag me #spinachtiger.

If you love this recipe, please give it five stars. It means a lot. xoxo

The Original Recipe (Coconut Flour only below).

Print Recipe

4.50 from 4 votes

Keto Coconut Flour Chocolate Cake

Low Carb, Keto Friendly, Paleo Chocolate cake. Enough for one layer for six mini-bundt cakes, or cupcakes.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert Keto

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 3/4 cups granulated Swerve
• 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder like Hershey's regular or Ghiradelli
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter see notes
• 1/4 cup avocado oil see notes
• 6 extra large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 5 drops stevia glycerite
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons strong coffee
• 
  Chocolate Frosting Recipe Here
• 
  
• Vanilla Glaze Ingredients
• 1 cup Confectioner's Swerve
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese room temperature
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste ORDER HERE
• dash salt

Instructions

• Cake Instructions
• Prepare pan with baking spray.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum together with whisk. Set aside.
• Mix butter well. Add avocado oil.
• Add Swerve (powdered erythritol). Mix well.
• Add in eggs one at a time until each is well incorporated.
• Add in vanilla and stevia glycerite.
• Add sour cream and coffee. Mix well.
• Add in remaining dry ingredients.
• Pour into pan. You can use the mini bundt pan which makes six cakes or one large bundt. You can also use one 9 inch layer pan.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. This will depend on the vessel you use.

Glaze Instructions

• Mix confectioner's Swerve with cream cheese.
• Add vanilla.
• Add in heavy cream and mix well. This can be done in a small bowl.
• Cool Cakes completely before removing from pan.
• Pour glaze over cakes.
• You can refrigerate up to five days.
• You can freeze up to 60 days.

Notes

5 net carbs per 1/2 mini bundt cake
5 net carbs 1/12 of large bundt cake
You may choose to double the glaze if you like a lot of icing.

Please follow me on instagram. If you make this recipe,  please tag me #spinachtiger.

If you love this recipe, please give it five stars. It means a lot. xoxo