Cozy fall flavors abound in deliciously tender Keto Spice Cake Cupcakes. These moist cupcakes are topped with a dreamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting for the perfect fall dessert.
That chill in the air, cozy socks and sweaters, soup bubbling on the stove, and the scent of freshly baked spice cake. These are the joys of autumn. And with these delectable Keto Spice Cake Cupcakes, you can enjoy it to the fullest.
I’ve been thinking about a keto spice cake recipe for a while now. I already have a delicious Keto Gingerbread Cake that we often make for the holidays. And I have an amazing Spiced Keto Rum Cake that readers love.
Then I thought, why not make them into cupcakes? Easy to make, easy to scale up or down, and built-in portion control!
Why you need to try this recipe
I thoroughly enjoyed creating these keto cupcakes and I think you will too. They come together quickly, they smell like heaven when they are baking, and they look so pretty when arranged on a plate. And they taste heavenly too!
And while these are coconut flour cupcakes, I also provide some direction for making them with almond flour. Either way, they will be sweet tasty treats for the whole family.
I have to say, the cinnamon cream cheese frosting is absolutely out of this world. Super creamy and easy to make, it compliments these cupcakes to perfection.
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut flour: I made these keto cupcakes with coconut flour for a nut-free recipe. Please see the Tips for Success if you would like to use almond flour.
- Sweetener: I used a erythritol-based sweetener for the cupcakes and powdered allulose for the frosting. Please see the Tips section for more information.
- Protein powder: As always, protein powder helps keto cakes rise and hold their shape. I recommend whey protein or egg white protein.
- Spices: This keto spice cake recipe uses a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Butter: Both the cupcakes and the frosting take butter. I recommend unsalted for both.
- Cream cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is very well softened before making the frosting.
- Heavy whipping cream: I like to add a little heavy cream to thin out the frosting and make it smoother.
- Pantry staples: Eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt.
Step by Step Directions
1. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, whey protein, baking powder, spices, and salt.
2. Add the wet ingredients: Stir in the eggs, melted butter, water, and vanilla until well combined and the batter is smooth. If the batter is overly thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, until easily scoopable.
3. Bake the cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly into the cups of a standard muffin tin lined with 6 parchment or silicone liners and smooth the tops. Bake at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the tops are just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium until very smooth, about 90 seconds. Add the sweetener, cinnamon, and vanilla and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. The beat in the heavy whipping cream.
5. Frost the cupcakes: Taste and adjust cinnamon and sweetener as desired. Then pipe or spread onto the cooled cupcakes. Top with a dusting of cinnamon or some keto caramel sauce.
Tips for Success
I made these cupcakes with coconut flour for a nut-free option. It’s important to remember that you cannot use almond flour and coconut flour interchangeably. Read more about baking with coconut flour.
If you really want to make this recipe with almond flour, follow my Almond Flour Cake recipe, adding in the spices. It will make 12 cupcakes so you will need to increase the frosting. They will also take less time to bake, so start checking them early.
Make sure to use parchment or silicone muffin liners for these cupcakes. Paper liners stick very badly to any kind of keto baked goods!
To get the creamiest frosting, you really want both the cream cheese and butter to be well softened. If your house is cold, I recommend zapping them for a few seconds in the microwave so that they will cream nicely together.
Sweetener Options
I used an erythritol based sweetener in the cupcakes because allulose tends to make cakes and muffins overly browned on the outside. They can even taste a little burnt, although the inside will be good. You can also try using stevia or monk fruit extract but many people find that they have an aftertaste.
For the frosting, I used a powdered allulose sweetener. I do find that it can clump a little so I always sift it into the bowl rather than just dumping it in. You can also use a powdered erythritol sweetener for the frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cupcakes like these are fine on the counter for up to three days. You can also store them in an airtight container the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for several months.
Coconut flour is an excellent ingredient for keto recipes because it is low in carbs and high in fiber. It is also completely gluten-free and nut-free. It is highly unusual in the way it absorbs eggs and liquid, so you have to learn how to use it properly. For more information, read my article on Baking with Coconut Flour.
This keto spice cake cupcake recipe has 6.6g of carbs and 3.0g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.6g net carbs per cupcake.
More keto cupcake recipes
Keto Spice Cake Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 6 tbsp (42.61 g) coconut flour
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) brown sugar substitute
- 3 tbsp (42.61 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
- 1/4 cup water, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) powdered allulose, sifted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, (more if you like)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a standard muffin tin with 6 parchment or silicone liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, sweetener, whey protein, baking powder, spices, and salt.
- Stir in the eggs, melted butter, water, and vanilla until well combined and the batter is smooth. If the batter is overly thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, until easily scoopable.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffins cups and smooth the tops. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the tops are just firm to the touch.
- Remove and let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium until very smooth, about 90 seconds.
- Add the sweetener and beat in until combined. If your powdered sweetener has clumps, sift it through a fine mesh sieve into the bowl. (Tip: Use a spoon to move it around in the sieve and to break up the clumps).
- Add the cinnamon and vanilla and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the heavy whipping cream.
- Taste and adjust cinnamon and sweetener as desired. Then pipe or spread onto the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Nutrition
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I like this recipe because it makes only 6 cupcakes. It’s only my husband and me so it’s perfect. I did add about 1 tbsp of finely chopped carrots to the batter. They are very good and I will make them again. Of course, you are my go-to for any recipe. Thank you! Janet…
Sounds delicious!
I’m not a fan of almond flour so this recipe is great. Thank you!
How long would you bake an 8in cake for with a double recipe?
Check out my other layer cakes as a guide! 🙂