All Day I Dream About Food

All the best low carb keto recipes for a healthy lifestyle

The Best Low Carb Chocolate Cupcakes

It’s crazy to think that this was one of the first low carb cake recipes I ever made here on All Day I Dream About Food. And they have stood the test of time, becoming one of my most popular keto cupcake recipes with some seriously devoted fans. I decided that they needed a little update. Pretty new photos to show them off, and an updated recipe that is even easier to make and uses a single bowl. It also now makes a full dozen. And of course I had to include a how to video!

Frost them with your favourite sugar-free frosting or use my espresso buttercream. I also have the ultimate chocolate buttercream recipe right here for you!

best ever low carb chocolate cupcakes

My youngest child turns one in a few days and so we had a little birthday party for her this weekend. We kept it small and simple, with just one other family sharing in the festivities. After all, one year olds hardly know what the fuss is all about and we figure we have years ahead of us where she is asking for the hottest new toys and wanting to have a big bash in her own honour. Might as well keep it low key while we can get away with it. We did, however, follow one time-honoured tradition in our family. We stripped her down to her diaper and let her dive into her birthday cake while we sat back, laughing hysterically and snapping hundreds of pictures.

Best Keto Chocolate Cupcake Recipe. Made with coconut flour!

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The cake we fed our baby, along with everyone else, was full of sugar, flour and, obviously, carbs. It was gorgeous, and by all accounts, it tasted pretty great too. I, however, was abstemious. As much as I would have liked to partake, I simply don’t think my pancreas would have been able to rise to the challenge. So I planned ahead. I wasn’t about to let my daughter’s first birthday go by without raising a forkful of some sweet treat or other.

Easy coconut flour chocolate cupcake recipe

I had in my head to do coconut flour cupcakes again, but I wanted them to be chocolate. And this time, I didn’t want to play up the coconut flavour, I really just wanted it to taste like a regular chocolate cupcake, so that I could then pair it up with an interesting frosting. In addition to my own Coconut Flour Cupcake recipe, I searched for chocolate coconut flour cake online and found a few recipes to use for basic guidelines. All of these recipes called for sugar, and I was using low carb sweeteners so I had to adjust the other ingredients accordingly.

These are the best low carb chocolate cupcakes! You won't know they are sugar-free and gluten-free.

For frosting, I knew I wanted a coffee flavour. Coffee and chocolate go together like, well, coffee and chocolate. I know the expression is supposed to be “peas and carrots”, but I don’t like cooked peas and I can’t see how these two vegetables go together any better than coffee and chocolate!

But if you prefer, you can always top it with the BEST low carb chocolate buttercream frosting!

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On of my old photos! Oh my, how times have changed…

The Results: I had thought I’d done pretty well on my previous foray into coconut flour cupcakes, but these puppies blew those ones out of the water. They are virtually indistinguishable from regular chocolate cupcakes. They rose beautifully when baking, and they didn’t end up overly dense like many coconut flour products. The crumb is nice and light. When I took them out of the oven, they smelled almost identical to the layers of chocolate cake I’d just made for the “real” birthday cake. You honestly would not know that these were made with any coconut products at all, as the coconut flavour was completely masked just as I had intended.

New Low Carb Cookbook: The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen

The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen

I almost don’t even know what I did right with these cupcakes. I think it is both a combination of the actual ingredients, and the method in which I put it all together. I wrote it all down very quickly after they came out of the oven because I could tell I had nailed it right away. To say I am pleased with the outcome is something of an understatement. They pair beautifully with the intensity of the espresso buttercream, but you could put whatever flavour of frosting on these that you wanted.

