These Keto Low-Carb Vanilla Cupcakes are made with delicious buttercream frosting. This is the best, quick, and easy dessert recipe using almond flour, coconut flour, and sour cream to create a homemade cake mix. Serve these for birthdays, special occasions, or holidays!
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This post was originally published in December 2018. It has since been updated.
Table of Contents
How to Make Soft Homemade Keto Cupcakes
- Combine the dry ingredients, almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and mix.
- Combine the wet ingredients, eggs, sour cream, and butter in a separate bowl, and mix.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and add the batter into each.
- Add in the cupcake batter and bake.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Use room temperature butter to help mix the butter and sweetener. Do not overmix the cake batter. Overmixing the batter will result in air bubbles in the batter (I sometimes get these myself).
This will result in small holes in the top of the cupcakes. Since these are frosted cupcakes, if this happens, it is easy to conceal with frosting. Check out this article on How To Prevent Air Bubbles in Cake.
The Use of Coconut Flour
Both almond flour and coconut flour are used in this recipe. A small of amount of coconut flour is used for structure. This will help bind the cupcakes and keep them intact.
Coconut flour is dense and drying, that's why it will help with structure. Almond flour is used in conjunction, to produce moist cupcakes.
You cannot swap 1 for the other in this recipe, as they do not have a 1:1 substitution ratio.
What Type of Sweetener to Use
To lighten up this recipe, I use granular monkfruit sweetener (to substitute white sugar). These sweeteners are natural, zero-calorie, zero-carb, and won’t spike blood sugar. I love that sweetener doesn't have an aftertaste.
If you use something like stevia, you can follow the standard method you use for converting refined sugar to stevia. Monkfruit sweetener measures 1:1 like refined sugar.
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How to Make Fluffy Homemade Buttercream Frosting
- Combine butter, vanilla, and heavy cream (I used heavy whipping cream).Mix.
- Add in the powdered monkfruit sweetener and mix.
Why is Sour Cream Used in this Recipe?
Sour cream will make the cake super moist! Growing up, my mom made 7up pound cake often. She used sour cream in her recipe. You CANNOT taste sour cream in this recipe.
How to Substitute Sour Cream
Sour cream actually doesn't have much taste to it. Paired with butter and sweetener, there will be plenty of flavor! You can also substitute plain Greek yogurt.
How to Store the Cupcakes
Because of the frosting the cupcakes will need to be stored in the refrigerator. I placed the cupcakes in a cake cover and refrigerated for up to a few days.
Recipe Tips
- You can frost these cupcakes by spreading the frosting with a knife or you can use a star piping tip. If you have never used pastry bags and piping tips, check out this post on How to Frost Cupcakes.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool before you frost them. Certainly, allow them to cool completely before you remove the cupcake wrapper. If you dive in too soon, they will fall apart! I have actually found the best texture after storing these in a cake cover overnight in the fridge.
- The amount of the ingredients used in this recipe for the buttercream frosting is enough to completely frost the top of each cupcake. I chose to partially ice each and saved the remaining frosting for an additional batch of cupcakes.
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Sugar Free Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Room temperature
- ½ cup sweetener
- 4 eggs Room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream Room Temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sugar Free Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups powdered sweetener
Instructions
- Watch the video above for visual instructions.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix. This may take some time. Ensure the butter and sugar are fully mixed.
- Combine the almond flour, coconut flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Mix.
- Add the flour and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (egg and butter mixture). Mix. Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will result in air bubbles in the batter. See recipe note below.
- Line a 12 count muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spoon the batter into each tin.
- Bake for 26-30 minutes. Mine were ready around 27 minutes. You can test if the cupcakes are done by placing a toothpick into the center of a cupcake to see if the toothpick returns without uncooked batter.
- Allow the cupcakes to fully cool before frosting them and before removing them from the liners. They will fall apart if not allowed proper cooling.
Sugar Free Buttercream Frosting
- Combine the butter, heavy cream, and vanilla. Mix.
- Add in half of the confectioners sugar. Mix. Add the other half and mix.
- Load a pastry bag with the frosting. Secure the piping tip on the end of the bag. Frost each cupcake. (See recipe notes below). You can also frost each cupcake with a knife.
Video
Notes
- Buttercream frosting is typically made using salted butter, but you can substitute if you wish.
- Use room temperature butter to help mix the butter and sweetener. Do not overmix the cake batter. Overmixing the batter will result in air bubbles in the batter (I sometimes get these myself.)
- You can frost these cupcakes by spreading the frosting with a knife or you can use a star piping tip. If you have never used pastry bags and piping tips, check out this post on How to Frost Cupcakes.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool before you frost them. Certainly, allow them to cool completely before you remove the cupcake wrapper. If you dive in too soon, they will fall apart! I have actually found the best texture after storing these in a cake cover overnight in the fridge.
