Expect truly fluffy and moist keto vanilla cupcakes topped with our cream cheese buttercream frosting. Simple yet incredibly delicious, each cupcake has about 2g net carbs.
Keto Vanilla Cupcakes
The Fluffiest of the Fluffy
These cupcakes are seriously fluffy. The batch shown made six large cupcakes, but you could easily get eight if you prefer smaller portions. They’re essentially little fat-bomb treats, so using grass-fed butter will boost the nutrition: it contains vitamin K2 and anti-inflammatory butyrate, among other benefits. If you only splurge on one ingredient, make it the butter.
Why This Works
Simple vanilla recipes are often the hardest to convert to keto because there’s nothing to hide the texture or flavor. To deepen the taste, I recommend lightly toasting the almond flour before using it. Toasting brings out a wonderful nuttiness and adds depth, though you can skip it if you want a more traditional vanilla flavor.
Sweetener Options
Use allulose for the best texture and no aftertaste (add about 30% more than you would sugar). Xylitol and powdered erythritol are also options; note that erythritol can give a slight cooling effect and xylitol is toxic to dogs, so keep pets away. If you use a buttercream frosting, the sweetener should be powdered — blitz it in a dry blender and let the dust settle before opening.
If you’re not restricting sugars, you can substitute coconut or regular sugar 1:1.
The Flours
This recipe uses a blend of super-fine almond flour, golden flaxseed meal, psyllium husk powder, and a touch of xanthan gum. For the best texture and rise, regrind golden flaxseed meal in a dry blender so it’s finely ground, and use finely ground psyllium powder or regrind the husks. Note that golden flaxseed differs from regular (brown) flaxseed; the golden variety gives a lighter, less gummy result.
(The Fluffiest!) Keto Vanilla Cupcakes
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the vanilla cupcakes
- 64 g almond flour
- 15 g golden flaxseed meal
- 9 g psyllium husk powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum or 2 tsp golden flaxseed meal
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup allulose or 1/3 cup xylitol or erythritol
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 42 g unsalted grass-fed butter melted and cooled
- 60 g sour cream or coconut cream + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (room temperature)
For the vanilla frosting
- 1 batch keto buttercream frosting
Instructions
For the vanilla cupcakes
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(Optional) Lightly toast the almond flour in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often until golden and fragrant (2–4 minutes). Allow to cool completely. This enhances the nutty flavor but can be skipped for a pure vanilla note.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line or grease and flour a muffin pan and set aside.
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Whisk together almond flour, golden flaxseed meal, psyllium husk, baking powder, xanthan gum (or extra flax), and salt in a bowl until combined. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, beat the sweetener and eggs with an electric mixer for 3–5 minutes until airy and lighter in color. With the mixer running, add vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and melted cooled butter.
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Add the dry mixture in two additions, alternating with the sour cream. Mix until incorporated and the batter becomes elastic; it will thicken as you mix.
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Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan and smooth the tops with wet fingertips to prevent uneven peaks.
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Bake 23–27 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Check after 15 minutes and tent with foil if they brown too quickly. They may sink slightly after baking — that’s normal.
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Make the buttercream frosting while the cupcakes cool. Frost as desired and enjoy.
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Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge for up to 3 days. Unfrosted, keep them at room temperature in an airtight container for the best texture for a couple of days.
Notes
Nutrition