 

5 from 6 votes
Baking with Coconut Flour
Print
Chocolate Coconut Flour Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream (Low Carb and Gluten Free)
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

This low carb recipe for classic chocolate cupcakes has stood the test of time. Topped with delicious espresso buttercream frosting, they are the ultimate keto treat!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 268 kcal
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 7 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional, enhances chocolate flavour)
  • 7 eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup coconut flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2/3 cup Swerve Sweetener
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (more if your batter is too thick)
Espresso Buttercream:
  • 2 tbsp hot water
  • 2 tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 6 tbsp butter softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
Instructions
Cupcakes:
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with parchment or silicone liners
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, cocoa powder, and espresso powder.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Then add the coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt and beat until smooth.
  4. Beat in the almond milk. If that batter is still very thick, beat in more almond milk 1 tbsp at a time until it thins out a bit (batter will still be thick, but should be of scoopable consistency. It will not be pourable).
  5. Divide batter among prepared muffin tins and bake in center of oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when the top is set and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Buttercream:
  1. In a small bowl, stir together hot water and espresso until coffee dissolves. Set aside.
  2. With an electric mixer, whip cream until it forms stiff peaks. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and sweetener together until creamy. Add coffee mixture and beat until combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream carefully until well combined.
  4. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes with a knife or offset spatula, or pipe on with a decorating bag.
Recipe Notes

 

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Coconut Flour Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream (Low Carb and Gluten Free)
Amount Per Serving (1 cupcake)
Calories 268 Calories from Fat 204
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22.68g 35%
Total Carbohydrates 6.56g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3.43g 14%
Protein 6.12g 12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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Comments

  1. I'm not much of a coffee person, but these still look so good! I may have to bookmark this recipe for when we visit the hubby's parents. They love coffee and muffins…and I love cooking. It's a great relationship!

    Reply

  3. I bet this cupcake is great with a cup of hot coffee too!

    Love the buttercream icing!

    Bon appetit!
    CCR
    =:~)

    Reply

  4. These look absolutely GORGEOUS, Carolyn! I am not sure where to find coconut flour here in Germany, though. Will ask around! My son's birthday is coming and I wanted to make both regular and gluten free cupcakes for his birthday!

    You should be very very proud of yourself!!

    Reply

  8. Mmmm…these look like trouble. I'm betting it would be hard to eat just one! I love the espresso buttercream.

    Reply

  10. Hey Carolyn, I'm totally curious about this recipe. I've never really used coconut flour for baking. I love coconut and use it all the time-the flour is new to me though. I might have to try these if I can find some nice coconut flour…
    p.s. 'coffee and chocolate' sounds better than 'peas and carrots' to me too;)

    Reply

  14. Low carb AND gluten free! I'm in love! These cupcakes looks fantastic . . . Cheers, Michelle

    Reply

  17. Hello dear! These are gorgeous! I have a whole sack of coconut flour that I have slowly been chipping away at. I have not found a delicious cake as of yet… so I am bookmarking your recipe! Makes me happy that you had such success! foodie love from the north! megan

    Reply

  19. Espresso buttercream – come to Mama! I love your birthday ritual – but where's the photo of cake-covered baby?! 🙂

    Reply

  23. I am literally drooling over these and am BEYOND excited to have stumbled upon your blog today. My favorite part of your recipes… I already have most of the ingredients already at home!! I might just have to whip these up tonight. So happy… Yay!!

    Reply

  24. Do you sift your coconut flour at all? Also, the carb count seems high for the ingredients listed. Am I missing something? Thanks–they look great!

    Reply

  25. Hi Melanie,

    I don't sift my coconut flour usually, I just break up clumps with the back of a fork. I haven't looked at this recipe in a long time, so let me recalculate the carbs and see if I did it wrong. I usually post TOTAL carbs and then fiber and let people who do net carbs do the math themselves. So many people do it differently, I want everyone to be able to get what they need out of it!

    Reply

  26. Hi again, Melanie…okay, recalculated with MasterCook and it comes out very close to what I calculated by hand. If you are looking for NET carbs, each cupcake has about 4g of carbs and each serving of buttercream has 1g.

