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Easy Vanilla Keto Cupcake Recipe – 3g net carb!

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Make this keto cupcake recipe with coconut flour and low-carb sweetener for a moist, fluffy sweet treat. The simple vanilla buttercream frosting adds a velvety touch to this low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free, and sugar-free dessert!

The best part is that these come together in under 30 minutes with common low-carb ingredients.

Easy Keto Vanilla Cupcakes - Low-Carb with Coconut Flour.

Keto Cupcakes with Coconut Flour

I dove into a self-led course on keto baking immediately after our son was born in 2016. Baking on a keto diet was new to me then, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good everything was! 

Who needs wheat flour and sugar if keto alternatives are as easy to work with and just as delicious? 

After a few months of testing sweet and savory keto baked goods, I established a solid collection of sugar-free, grain-free, and gluten-free recipes. You can find all these recipes in The Ultimate Guide to Low-Carb Baking.

Identifying the best ingredients for keto baking was a huge help. Getting good results is hard if you donโ€™t start with the right ingredients. I list many of these same foods in a printable grocery list for keto pantry staples. This is a handy printable to keep in your kitchen or stuck on the fridge for reference.

I rely on coconut flour and other coconut products for a keto diet and keto baking. These are essential low-carb ingredients that make super tasty treats.

Personally, I prefer coconut flour over almond flour because itโ€™s cheaper and easier to digest. Coconut flour does not have phytic acid or anti-nutrients like nut flours do and isย low-oxalate. If you have a history of food allergies or auto-immune conditions, you may also want to favor coconut flour over almond flour.

This brings us to these fluffy keto cupcakes. The problem with a good cupcake is you never stop with just one. Thankfully, with these easy keto cupcakes, you don’t have to.

You can enjoy this delicious, guilt-free dessert that’s perfect for anyone following a keto or low-carb diet. Double the recipe to have a healthy treat available, or make a batch as the craving strikes – they are so simple to make!

Vanilla cupcake on a plate and a couple on a cupcake stand.

How to Make Vanilla Keto Cupcakes

Mix everyday simple ingredients into a fluffy batter and bake your keto coconut flour cupcakes in the oven. They take 10 minutes to prep and will be out of the oven in less than 20 minutes. The whole recipe needs less than 30 minutes to make!

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter โ€“ This keeps the cake moist and flavorful. Room temperature butter creams best with the sweetener.
  • Sweetener – The best sweetener for this recipe is a sugar-free granular sweetener. I use Lakantoโ€™s erythritol and monkfruit sweetener. Take a look at these other keto desserts sweetened with Lakanto and see more ways to use it. If you want to give it a try, apply the code PRIMALEDGEHEALTH at checkout for 20% off your purchase!
  • Eggs – Eggs provide structure and stability to the batter, helping the cupcakes rise and hold their shape.
  • Coconut milk – We use coconut milk (the kind in the carton, not the can) to thin the batter. Coconut flour absorbs much liquid, so we need something to balance the texture. You can substitute with unsweetened almond milk or other keto milk.
  • Sour cream โ€“ Not only does this give a delicious tang to our cupcakes, but it also plays into the light and fluffy texture. You can substitute with plain store-bought or homemade raw milk yogurt.
  • Vanilla extract โ€“ A splash of vanilla extract compliments the sweetness and makes this a satisfying keto dessert.
  • Coconut flour โ€“ The flour of choice for these gluten-free cupcakes. Coconut flour is keto, low-carb, and generally suitable for many diet types.
  • Baking powder โ€“ A classic baking ingredient that helps the cupcakes rise while baking in the oven.
  • Vanilla Bean Frosting โ€“ This luxurious finish is made with butter, powdered keto sweetener, heavy cream, and vanilla extract and bean. 
  • White chocolate – Optional but adds a lovely touch when shaved and added as a garnish.
A batch of vanilla cupcakes on a round stand and one on a white plate.

Substitutions and Variations

Use this basic keto cupcake recipe to experiment with other flavors and textures. 

  • Mini cupcakes – Use a small mini muffin tin to make bite-size cupcakes. This is a fantastic option for kidsโ€™ birthday parties. 
  • Chocolate flavor – Add cocoa powder to the batter and frosting to make these keto chocolate cupcakes. Or stick with the vanilla cupcakes and make chocolate frosting for a little variety.

Diet Modifications

As written in the recipe card, this recipe is naturally keto, nut-free, low-oxalate and gluten-free. If you have additional specific dietary needs, consider the following modifications to make this recipe suitable for any wellness diet.

