I am republishing this recipe again, because I’ve improved the recipe by adding in unflavored protein whey. You can still use coconut flour instead.

I’ve started a small keto home bakery for the Nashville/Franklin area, which has prompted me to test and retest recipes. I’ve been baking keto cakes for the last two and a half years and have learned so much about baking with alternative flours. Since I live in the south, I knew the red velvet cake had to be perfect. I believe this version is perfect.

I’m into my fourth year of baking grain-free, have baked thousands of keto cakes. 

I already have what I consider the very best gluten free red velvet cupcake recipe made with a rice flour mixture, but for some of you, you need to avoid grains..

This grain free, sugar free red velvet cupcakes recipe is my very own creation.

What do I prefer as an alternative flour for Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes?

I tend to like the almond flour version better. It bakes up much smoother and is prettier and is closer to the original red velvet cake.

What sweetener do you use?

I used swerve as my sweetener, which is a healthy sweetener choice that doesn’t interfere with blood sugar.

I wish I could tell you that I used a “red food coloring” alternative, but I didn’t. If you need an alternative try beet powder found here. (I’ll be testing that in the future and I’ll let you know).

Why do I use protein powder in the recipe?

I discovered that a little bit of unflavored protein powder helps gives a rise and better crumb.

The recipe for the cream cheese frosting makes a modest amount, as these are small cupcakes, and I didn’t want the cupcake to be top heavy. These are meant to be small treats.

I used swerve in the recipe for the cream cheese frosting, making this grain-free, sugar free red velvet cupcake, keto friendly.

One thing I’ve learned for sure. Red Velvet is not a trend. It’s popular, classic and here to stay.

So far, I have published six ways to make red velvet.

The most popular of my red velvet recipes is the red velvet cheesecake cupcake recipe, which I think you could adapt using the tips from this recipe or the gluten free recipe.

How I Sweeten Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes

I use Swerve granulated for the cake part and Swerve confectioner’s for the cream cheese frosting. I wrote extensively on Swerve and why I use it Here.

What is nutrition/carb count for this recipe?

These grain-free, sugar-free red velvet cupcakes are the red velvets I’m most proud, because it was the most challenging. Swerve carbs are sugar alcohol carbs, not processed as carb count in body. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes, 3 net carbs.

I hope you find many wonderful keto desserts here. Please follow me on instagram and if you make the recipe, tag me #spinachtiger. If you love this recipe, please give it five stars. I really appreciate that.

More Keto Cakes from Spinach Tiger

Keto Texas Sheet Cake

Triple Layer Keto Red Velvet

Keto Angel Food Cake

Keto Coconut Cupcakes

Keto Lemon Cake

Keto Lemon Blueberry Muffins

See all Spinach Tiger Keto Friendly Desserts Here.

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Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes

Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes made with Almond Flour

Course Keto Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tablespoons unflavored whey protein powder or coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetend natural cocoa powder not dutch processed
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter or use 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup Swerve Granulated
• 2 tablespoons sugar free maple syrup optional (see notes)
• 2 tablespoons Swerve brown sugar optional (see notes)
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 tablespoons milk see notes
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup Swerve confectioner’s sugar can add up 1/2 cup more
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream as needed

Instructions

• In separate bowl from mixer, mix together almond flour, (whey or coconut flour) salt, baking powder, baking soda, sifted cocoa powder, xanthan gum.
• In mixer, cream butter and Swerve.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Add vanilla.
• Put sour cream in measuring cup. Fill with milk up to 1/2 cup mark. (I use Fairlife, which is low-carb. You can use heavy cream if desired). This makes a buttermilk.
• Add food coloring to buttermilk mixture.
• Add almond flour mixture to sugar/egg mixture alternating with buttermilk mixture.
• Add vinegar at the end.
• Mix well.
• Bake immediately for 15 minutes at 350 F./ 180 C..
• Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting found here.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat butter for five full minutes.
• Mix together butter and cream cheese first until completely smooth.
• Add confectioner’s sugar a little at a time. You may only need 1 cup, so taste as you go.
• Add Vanilla.
• Add heavy cream. I find that when I beat that butter long time, the frosting is light and does not need much, if any, heavy cream.