    Reply

  27. All your recipes look so good, especially this one. Is there another sugar substitute I can replace the erythritol?

    Reply

  28. I love your blog, thank you so much for the lovely recipes. I have your cinnamon scones in the oven as I type. I am so excited to try this chocolate cake recipe for his birthday in a couple weeks. We have been low carbing it for about a month and both lost 20 lbs. So awesome that we can still have a special birthday cake without blowing our diets and digestive systems. 😉

    Reply

  29. These were quite good. I am very impressed by your minimizing of the fibrous "chew" that coconut flour always gives baked goods–it was almost undetectable in these. I unfortunately forgot to buy instant espresso powder at the store, so I made just plain chocolate cupcakes. The buttercream I first made vanilla-flavored, then later whipped a little peanut butter into it–OH MY GOODNESS. I look forward to trying these with the original espresso flavor, but in the meantime, these were so good and the buttercream possibly the best low carb frosting I've tried. I especially appreciate that these used coconut flour, instead of the dear-as-gold almond flour. Thanks, Carolyn!

    Reply

  30. Huge fan of our recipes, and this one is almost certainly the best low carb dessert I’ve ever made. My workmates raved over them! I have tried coconut flour recipes before and was not happy with the results, so this is awesome. I’m definitely going to make this as a round cake for the next time there is a birthday at work. The frosting is amazing, so I will slather it all over the cake. My only changes were to use coconut cream instead of almond milk, and for the frosting I made it vanilla and also put some coconut extract. I also added some liquid sucralose to both the cupcake and the frosting, as I personally don’t feel that Stevia quite cuts it. The previous post about peanut butter frosting sounds great, I will have to try that, too, maybe as the filling in the cake… OK, that must be done, and soon. Screw waiting for someone’s birthday!

    Reply

  33. Can I ask about the coffee granules in the cupcakes? I don’t drink coffee and last night I purchased “espresso granules” for another recipe (mini mochas) that called for espresso granules and now I have these in the house. Can I use the espresso granules in the cupcake recipe instead of coffee granules?

    Reply

  34. Oh! Another question. Is it okay to feed kids these, mine are only 9 and 6 and don’t do coffee, will it affect them (the caffeine, and isn’t it more in espresso)? Could I make them with a bit more cocoa instead of the coffee granules?

    Reply

    • Espresso actually has less caffeine in it then regular coffee (the darker you roast the bean, the less caffeine). However, the coffee in the cupcakes is really just for offsetting the chocolate flavour, so if you want to skip it, you can. The buttercream could be a different flavour, if you want.

      Reply

      • They were to die-for!! I couldn’t wait long enough to ice them, I was eating the icing from the bowl (I should have remembered that I can’t control myself with icing). I found it made a lot of icing for sure for 7 cupcakes, so I had to eat some! My icing was too wet though, I’ll have to reduce or increase something next time….maybe I didn’t quite do enough cream cheese! Spectacular chocolate cupcakes (I didn’t do the espresso, but I will next time). I have never made chocolate anything in baking and I am so pleased with the outcome. They were so light and not at all gritty or anything like so many “gluten-free” products on the market. WOW! 10 Thumbs up!

        Reply

    • Yes, it really is, if you subtract for the erythritol. I have used it extensively and tested my blood sugar frequently…it has almost no effect on my glucose levels so I count it as 0 carbs. It’s a personal preference. If you are someone who does net carbs, then you can also subract the fiber (which is indigestible, therefore shouldn’t count as a carb), and the total is 5.6 g of net carbs per cupcake.

      Reply

  36. I want to use pure stevia extract (powder) in place of the eythritol; how much would your recommend using? 1/8 teaspoon? I will still add the twelve drops of liquid stevia as well.

    Reply

    • I haven’t used the powdered variety yet, but 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp sounds about right from other recipes I’ve seen. Maybe find another chocolate cupcake recipe that uses powdered stevia, then go with half of that because this recipe only makes 7 cupcakes.