  • Dairy-Free – Use coconut oil instead of butter and you can omit the frosting or make a simple chocolate ganache. 
  • Paleo diet – If you tolerate dairy, you can make the recipe as is, using coconut sugar as the sweetener. However, if you are on strict paleo and must avoid dairy, make appropriate substitutions, as mentioned above. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps to make these decadent coconut flour cupcakes.

Step 1: Preheat and prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill the cupcake pan with paper liners.

Step 2: Mix wet ingredients

Cream the butter and sweetener in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating. Mix in the coconut milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.

Step 3: Stir dry ingredients

Stir the coconut flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Then slowly combine them into the creamed butter and egg mixture. Continue to mix until smooth.

Step 4: Bake the cupcakes

Divide the cupcake batter evenly by scooping into each cupcake liner in the muffin tin. Each cupcake is a generous ยผ cup of batter. 

Bake for 16-18 minutes until a cake tester (toothpick or knife) comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack.

Step 5: Make the frosting

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the vanilla frosting. Beat butter in a medium mixing bowl until creamy. Add powdered sweetener half of a cup at a time. Continue mixing until smooth. Add heavy cream and mix well to combine. 

If the frosting looks too stiff, add cream one tablespoon at a time until you see the desired texture. 

Finally, split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and mix them into the frosting. Or stir in vanilla extract. 

Arrange them on a wire rack or cake stand and frost the cupcakes with a piping bag or ziplock bag with one corner snipped off. Add chocolate shavings to the top of the cupcakes for a decadent touch.

Vanilla cupcake on a white plate and a white teapot in the background.

Nutritional Info for Keto Vanilla Cupcakes

One full recipe yields 12 cupcakes. Once frosted, each one will have the following nutrition profile:

Each serving with frosting, contains:

  • 248 calories
  • 3 g protein
  • 24 g fat
  • 6 g total carbs
  • 3 g fiber
  • 3 g net carbs

Please note that the nutritional value will change if you substitute ingredients. Use a nutrition app to recalculate and reflect your changes.

Low-Carb Coconut Flour Cupcake Recipe FAQ

Can I make frosted keto cupcakes ahead of time?

If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you certainly can. First, bake the cupcakes and store them unfrosted in an airtight container in the fridge. Since the fresh frosting has the best texture, I suggest making it the same day you plan to serve cupcakes. For ease, spread the frosting with a knife over the cupcakes just before serving for the best results.

Do coconut flour vanilla cupcakes freeze well?ย 

These cupcakes are freezer-friendly, but itโ€™s best to freeze them without the frosting. Feel free to make a double batch and store them in an airtight container for up to three months in the freezer. When youโ€™re ready, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

Can I substitute almond flour for coconut flour in the keto vanilla cupcakes recipe?

I donโ€™t recommend substituting almond flour with coconut flour as they have different absorption rates. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid than almond flour, requiring less flour and more liquid. It’s best to use a recipe specifically for almond flour, like keto cake, if that’s what you have.

a piece of vanilla cupcake on a textured white plate.

More Keto Coconut Flour Recipes

Baking low-carb doesnโ€™t have to be complicated; with these easy recipes, we have you covered! Start the day with these coconut flour pancakes. And while youโ€™re at it, be sure to give these savory muffins a try or the coconut flour bread for all your bread needs. 

To satisfy the sweet tooth without the excess carbs, indulge in gooey butter cake or chocolate cake made with coconut flour.

Vanilla cupcake on a plate and a couple on a cupcake stand.

Vanilla Keto Cupcakes with Coconut Flour

Keto vanilla cupcakes are a delicious treat to share with a crowd any time of the year. Elegant enough for the holidays, yet easy enough for an impromptu birthday party, this low-carb, gluten-free coconut flour cupcake recipe has a classic vanilla flavor but only 3 net carb per serving.
4.92 from 73 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 248 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 cupcake pan
  • 12 cupcake liners
  • 1 electric hand mixer

Ingredients
 
 

For Sour Cream Cupcakes

For Vanilla Bean Frosting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 ยฐF (175ยฐC). Fill cupcake pan with liners.
  • Cream the butter and sweetener together in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating. Mix in the coconut milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.ย 
    ยฝ cup butter, ยพ cup Keto sugar substitute, 3 eggs, ยฝ cup coconut milk, ยฝ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Stir the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl, then slowly combine them into the egg liquid. Continue mixing until smooth.
    ยพ cup coconut flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, White chocolate bar
  • Divide evenly by pouring the batter into each cupcake well. Each cupcake is a generous ยผ cup of batter. Bake for 16-18 minutes until a cake tester (toothpick or knife) comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan before removing them.
  • Make the frosting while the cupcakes cool. Beat butter in a medium mixing bowl until creamy. Add powdered sweetener ยฝ cup at a time. Continue mixing until smooth. Add cream and mix well to combine.ย If the frosting looks too stiff, add additional cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you see the desired texture. Finally, split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and mix them into the frosting.
    ยฝ cup butter, 2 cups powdered Monkfruit Sweetener, 6 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Arrange on a wire rack or cake stand and frost or pipe with an icing bag.