- The amount of the ingredients used in this recipe for the buttercream frosting is enough to completely frost the top of each cupcake. I chose to partially ice each and saved the remaining frosting for an additional batch of cupcakes.
- You use powdered sweetener as opposed to granular for the frosting, due to texture.
Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)
Jenni says
What a great recipe for a healthy cupcake! Loved all the great tips you included! Thanks!
Wilhelmina says
These cupcakes look like a great treat!
tamara says
hi there I love love love this recipe just wondering how I can make them chocolate
staysnatched says
You would use unsweetened cocoa.
Love cupcakes says
Thanks! Also these cupcakes were AWESOME and thanks for sharing this recipe.....do you think 1/2 cup is right for this or should I add more. I seen recipes with coffee and would prefer just to use cocoa
Also have you every tried adding mint, lemon or almond extract to the icing? if so how much have you used?
staysnatched says
Hi there! I haven't tried any of these, so I'm sorry I can't recommend something that I haven't personally tested. I will likely have a chocolate version on the blog in a month or two. I would start with a tablespoon of the additives you mentioned, but again I don't have a concrete answer because I haven't done any testing.
Love cupcakes says
thanks! ill wait for that recipe
Amanda says
These were great! Got high marks from everyone who tried them. I made just the cake portion.
staysnatched says
Awesome! Glad you guys enjoyed them.
Jennifer says
These are so good!! This was my first time making Keto cupcakes, and I was expecting themto be awful. Not the case with these! thank you for the recipe. I don't know about anyone else, but mine stuck to the cupcake liners. Maybe consider spraying them? Any chance you could tell me how many net carbs they have? Thank you!!
staysnatched says
Hi, net carbs are listed at the top of the recipe. As always, you should perform your own net carbs calculation using the exact brand of ingredients you personally used in the recipe. We likely won't use the same exact brands, thus the calc will differ.
Meg says
These were delicious. I would probably opt out of the icing next time,although it was great as well. Definitely saving for future use!
Olivia says
Thank you for the delicious recipe looks so tasty! Here's a great way I found to better your Keto Diet. I Hope it helps some others.
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoy it!
Ajira says
These came out AMAZING. I did sub the vanilla extract for McCormick's new cake batter extract and it came out just like cake. Soooo good!
staysnatched says
I love your substitution!
Debbie says
THESE ARE THE BEST LOW CARB CUPCAKES. LOVE THEM!
staysnatched says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Leah says
Can you skip out on the coconut flour and just add more almond flour? Also is it okay to use immitation vanilla?
staysnatched says
I've tested this recipe as it's written multiple times because I had issues using one flour or the other. I never use imitation vanilla. I don't recommend it.
Jeannie says
I'm allergic to artificial sweeteners. Can I use real sugar or a reasonable facsimile?
staysnatched says
Swerve and monkfruit are not artificial sweeteners. They are organic and plant-based. You can use real sugar if you wish, but the cupcakes will not be low carb.
Anonymous says
Do the net carbs include the frosting? Or just the cupcake?
staysnatched says
Yes. It includes all of the ingredients listed.
Casey Barks says
Just made these today. The cupcakes turned out good, not too sweet, but they don't taste fake either. Not as light as a normal cupcake. I also made the frosting, but used Swerve as that was the only confectioner sugar I had. Not crazy about the frosting, it has that cooling after taste and tastes like fake sugar. My kids on the other hand ate some of the cupcake and asked for more frosting. Maybe the frosting would have been better if I had used the confectioner sugar that was listed here. I am still experimenting with sweeteners. Overall, very good. I will try again for sure.
staysnatched says
I find that most confectioner's (even the refined sugar ones with carbs) have a cooling effect. That's my opinion, but I happen to like that.
Tegan says
Love love love these cupcakes!!!! I have tried many a recipe and these are by far the best. Thank you 🙂 x
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you liked them!
Vita says
Hello
Absolutely love your recipe and think it's one of the best Keto cupcake recipes on the net.
I was wondering if it's possible to cook this as a cake and what size pan you would suggest.
Thank you for a lovely recipe. It's my go to for Keto vanilla cupcakes.
Cheers
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so flattered to be your go-to!
Yolanda says
What a great recipe! I've tried numerous recipes and iIt's the first one that works great for me.
staysnatched says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Holly says
I made these today. The cake turned out good. The frosting I think was too sweet. I used the monk fruit confectioners sweetener but could have maybe only used 1 cup.