      Reply

  37. I made these today and they turned out great! I was so excited to find your blog! In my grocery, coconut flour is so much cheaper than almond flour so I have been trying to use it more. I lost 30 pounds 5 years ago going low carb and I have kept it off and feel great. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thanks!

    Reply

  38. I am just discovering coconut flour and almond flour. As my 1st venture into this realm I made this recipe – as well as the Jorge Cruise choc cake in a mug (made with almond flour). This recipe is sooooo much better. the cupcakes are light and taste similar to red velvet cake. Instead of the icing, I add some non-fat light whip cream for a low calorie option. It’s perfection! the cupcakes keep well in the refrigerator. Can’t wait to try some of the other recipes.

    Reply

  39. I made these today, and was so happy. They were just like a normal cupcake, without that eggy taste. I made some with espresso and some with peanut butter frosting. Fantastic recipe!

    Reply

  41. Thank you!!!! My youngest daughter was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and I have been scouring the Internet for some decent low carb baking recipes. This did not disappoint!!! She loved them, and they were just like “normal” cupcakes for her. 🙂

    Reply

  42. These look so yummy. I can wait to make them, however my son is allergic to almonds, so could I use coconut milk?

    Reply

  43. Hi! I want to make the cake version for my son’s birthday. If I use Swerve as sweetener is that essentially the same as plain erythritol? And should I still use the stevia? I usually find stevia bitter so am nervous about using it. I also have stevia glycerite would that work? Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Hi Jane. Yes, put the same amount of Swerve in and still use the stevia. I think you will find that in combination, they don’t have any aftertaste. But feel free to use the stevia glycerite, that’s fine for the stevia.

      Reply

  44. Thanks so much. One more question sorry! Have you had any experience with freezing this recipe? I have to take the cake to another state and ice it there. I was planning to bake it tomorrow, cool, freeze and thaw out on Friday for party. Wondering if I should just try to make it there Fri AM but could be difficult as at someone else’s house. Have you found it to be pretty stable after baking? You know how flax meal breads change a bit in texture. I’m planning to make all my non low carb family eat this so I’m on the spot!!

    Reply

  45. hi, i’ve had next to zero luck with coconut flour –if I leave out the liquid stevia, will it affect the texture of this cake? It seems like everything affects a coconut flour recipe!

    Reply

    • The amount of liquid stevia in this recipe is so minor, it won’t affect the texture. However, you will find that it’s not sweet enough without some sort of additional sweetener.

      Reply

  48. I’m confused about your comments about carbs and subtracting erythritol? What are the net carbs (carbs-fiber) for the cupcakes? And also for the frosting?

    Reply

    • Erythritol does not affect blood sugar so it shouldn’t be counted into the carbs either. I used to list them, I no longer do. So the net carbs of the cupcakes themselves would be 4.2 g and the net carbs of the frosting would be 1 g. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  49. Did not have any instant coffee or expresso on hand, and I didnt want the caffeine at night anyway, so I just made them plain chocolate, and I added some sugar free hersheys chocolate chips into the batter. I doubled the recipe and made a dozen… for those wondering about using a pure powder such as Kal, I used about 1/8 tsp Kal pure stevia extract powder for the doubled recipe. With pure stevia, starting out with less is always better, since you can always add more, but if you overdo it to begin with, it will be ruined and bitter. I also used some xylitol plus the amount of called for erythritol. They were SO delicious!!! I have made other coconut flour recipes that did not turn out very well or tasted very coconutty. These did not taste like coconut at all… On the contrary, the flavor was spot on with a regular chocolate cake! Texture was fabulous too, not too dry or soggy. Thank you so much for your fantastic recipe!!!! Cant wait to try them with the coffee and expresso another time!

    Reply

    • Edit- I think I actually added even less than 1/8 tsp kal stevia… I was nervous about adding too much and making them bitter… That’s why I added the xylitol to pump up the sweetness.