Notes

Use code “PRIMALEDGEHEALTH” for 20% off your order of any keto sweeteners when you shop with the links in this post.
There are more important notes and tips shared in the post above. I highly recommend you read the whole post before making the recipe!

Nutrition & Macros

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 3gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 16gSodium: 160mgFiber: 3gNet Carbohydrates: 3g

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a review and share with me!

First published August 25, 2019. Later updated on Sept 26, 2022 with new images and tips.

Keto vanilla cupcake served on a white plate with a fork.

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44 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Hi Jessica,

    Thank you for this cupcake recipe. I did make a couple substitutions. 1.) I reduced the sweetener to 1/2 cup. I did this because I tried another coconut cupcake recipe for making 6 cupcakes and the 1/4 cup sweetener was too sweet for me and my child. 2.) I replaced 1/8 cup of the coconut flour with non flavoured grass fed whey concentrate powder. I did this because the previous recipe also only used coconut flour and it was really light weight. They were actually sort of puffy. However, maybe that was because I didn’t have baking powder on hand and tried a substitution I read online which was whipped egg whites. Anyway, I read a bit of whey can stabilize non glutenous flours. So, I did it just in case. The crumb texture was nice. I’ll try it without the protein powder next time because lots of people seem to like like that too. Sorry for the long comment. What did you use to mix the dry ingredients with the wet? I used a spatula and that wasn’t firm enough to do a good job. There was a little bit of unmixed dry mixture at the end that I ignored. Would a wooden spoon be OK or would the batter stick to it easily? By the way, I really like the extra fat/creaminess of this recipe. Unlike the other one I tried, this one doesn’t stick to the liners. The first recipe I tried probably didn’t have enough fat. Your recipes are great because they are truly keto and carnivore.

    1. Hello, Jessica. I’m so happy to hear from you again. I love your comments, you’re welcome to leave them as frequently and as long as you like! I use an electic mixer to mix the dry and wet ingredients together. I’m really glad you’re enjoying my recipes. I like that you’re enjoying adding your own twist on them too!

      1. 5 stars
        The hand mixer is a helpful suggestion. I managed to make a batch with a manual mixer and it was fine. However, my child isn’t strong enough to mix coconut flour. So, I got an electric mixer for her. I made your recipe for my mom yesterday and she really really likes it. She wants them for her birthday or whenever she want to make a treat. She seems to like the coconut flour a lot.

  2. 5 stars
    Hi, Thank you very much for posting this recipe. My neighbor recommended I should let my child take a cupcake to the birthday party. This is a good low oxalate and low carb option. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve always been using almond flour for keto baking and it’s my first time to try coconut flour. I noticed a difference in texture but either way, it tasted so good. This was very easy to make with your easy-to-follow instructions and apart from the vanilla, I also made the chocolate and lemon frosting just for variety. I brought this to our office Thanksgiving party and everyone in my team loved it!

  4. 5 stars
    I’m keeping this recipe and adding it to my favorites. Came in handy when I was craving for something sweet but was back on Keto. Simple and delicious. Though I didn’t get the perfect texture, it was good enough for me =)

  5. 5 stars
    I love this Vanilla keto cupcake recipe of yours, so easy to make but most importantly a healthy one and it satisfies my cupcake cravings :), sweet, moist, fluffy, buttery flavors and all, sooooo delish! Already on my list of my ‘fav cupcake recipes’ Thanks for sharing!

  6. 5 stars
    I made these for my mom’s birthday and she loved them! She didn’t know they were keto until I told her, which is awesome. I’ll make these again, for sure.

  7. 5 stars
    WOW!! I have been baking gluten free for over 15 years and low carb keto for 3. This is HANDS DOWN the BEST cupcake recipe EVER! It is so fluffy and moist! No one would EVER know they are low carb and or gluten free. I cannot say enough good things about this recipe. Super easy too! The only modification I made was to use macadamia milk in lieu of the coconut milk (I was out of coconut milk). I also added a splash of McCormickโ€™s cake batter flavouring to the batter. I opted to ice my cupcakes with a cream cheese buttercream frosting. Kudos to the creator of this recipe. If I could give it 10 stars, I would!

4.92 from 73 votes (50 ratings without comment)

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