Notes

If you need to sub protein powder, sub with 30 extra grams of almond flour or 26 grams of coconut flour. 

Re: Optional Maple Syrup – I love this extra sweetness I use Choc Zero. Use my code SpinachTiger to save 10 %. (affiliate)

Optional Swerve Brown Sugar – Adds a little something extra.  

Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Fiber: 1g

The post Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes, Grain Free, Gluten Free appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

What is a Red Velvet Cake?

The cupcakes are moist, springy and have that red velvet taste that is quite unique. Red velvet is not a chocolate cake and it’s not a vanilla cake. It’s not something in between. It has its very own unique and slightly tangy and sweet flavor, prompted from the vinegar and just a tiny amount of cocoa powder. 

 This is the Red Velvet Cake I sell in My Keto Bakery

It has taken me quite a while to get a really delicious grain free red velvet, one that I would be willing to sell in my bakery. 

I got a call from a neighbor who had moved away asking if I could make her little girl a cake for her ten year birthday. They wanted red velvet but not keto, not gluten free. I couldn’t refuse but also decided while I’m making that cake, I’m going to make a keto red velvet naked cake for me.

Now here’s the really good news. We liked the keto red velvet better. Doug said he can’t eat sugar anymore, and that the regular red velvet, while delicious, was too sweet for him. He has retrained his taste buds to eat a much less sweet cake.

Red Velvet is such an interesting cake, wrapped in much folklore, from a baking accident to bakers using red beet juice instead of sugar during the war when sugar was rationed. What’s not folklore is how much Americans love red velvet and it has become as favored as chocolate or vanilla.

WHAT DO I PREFER AS AN ALTERNATIVE FLOUR FOR KETO RED VELVET CUPCAKES?

I use mostly almond flour and little bit of coconut flour. It bakes up much smoother and is prettier and is closer to the original red velvet cake.

WHAT SWEETENER DO YOU USE?

I used swerve as my sweetener, which is a healthy sweetener choice that doesn’t interfere with blood sugar. I wrote about why I use it here.

What Kind of  Cocoa Powder to use for Keto Red Velvet?

Remember red velvet cake is not a chocolate cake. It has its own unique tangy, sweet taste. 

Two tablespoons of natural cocoa powder is enough. Too much cocoa powder and the tangy vanilla flavor will be lost.  You must use the right kind of cocoa powder. After much experimentation, the best result I’ve gotten comes from natural cacao and I use good old Hershey’s. (Not dark). I’ve tried everything top end, dutch process, a mix of process and plain natural cocoa powder works the best. 

Color Cream Cheese Frosting with Rose Gel Food Coloring 

This was such a pretty cake and made for a little girl’s birthday. We colored the cream cheese frosting with rose gel color. You could also use red food coloring very sparingly. 

What red food coloring do I use for red velvet cake? 

I like this red food gel. You don’t need as much as the liquid food coloring as a little goes a long way.  If you have to use the red coloring you find in the grocery store, you will need to use up to two tablespoons. If you use a gel, you will use less. 

Did you know you can actually SKIP THE FOOD COLORING and the cake will still taste the same. You can call it brown velvet.

How do I get that pretty rose swirl topping?

This is actually super easy. Make sure your cake is completely cool. I have found that with almond flour cakes and 

I used a large 3 M tip in a piping bag and starting about an inch above the cake, holding the bag parallel, I squeeze and then swirl counter clockwise. Practice on a dish and then put that frosting back in the bowl so you are not wasting any frosting.

How do I frost the middle layers?

The best way to frost the inside layers of a cake is to use this piping tip, and pipe counter clock-wise in a concentric circle. This will make the frosting even and it’s such an easy way to fill the cake.

You can also decorate the cake the same way.

Decorating Tip: If you’re going for the fancy rose swirl topping, do that layer first. That way if you’re not happy with it, you can put that one in the middle. 

How can I make a larger cake? 

This recipe will make one 8 inch double layer cake, a triple layer 6 inch cake. If you want to make an 8 or 9 inch four-layer cake, double the recipe. You can also use this recipe to make a 9 x 13 cake. 