      Reply

  50. I made these tonight. I didn’t have any espresso powder, so I put caramel extract in the frosting instead, and they were delicious. Could not believe how much like regular cake they taste!

    Reply

  51. Made these yesterday! I weighed my cocoa powder, I think it needed more than the weighed “tbsp” measurement.

    Do you sift your coconut flour before scooping? I did that this time, since I’ve had real trouble with clumps with coconut flour in the past, and wanted to be sure I measured right.

    The batter was VERY watery (thin pancake batter), so I worried and added a bit of extra coconut flour which may have contributed to them being less dark colored and dryer than your photos.

    Do you have photos of the batter? When I do low carb baking I always get nervous when I get to mixing the batter or dough, because I never know what consistency it should be! Stuff like coconut flour is so subjective to measure (weigh? sift? volume?) and absorbs liquid so readily that I never know if I did it right, or wrong!

    other than that, the sweetness, crumb, rise, and texture were GREAT! I made these paleo and dairy free for a friend with numerous food allergies, so subbed so delicious coconut milk and coconut oil for almond milk and butter. Any reccomendations for chocolate frosting recipes (dairy free subs if possible)?

    Please do include some batter photos if you have them, and in the meantime if you could speak to what it looks like, that would be great!

    Thanks so much, I love your recipes and writing 🙂

    Reply

    • I don’t have batter photos and I made this a long time ago. But you were right to add more coconut flour. It should not be that thin. I do not sift my coconut flour and I use Bob’s Red Mill so all of that can make a difference.

      Reply

  52. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe, I omitted the coffee and stevia and replaced the almond milk with coconut milk and used xylitol instead of erythritol. I paiired the choc cupcakes with plain cream cheese icing. My hubby says its better than the real thing and I think so too… I divided the batter into 12 and ended with perfectly flat cupcakes that rose to the top of the muffin pan. I made changes according to the ingredients I had on hand but the result was so awesome I will stick to it. Just next time will try the expresso version. Thanks again. Myra

    Reply

  53. I am Not sure what I did wrong because it’s like the egg mixture went to the bottom and the coconut chocolate espresso layer went on top… I made them with my own coconut flour by using a coffee grinder and unsweetened coconut. I also used Truvia. and no liquid stevia… they tasted amazing just worried. What did I do wrong??

    Reply

    • I am going to guess that it was the homemade coconut flour, which may not have been as fine or as homogenous as commercially ground coconut flour.

      Reply

    • I don’t really know because I’ve never used it. Sorry I can’t be of more help but I think people on the THM Facebook group should be able to help.

      Reply

  55. Hi Carolyn, Would I be able to substitute full fat FAGE Greek Yogurt for the butter orwithout affecting the flavor or texture in the cupcakes, without causing some other problem. I have to keep my carbs very low, but I also need to be careful of saturated fat. If yogurt would work, how much would I need to use? I was thinking of unsweetened apple sauce as sub as well. Difficult to be low carb and low fat.

    Reply

    • Yogurt (or applesauce) has more moisture than the butter, so you can sub it, but I think you will need to reduce the added liquid by a bit. I’d start with half of the liquid in this recipe, then add as needed. Remember, batters like this are thicker than conventional batter, so it should be “spreadable” but not “pourable”, if that makes sense.

      Reply

      • Thanks so much for this. To eliminate liquid, would you reduce the amount of egg (that seems to be the only liquid except for small amount of almond milk?) I wish there were a fat that I could use to replace butter in baking that was healthier than butter – like avocado is – but I suppose there is no easy fix. If you have one, I would be thrilled to know.

        Reply

        • In my world, Lance, butter is considered very healthy. I know you said you are reducing fat and carbs but most people would advise against that and a great deal of evidence is coming out in favour of high fat (including saturated fat) diets. I don’t like to tell people how to eat but grassfed butter is an incredibly healthy part of a low carb diet.

          However, if you still want to make this recipe without it, then you do need to reduce the almond milk. Try 3 tbsp to start with.