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Edna Baires says
This is my go-to recipe whenever I want to make cupcakes and at one point I realized I didn’t have any eggs on me, so I substituted 4 eggs with 4 tablespoons of ground flax seed that has been mixed with 12 tablespoons of water, once I mixed the dry ingredients together it still was a bit thick, so I added a splash of water and it helped it. I baked it the same way as the recipe calls for and tasted just as good as the cupcakes with egg.
staysnatched says
I love your modifications. Thanks so much for sharing!
Tori says
On the buttercream frosting is the butter melted or room temperature or out of the fridge?
staysnatched says
Softened. Room temperature is fine.
Z. Larsen says
Made this just now and sorry to say texture was odd and they tasted strongly of sour cream! Although I like some sour cream in a cake, especially a chocolate one, this was overwhelming to me. Hope our guess will not be put off when serving them tomorrow?
staysnatched says
I’m sorry you feel that way. We love them.
Laura says
These were amazing! Thank you for the recipe. I’ve tried several different keto cupcakes and all others were super dry and lacked taste. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
staysnatched says
Glad you enjoyed them! Can't wait until you try other recipes!
Sha says
Saw this on your instagram and it looked so good I had to come find the recipe and make them.I didn’t have cupcake liners (and it was 2am so couldn’t get them) so I made the batter in a cake pan and then frosted it with the buttercream. I have tried soooo soo many keto cupcake/cake recipes and this is by far the best one I have come across. The flavours and the texture are all like a real cupcake. The only way you can tell these are keto is by the “cooling” effect of the sweetener in the icing, otherwise cannot tell at all. I’m so glad I tried this and Thank youuu for some amazing recipe ? Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Kamana says
I’d love to try this, but I don’t have coconut flour on hand do I have to use it?
staysnatched says
Yes, if you don't the cupcakes will fall apart.
Eddie H says
Great cupcakes. Easy to make. Crowd pleaser for the whole family. Recipe says to refrigerate, so I recommend to take out of the fridge a while before eating to let get to room temperature! That's just my preference
Frosting was really good too!
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing that tip! It's helpful.
sesina says
Hello. The recipe turned out great but I was wondering if next time if I used a powdered keto sweetener would it affect the cake at all?
staysnatched says
I haven't tried that. If you do, please let me know how it turns out.
Anonymous says
Can you use greek yoghurt instead of sour cream?
staysnatched says
Sure, if you want.
Keisha M. says
Hello. I've made these twice so far. The first time I did them with the frosting. They were so good. The second time (yesterday) I did them without the frosting. THEY. ARE. AMAZING!!!!! So moist and delicious!!!! From now on I will make them without frosting. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed them!
S says
Absolutely loved these and they didn’t have a weird low carb taste to them !!!
staysnatched says
Awesome! Yes, these are great cupcakes.
Adrienne says
The whole family loved them! Turned out amazing!!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I love when it's a hit with the family.
Olivia says
Thank you for the delicious recipe looks so tasty! Here's a great way I found to better your Keto Diet. I Hope it helps some others.
staysnatched says
You're welcome! Enjoy.
J J Meyer says
Wondering when you measure the almond flour do scoop the cup in the flour then sift or sift and spoon into your cup? It will make a huge difference.
staysnatched says
I never scoop. I follow the proper technique for measuring flour using a spoon and air.
Lupita says
Just made them today and they were amazing!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
Anna Knotts says
@staysnatched,
Anna Knotts says
Hello, so I want to use this recipe but I would like to add an ingredient to help the batter rise the best that it can. Can you tell me if adding a scoop of vanilla protein powder would work with the amount of each ingredient in this recipe?
staysnatched says
I've never done that with cupcakes. You will have to test it out.
Kasia says
The recipe was very easy to follow & moist. My family members (non-keto) thought they were great as well. I only baked them for about 27 mins, but next time I would bake them a few mins more.
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm glad you guys enjoyed the cupcakes.
Susie says
Very very good I appreciate the information the details and the tips
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Mariel says
Finally put the Lakanto golden sweetener & powdered sweetener to use that have been sitting in my cabinet. This recipe is a hit! Thank you Brandi for your thorough instructions, notes, and tips. I need to work on my frosting skills (I should have let the butter for the frosting soften a bit) but it was fun whipping out my electric hand mixer! This hits the sweet tooth spot without a crazy blood sugar spike.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you loved them!
Paula says
I don't care for the cooling affect of erythritol do you think allulose would work?
staysnatched says
I’ve never used it. I can’t say. If you try it, let me know!
Ellen says
I don't tolerate monkfruit. but can use Xylitol. Do you know if it's possible to powder Xylitol?
staysnatched says
I've never used Xylitol. If it measures 1:1 like normal sugar you can use the same amount. If not, you will need to use their recommended conversion method.