More Keto Cake from Spinach Tiger

German Chocolate Cake

Keto Lemon Layer Cake

Keto Layer Coconut Cake

Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes

Keto Strawberry Cake

Nutritional Value for Keto Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet – eggs, erythritol, almond flour, avocado oil, butter,  coconut flour,  sour cream, cream cheese, almond milk, unsweetened cocoa, vanilla,  baking soda, red food coloring, vinegar, salt,  xanthan gum.

Net Carb: 3   Calories: 304  Fat: 29 Grams      12 Servings

Bakery Supplies You May need for this recipe



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Keto Red Velvet Layer Cake

Keto Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting

Course Keto Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword keto bars, naked cake, red velvet

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder Natural not dutch processed
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup Swerve Granulated

Wet Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar free maple syrup optional
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 tablespoons milk see notes
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring see notes
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup Swerve confectioner's sweetener sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream as needed
• 1 teaspoon rose food coloring optional

Instructions

Dry Ingredients

• In separate bowl from mixer, mix together almond flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sifted cocoa powder, xanthan gum, Swerve granulated. Set aside.
• Beat eggs for five minutes.
• Stream in oil.
• Put sour cream in measuring cup. Fill with milk up to 1/2 cup mark. (I use Fairlife, which is low-carb. You can use heavy cream if desired). This makes a buttermilk.
• Add food coloring to buttermilk mixture.
• Add vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients to mixer, alternating with buttermilk mixture.
• Add vinegar at the end.
• Mix well.
• Bake immediately for 25 to 30 minutes at 325 degrees F.
• Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat butter for five full minutes.
• Mix together butter and cream cheese first until completely smooth.
• Add confectioner's sugar a half cup at a time.
• Add Vanilla.
• Add heavy cream. I find that when I beat that butter long time, the frosting is light and does not need much, if any, heavy cream.
• Add rose colored food coloring just for fun, if desired.

Decorative Assembly

• To fill the inside layers, use a plain large piping tip in concentric circle. Always hold piping bag parallel to the cake.
• To do the roses topping, use a large 1 M tip in piping bag. Hold bag an inch above cake, squeeze and then swirl in concentric circle. It's easier than it looks.
• Keep this cake in refrigerator. Take out an hour before serving. Cake freezes well.

Notes

If you want a larger cake, double the recipe for a nine inch four-layer cake.

Re: Optional Maple Syrup - I love this extra sweetness I use Choc Zero. Use my code SpinachTiger to save 10 %. (affiliate)

 

Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 29g | Fiber: 1g

The post Keto Red Velvet Naked Layer Cake appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I love red velvet. It is the quintessential southern cake. Especially at Christmas time.

Four years ago, at Christmas, I gave you the red velvet layer cake, not gluten free. I also gave you red velvet in jar (which you could do using this recipe) and red velvet cheesecake cupcakes (also transferable.)

So this Christmas,  I give you gluten free red velvet cupcakes.

This is in honor of celebrating eight years of blogging as Spinach Tiger. I say “as” instead of “on” because after eight years I feel like a spinach tiger, still passionate about plant food and real food made from scratch.

I’ve learned so much about cooking, baking, taking on challenges, and stretching. It was a big stretch to bring you gluten free baking, but I’m getting more comfortable with it. It was never in the plans, but I follow the needs of what people are looking for, and so many of you have turned to gluten free eating.

I adapted this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen on Gluten Free Baking. They have come up with their own gluten free flour recipe, which I did not use, but substituted Bob’s Red Mill One to One Baking Gluten Free Flour, the one I always use.

I baked regular red velvet cake at the same time, so I could tell you about the differences. The regular red velvet was a little more tender, but the gluten free red velvet cupcakes were so close, it was hard to tell them apart. This was so good, I gave one to the plumber and didn’t tell him it was gluten free.

Make this recipe into a triple layer tiny red velvet cake.

Just Double the recipe to make the triple layer cake. You will need three 6-inch cake pans, which you will grease and flour with cocoa. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, making sure your cake tester comes out clean. Cool, frost with this cream cheese frosting. To get this look, I used a pastry bag with no tips.

If you like this, you’ll also like these gluten free chocolate cupcakes.

I used this cream cheese frosting, the one that is more cream cheese than butter.

Enjoy. Merry Christmas. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate you, my readers, more than you could know.