          Reply

          • Thanks Carolyn, I really appreciate your thoughtful response. I agree, sat fats can be a a very good thing, I am very aware of the evidence surfacing in the last few years about it. Still, I am careful. Just for fun, I’ll try it with the reduction once to see.

  56. Hi, Carolyn! I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to you for doing this incredible blog. My hubby and I were on a low-carb lifestyle (and lost a significant amount of weight), but then got burned out because we thought we could only have lots of meat, cheese, veggies, etc. Your recipes have opened up a whole new world to us. I tried your brie, ham, and green apple Panini last night (hubs said it tasted gourmet), and I plan to try this cupcake recipe for our church’s Trunk or Treat this Friday. Thank you for giving us such a fresh, vibrant start again on our healthy lifestyle journey!

    Reply

    • Hi Angela – thank you for coming to let me know. It’s always so great to hear from readers and know my recipes help!

      Reply

  57. These look fantastic! Can’t wait to make them. Thank you so much for doing all the hard work for us first so we can benefit. Two questions please: 1) what are the sugar or sweetness equiv to 12 drops and 6 drops stevia extract? I have erthritol but may be using liquid sucralose for the stevia. 2) Could I use heavy whipping cream for the almond milk or would that mess things up? Thanks much!!

    Reply

    • The sugar equivalent of 12 drops of stevia extract is about 2 tbsp. Don’t use HWC, use water or a mix of water and cream.

      Reply

  58. Hi Carolyn, Following up I used the subbed the butter with avocado puree, and the muffins tasted really good, I couldn’t detect a difference that with butter, and they were a little moister than with butter which was a good thing. I am thinking of making a two or three layer cake using the recipe per your instructions, I know from making the muffins (whether using butter or subbing avocado) that the finished product does not rise that much. Would adding whey protein help it rise (and would it help keep the product together if using avocado which is more moist than butter?) or adding xanthan gum? Maybe I could beat the better longer to add more air?

    Reply

    • The whey protein might help a bit. But remember that avocado, although very fatty, is more than just plain fat like butter. Like you said, it has moisture…it also has fiber. All of that could be contributing. I might an extra egg and possibly more leavening agent.

      Reply

  59. Do you think this would work to make a sheetcake? Should I double the recipe? I’m going to try to come up with a low carb chocolate/coconut poke cake for Thanksgiving and have been trying to find a good cake base to start with. I would leave out the coffee and was thinking about using coconut oil and coconut milk substitutes, to give it a stronger coconut flavor. What do you think?

    Reply

  60. I can’t wait to try these! Can I substitute normal cream for the almond milk, or should I rather use full fat milk? Thanks!

    Reply

  63. Is it possible to sub out the almond mild with yogurt? Can’t get unsweetened almond milk in SA and if I make my own it goes off before I can use it all. TIA

    Reply

    • Actually, a better sub would be half cream and half water. Or just water, if you absolutely need to.

      Reply

  64. Hi Carolyn, when I made the recipe as cupcakes, they came out great, but when I double the recipe to make a 2 layer cake it was very salty. What would happen if I reduced or eliminated the salt? or could it be the baking soda or baking powder. I generally don’t like the taste of salt in cakes. Otherwise, I love this cake!

    Reply

      • Hi Caollyn, thanks so much, I meant to reply immediately. The baking powder and baking soda likewise make for more of a salty taste. Would reducing them cause the cake not to rise or cause another probelm?

        Reply

        • Hi Carolyn, I eliminated the salt, and the cake (I made a two layer cake) was less salty, and I enjoyed it, but it was still a little salty for me, and even the espresso buttercream was seemed so. Odd. I have no experience with sodium-free baking soda and sodium-free baking powder, but if you do or could infer, would using them help?

          Reply

  65. Hi! Just wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe. My hubby and I have been doing low carb since Feb and have lost a combined total of 100 lbs. He is a chocolate fanatic and these cupcakes did not disappoint. I followed your recipe to the letter and these were just like regular cupcakes. I also loved the espresso buttercream. These were a nice treat for him to celebrate Father’s Day. Thank you!

