Keto Chocolate Cupcakes
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These Keto Chocolate Cupcakes are my low carb answer to rich, decadent traditional cupcakes! The good news is you won’t give up any of that flavor and chocolaty goodness here. These almond flour chocolate cupcakes are just as good (or dare I say, even better?) than the real thing!!
Keto Chocolate Cupcakes
If you’re looking for a chocolate cupcake recipe that isn’t overly sweet but is rich and chocolaty instead… you’ve come to the right place.
These almond flour cupcakes with chocolate frosting are all that and more, plus are low carb friendly. Woowoo!!
I definitely know a thing or two about chocolate cupcakes. Have you seen my Brownie Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, Extreme Oreo Cupcakes, Hot Chocolate Cupcakes, or Death by Chocolate Cupcakes yet?!
This time, I wanted to create something for all of my keto eaters. It’s just as decadent and chocolate-filled as other recipes, without an enormous carb count.
While the crumb here is fine, it’s a bit more gritty than traditional recipes due to the almond flour. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me one bit.
And I know when you guys try these, you’ll agree!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Almond Flour – The key to making this recipe low carb and keto friendly! Make sure to choose finely ground almond flour for the best texture.
- Cocoa Powder – And here’s where the chocolate flavor comes from. I usually reach for unsweetened cocoa powder to keep things sugar-free too.
I also just prefer the stronger, more intensely chocolate flavor! - Baking Powder – To give your keto chocolate cupcakes the rise they need. You don’t need baking soda here — powder on its own will give them a lift.
- Eggs – You’ll need 3 large ones, yolk and all. Eggs help bind everything together and give your cupcakes structure.
- Heavy Cream – Famously low carb, heavy cream is a mainstay in pretty much all of my keto desserts. It adds moisture and richness.
If you want to make these dairy-free as well, you can use almond milk instead. - Erythritol – I’m using this sugar substitute instead of the real stuff. Some other options include monk fruit or stevia.
You could also simply use granulated sugar if the sugar content isn’t an issue for you. - Vanilla Extract – Balances out the sweetness of the other ingredients, and complements the chocolate perfectly.
- Homemade Chocolate Frosting – I decided to go all out and make homemade chocolate frosting for my low carb chocolate cupcake recipe.
I used heavy cream, Lily’s dark chocolate chips, erythritol, vanilla extract, and salt.
You can make yours yourself or use one of your favorites. I also have a chocolate buttercream frosting that would be perfect here too!
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep your ingredients.
There are a few things you can do to set yourself up for success from the get-go!
First, make sure your eggs and heavy cream are at room temperature. This will help create a smoother batter with fewer lumps.
Set a timer to pull them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you get started, and they should come to room temp pretty quickly.
Next, sift your dry ingredients. Sifting the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt will remove any clumps and help distribute everything evenly.
Your keto chocolate cupcakes will be a lot lighter and fluffier this way!
- Use a kitchen scale if you have one.
Baking truly is a science, and even more so when it comes to keto recipes. It’s kind of like a balancing act!
You need to be very precise or your keto cupcakes may not come out the way you want them to. This is especially true for the almond flour — it pays to work with a scale if you have one on hand.
And if you don’t have one, this food scale is my personal favorite.
- Chill the ganache for the frosting.
Rushing will certainly be tempting here! I know you’ll want to decorate these almond flour cupcakes with chocolate frosting as soon as you can, but you need to be patient.
Once you’ve made the chocolate ganache frosting, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before beating it. The extra time in the fridge will help it set and keep it from going runny.
It’s worth the wait!
Prep Ahead
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Line a cupcake pan with liners
- Bring eggs and heavy cream to room temp
- Sift the dry ingredients
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Muffin/Cupcake Pan – Silicone is a great non-stick option, but a standard metal pan helps cupcakes to brown evenly all the way around.
- Cupcake Liners to make removing your keto chocolate cupcakes easier.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Stand Mixer or large mixing bowl with Hand Mixer.
- Cookie Scoops – Great for meatballs, cookies, ice cream, and portioning out leftovers. I’ve had this set for years and use them all the time.
- Cooling Racks – Cool a large batch of treats without taking up a lot of counter space.
Serving Suggestions
Once your almond flour chocolate cupcakes are decorated, serve immediately! You can leave them as is, or get creative and add even more toppings.
Sprinkles or a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce, anyone? I have even more ideas down below in the FAQ section.
You can make these for a party or potluck and feel good about what you serve your guests! And if you want to add these as a healthier option to a larger cupcake spread…
I’ve got plenty of other recipes to choose from.
Some favorite cupcake flavors include raspberry swirl, boozy Margarita-inspired (maybe skip these if there are kids around!), chocolate and caramel turtle, Boston cream pie, and Biscoff cookie butter.
Storing Leftovers
Almond flour cupcakes with chocolate frosting are good for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
That said, they really are best enjoyed fresh — the ganache will harden a bit and the cake will begin to dry out as more time goes on.
Low Carb Chocolate Cupcake Recipe FAQ
Now, not all chocolate is considered keto-friendly — milk chocolate is not and dark chocolate is generally better, though not totally free of carbohydrates.
Unsweetened cocoa powder itself is naturally keto-friendly as it is high in fat, contains no added sugar, and is low in carbs, which is why I used it in my low carb chocolate cupcake recipe!
Remember my tip about being precise with your ingredients! If your cupcakes are too dry, you likely added too much almond flour or cocoa powder. Try to use a kitchen scale if you can.
Your almond flour chocolate cupcakes could also come out dry if you overbake them. Start checking on them around the 15-minute mark just to make sure.
Some keto-friendly toppings such as fresh berries, sliced nuts, unsweetened coconut flakes, sugar-free dark chocolate chips, or sugar-free sprinkles would all be delicious!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Keto Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- cupcake wrappers
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated erythritol
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 9 ounces Lily’s dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon granulated erythritol
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, cream, and vanilla with a fork.
- Mix in the almond flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the batter into the liners, 2 level scoops per liner.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center. Remove from the oven and transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, add the heavy cream, chocolate chips, erythritol, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring between each one, until a rich ganache forms.
- Transfer the ganache to the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
- Add the chilled ganache to a stand mixer bowl or use a hand mixer to beat the ganache until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowls as needed, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2024
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