More Red Velvet Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Gluten Free Baking

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Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes, adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

Course Gluten Free Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups gluten free flour Order Here
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder Order Here
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons avocado oil Order Here
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Order Here
• 2 cups this cream cheese frosting

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line muffin pan with cake liners
• Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt together. Sift.
• Mix together sugar, sour cream, oil eggs, food coloring, vanilla until combined.
• Add dry mixture until thoroughly combined.
• Divide evenly in muffin tin.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
• Cool completely before frosting.

The post Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes, Tiny Cake appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Someone asked me yesterday if there was any food I didn’t eat. “Not too many, I’ll eat almost anything.” I replied. I did turn down chicken hearts a few weeks ago, but what most gets a reaction for me are food combinations.

A dish could contain two ingredients I like separately,  but I can’t eat them together. I once was served a chocolate cake with dates in the middle and it was a no go for me. I can’t eat pineapple on pizza and I can’t eat onions with any fish ever.   Where do these feelings come from?

Several places.   Association with good or bad memories. Association with People. Association with food culture of the family. Strength of the ingredient’s taste, flavor, smell, texture. All of these combine to give us our “food story.”

Food smells and textures are programmed into our memory and can result in intense sensory reactions, good or bad. The psychology of food aversions is fascinating,  because the center of the brain that records smell can make the wrong associations.

Food can be associated with an event.  Perhaps you received  bad news when you  were eating a cinnamon roll and now you can’t stand cinnamon and you don’t know why. Smelling cinnamon or even thinking about cinnamon can make you feel badly.

Another important component in food memories is  the context in which it was eaten. Whom you ate your food with creates an experience that lodges into the pain/pleasure center, and often chefs become chefs because of happy food memories. Of course, that can work in the opposite way, too, which is why some people might not be very food centered.

I don’t relate easily to people that can take or leave food, or don’t cook, because my happiness as a child revolved around food. Moving from school to school, house to house, parent to parent, the only time I felt secure was at the dinner table or at a restaurant as my family protected those memories.

Vanilla is Sexy

There is one flavor that is universally adored for its intoxicating fragrance. Vanilla. Part of the  lore of vanilla is its association with romance and its supposed properties as an aphrodisiac. Women used to dab it behind their ears and on their wrists. Men put vanilla beans in their hats to enhance their sexual performance. In fact, many perfume companies use vanilla because they know it makes people feel amorous.

Try this. Go into the cabinet and take a good long whiff of vanilla. It’s earthy, sweet, sultry and hits the pleasure center. It makes you want to order dessert and get romantic at the same time. The next time company comes, simmer a pot of water with vanilla and cinnamon and orange zest. It’s very inviting.

Heilala Vanilla

I was sent a very high quality Heilala vanilla paste from New Zealand. Heilala vanilla began as a project to aid the Vava u Islands in the kingdom of Tonga, which was  hit by a cyclone in 2002. It is grown is organic soil, hand pollinated and dried under the Pacific sun before heading to Tauranga, for processing.  I am now a vanilla paste convert. While vanilla beans are wonderful, there is no scraping, no drying out, and the flavor is absolutely incredible. You can make these with vanilla extract, or vanilla beans, but if you can, try vanilla paste, I highly recommend it.

The first thing I used it for was this espresso frosting. The combination of espresso and vanilla was so good, I made it again a few days later.Black Bottom Cupcakes

I combined two recipes from the Loveless Cafe Dessert cookbook, which never lets me down.

In today’s recipe,  I combined two big childhood favorites, red velvet  and vanilla cheesecake. Not only do the flavors marry well, the red and white are just too pretty. The original idea came from black bottom cupcakes. I used the red velvet cake recipe from here  (half for 12 cupcakes) instead of my black bottom cupcakes.

These are the perfect cupcake to take to a party, because you don’t have to worry about  frosting getting messed up, which has happened to me just about every time I try to transport cupcakes. These are a little easier to navigate and don’t require a fork. And, they are pretty!

Deliciously, red velvet. You know I love red velvet as I devoted a whole board in Pinterest to it. You’ll love it.

Make these red velvet cheesecake cupcakes and do use good vanilla.

For this recipe, you need the red velvet cake batter. Use your own or just half this red velvet cake recipe here.

The post Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.