    Reply

  66. Thank you for providing this recipe! I’m not even sure how many times I’ve made these moist, delicious cupcakes (I haven’t made the frosting).

    Reply

  67. This may be the best low carb dessert I have ever made!! I made them for my birthday a few weeks ago and was delighted how well they turned out. They actually tasted and felt like regular cupcakes. I am not a big icing fan but they were so moist that they didn’t need anything. Definitely a keeper!! Thanks so much for such a great recipe!,

    Reply

  68. Made these today (minus the coffee) and they were AWESOME!!!
    Thanks for another wonderful recipe.

    Reply

  70. Hi, you mention using Erythritol (swerve) and stevia but I only see swerve in the recipe. I also noticed that you used the granulated swerve. I try to avoid the granulated swerve because of the possibility of a gritty mouth feel. So, two questions: 1) did you add stevia? 2) no gritty feel from the granulated swerve?
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • I don’t really use Stevia anymore because my son appears to be allergic. But rest assured, in this recipe, you don’t get any gritty mouthfeel. None of my baked goods have that. At times, frostings and such do get gritty after a little while in the fridge.

      Reply

  71. This was the perfect use for many ingredients I’ve had on hand but haven’t used (good lord, how did I accumulate so much coconut flour?!?). I did make some substitutions – coconut blossom sugar in the cupcakes and coconut manna in place of half the butter for the cupcake and all the icing butter. These are fantastic. Thank you!!

    Reply

  72. This was insanely delicious! I still can’t get over how much they tasted like a “real” cupcake!

    Reply

  73. Hello. I’m a THM and an wondering if THM baking blend would be an okay sub for the coconut flour as I don’t have any. I hate asking about substitutes as authors work hard at creating recipes that work…but I’m needing to know.

    Reply

  75. Despite the scare of the 2000 calorie dealie, I made the cupcakes. You’ve got a winner.

    I’m the type of person who liked to sit down with 2 carmello bars and a bag of skittles (to cleanse the pallet of all that chocolate). So I ad-libbed a little on your recipe and added 1 Tablespoon of xylitol, 1/2 Tablespoon of maple syrup, a teaspoon of maca, and a small sprinkling of cinnamon to the mix.

    I just needed it a little bit sweeter and the chocolate to stand out more. The coffee does do that but so does adding in just the hint of cinnamon (which you can’t really detect in the baked version). This does change the nutritional details, yes, and puts the thumb on the carb scale, but I have been finding that if I make enough desserts to cheat with, I am able to stay in ketosis and still lose weight. Thanks so much for this recipe!

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  76. Made these for my husband’s birthday this evening and everybody LOVED them! Quite a few people aren’t doing Keto or Low Carb eating and they raved over them and couldn’t believe they were so low in carbs!

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  77. If these were left out at a party or overnight does the frosting melt or go bad? Im having trouble finding a good frosting that is stable outside of the fridge for long periods of time? Can coffee flour be subbed for the espresso Or does the espresso help flavor it?
    Thank you!

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  79. Love the versatility of these cupcakes! I’m hard pressed to think of any flavor that doesn’t go with a great chocolate cupcake!

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  80. I added all the ingredients into my Fitness Pal recipe maker—using barcodes from the ingredients. The cupcakes are fantastic! However, the carb totals (both total and net) are twice as high as shown on the above nutrition chart. I realize there may be some variance, but not this much. I did use Swerve—which I probably should use Stevia to lower the number of carbs. I didn’t even include the frosting on mine. So, not sure what to make of these recipes online. I think I have to check against MFP. For now, I’m sharing 1/2 the cupcake to reduce total carbs.

    Reply

    • Hi Mary, Please see the nutritional disclaimer at the bottom of my post where I clearly state that I don’t count erythritol carbs at all because they have zero impact on blood sugar. Read up on erythritol and you will understand that while they are technically “carbs”, they get excreted straight into the urine without ever entering the blood stream. So you should not be counting them at all. By the way, MFP is EXTREMELY unreliable and I wish you wouldn’t give my poor recipe a bad rating because of that. 🙂

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  81. I’m going to make these TOMORROW!!! They sound so good!! I have one question:
    Can I use a chocolate bar instead of or in some combination with the cocoa powder? If so, how and how much?

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  83. Can Splenda be used instead of swerve? Will it change the taste or consistency? And if so is it just the same amount?

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  84. Has anyone tried making mini cupcakes with this recipe? If so, how much did you decrease the baking time and/or did you change the temp?
    Thanks!

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  85. Do you think I could use maple syrup as the sweetener? That’s what I like to use in baking. I would have to decrease the milk probably and get the right consistency.

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  86. Does the espresso flavor really come out in the cupcakes..my husband doesn’t like coffee very much and didn’t want to make them if it tastes alot like coffee

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    • Not at all. Please understand that a small amount of coffee simply enhances the chocolate flavor…but you can skip it if you like.

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  87. What are the measurements in Metric please, as I am from England (UK). I made this but I am sure our cup and half a cup are different sizes to US sizes. Thanks Asad

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  89. I know this post is from 8 years ago but I have to comment. I made these cupcakes for my son’s birthday. He’s doing low carb and I couldn’t see him not having dessert. He is allergic to nuts so that limited my choices. Thank God I found this recipe. MAKE THESE CUPCAKES!! NOW! They were delicious. I made them nut-free by substituting the almond milk for half & half and it worked just fine. I wound up getting 16 cupcakes. Sadly, we had to eat four as soon as they cooled off because my cupcake holder only held 12. What a sacrifice!! LOL!! The espresso frosting just put them over the top. I would eat it on pretty much anything or just by itself. Thank you for this recipe!!

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  90. Oh my word! These are insanely good and my teenage daughter who is not low carb asks for another batch as she’s eating the last one! Everyone loves these and I love the fact that me and OH can indulge in a sweet treat and still lose/maintain weight and feel great! Thanks so much for all your recipes – I know it takes a lot of time! I’ve been low carb baking for about 6 months now and I just know that if I use one of your recipes, it will always turn out great! There are some seriously dodgy recipes out there claiming to be the best when they are really not very good at all. Great work Carolyn 🙂

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  91. Made these and they turned out awesome! Thank you! I followed the recipe exactly. I used instant coffee instead of espresso powder. I thought it would make 12, but I ended up with 19 cupcakes somehow. Definitely not complaining about that though. Ha ha. They look so beautiful too, I was able to do a Rosette design just like I’ve done with regular frosting.

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  92. Hi Carolyn your treats always look amazing I am a fairly avid baker however keto baking is new to me some hits and misses .. I do make a pretty yummy low carb biscuit
    My question is I have been trying to low carb or keto my existing recipes that are my husbands favorites
    Every year I make Irish Car Bomb cupcakes and I’m trying to find a way to make them some what low carb do you have any suggestions.
    Fawnjemison

    Reply

      • Carolyn they do take Baileys for the frosting my biggest concern is how to make the cupcake with the Guinness ….
        Fawnjemison

        Reply

        • How much Guinness? A full bottle, a cup? Guinness is, surprisingly, one of the beers with the least carbs. You could still cut back on it some, though.

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  93. I have made these for years, and they are a family favorite! My son was just advised to remove dairy. I can skip the frosting (or sub an avocado frosting), but wondering how these turn out with coconut oil vs. butter. Have you ever made that sub?

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  94. Your ingredient list doesn’t mention espresso powder, but the instructions do? How much do you need, and is it required/necessary for this recipe? I’m a little confused about your reference to an older recipe…I can’t tell if I’m looking at your new one or old one. Thanks!

    Reply

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