Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• How To Make Sugar Free Cupcakes
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storage Instructions
• More Keto Cupcake and Muffin Recipes
• Tools To Make Sugar Free Cupcakes
• Sugar Free Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

I first made this recipe for easy keto vanilla cupcakes several years ago, with pink frosting for a breast cancer awareness project during the month of October. It has undergone several improvements since then, including better texture and a lot more frosting, among others. With the updates and the right sweetener , they’re so moist and sweet that you’ll be hard pressed to tell that they are sugar-free cupcakes at all.

This low carb vanilla cupcake recipe was originally published on October 3, 2016, and the post was republished in September 2020 to add updated pictures, useful tips, and some ingredient improvements. In case you are curious, here is one of the original photos:

They look much better now, don’t you think:

How To Make Sugar Free Cupcakes

This sugar-free cupcake recipe comes together with just 10 minutes prep.

• Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, Besti, and baking powder.

• Add wet ingredients. Add eggs, almond milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well. The batter will be fairly thick – this is normal!

TIP: Be sure your eggs and milk are at room temperature. Otherwise, your butter may re-solidify.

• Fill muffin cups. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way.

• Bake. They are done when they are golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

How To Make Raspberry Frosting For Sugar-Free Cupcakes

The best sugar-free cupcakes have frosting, don’t you think? 😉 While your low carb cupcakes are baking, make the frosting:

• Heat berries. Heat fresh raspberries with water in a very small saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, then mash the raspberries down with the back of a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 3 minutes.

• Strain raspberry sauce. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the raspberry sauce into it. Release as much liquid as possible into the bowl, and discard solids.

• Cream butter and Besti. Use a hand mixer to beat room-temperature butter with Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend , until fluffy.

• Add liquids. Add the stained raspberry liquid, plus some almond milk, to thin out the frosting.

TIP: If frosting is too thick, add additional milk, one tablespoon at a time , until desired consistency is reached.

• Assemble. Pipe raspberry frosting on top of the cupcakes!

If you like (and you should), add keto sprinkles !

Can I use a different sweetener?

Yes. This cupcake recipe without sugar has a few options for sugar replacement . You’ll need:

• Granulated sweetener for the sugarless cupcakes – like allulose or monk fruit allulose blend .
• Powdered sweetener for the raspberry frosting – like powdered allulose or powdered monk fruit allulose blend .

You can use the sweetener conversion calculator to find out the amount to use if you’re using something other than what is on the recipe card.

However, for the moistest cupcakes, I recommend sticking with the monk fruit allulose blends (on the recipe card)!

What kind of almond flour should I use?

It’s important to use super fine blanched almond flour for these gluten sugar-free cupcakes. Do not use almond meal or a coarse almond flour – both of these would result is a more grainy result.

Can I use coconut flour?

No, sorry. You’d need to make multiple other changes for the recipe to work.

If you’re looking for something with coconut flour, try coconut flour blueberry muffins instead, or one of my other coconut flour recipes .

My batter is thick, is that normal?

Yes! This keto cupcake recipe makes a batter on the thicker side. (See the photos above for reference on how it should look.)

How much frosting should I use?

It’s up to you! The sugar-free raspberry frosting recipe below makes enough frosting for approximately 2-3 tablespoons per cupcake .

You can also use a different frosting if you prefer, like classic keto buttercream frosting , sugar-free chocolate frosting or keto cream cheese frosting !

Storage Instructions

Can you make them ahead?

Yes, you can make this sugarless cupcake recipe a few days ahead. Frost the day of or day before serving for the best keto vanilla cupcakes.

How to store low carb vanilla cupcakes

Store this keto vanilla cupcake recipe in the pantry for 1-2 days without frosting, or store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days (or 2-4 days with frosting).

Can you freeze vanilla keto cupcakes?

Yes, you can also freeze this sugar-free cupcake recipe for 1-2 months. For best results, freeze them plain and frost right before serving.

More Keto Cupcake and Muffin Recipes

• Keto Banana Muffins – Bakery style keto muffin to satisfy your craving…and made with a secret ingredient to make it taste like banana without any bananas!
• Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins – Just 30 minutes to make this simple recipe that is great for dessert, breakfast, or snacks!
• Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins – Prefer to use almond flour? This is the only keto blueberry muffins recipe you’ll need.
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins – Sugar-free, keto, nut-free, and dairy-free, these low carb zucchini muffins are a great way to sneak in some veggies.
• Double Chocolate Protein Muffins – Loaded with chocolate and protein, these easy muffins take just 10 minutes to prep.
• Keto Chocolate Cupcakes – Rich and sweet, but made without sugar. Ready in 30 minutes.

Tools To Make Sugar Free Cupcakes

Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.

• Muffin Pan – This muffin pan is heavy duty and will be perfect for these raspberry cupcakes.
• Cupcake Liners – You’ll need to line your muffin pan with cupcake liners for this keto cupcake recipe.
• Large Mixing Bowl – This set of bowls are the ones I prefer to use in the kitchen when baking.
• Sugar-Free Sprinkles – These are optional, but are they, really? 😉

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour ▢
• 1/2 cup Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend ▢
• 2 tsp Baking powder ▢
• 4 large Eggs (at room temperature) ▢
• 1/3 cup Unsalted butter (melted) ▢
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened almond milk (at room temperature) ▢
• 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract ▢

Frosting

• 1 cup Raspberries ▢
• 1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter (softened) ▢
• 1 cup Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend ▢
• 6 tbsp Unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of choice) ▢
• Sugar-free sprinkles (optional) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

Keto Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl , stir together the almond flour, Besti, and baking powder.
3. Add the eggs, melted butter, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
4. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups (a large cookie or ice cream scoop works well for this), filling them about 3/4 of the way. You can dot the tops with additional raspberries if you’d like. Bake for 20-25 minutes , until golden.

Sugar-Free Raspberry Frosting

1. Heat the fresh raspberries with a tablespoon of water in a very small saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, then mash the raspberries down with the back of a wooden or silicone spoon . Reduce heat to medium-low or low, just high enough for a gentle simmer. Simmer, pressing down occasionally, for 3 minutes .
2. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the raspberry sauce into it. Press down to release as much liquid as possible into the bowl. Discard the solids caught in the sieve.
3. Cream the softened butter using an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes , until lightened in color and fluffy.
4. Add the powdered sweetener and beat with the mixer again until smooth.
5. Add the raspberry liquid and milk of choice. Beat again until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add additional milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. (For extra creamy frosting, pulse the frosting in a high speed blender.)
6. Pipe the raspberry frosting on top of the cupcakes. If desired, top with sugar-free sprinkles !

Did You Like It?

Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 keto cupcake

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Keto Sugar-free Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe With Raspberry Frosting

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Sugar Free Vanilla Cupcakes

This keto vanilla cupcakes recipe is moist and sweet - the right sweetener is key! Fresh raspberry buttercream frosting on these sugar-free cupcakes takes them over the top.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/sugar-free-vanilla-cupcakes/

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour
• 1/2 cup Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 4 large Eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup Unsalted butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened almond milk (at room temperature)
• 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract

Frosting

• 1 cup Raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend
• 6 tbsp Unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of choice)
• Sugar-free sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Keto Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl , stir together the almond flour, Besti, and baking powder.
3. Add the eggs, melted butter, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
4. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups (a large cookie or ice cream scoop works well for this), filling them about 3/4 of the way. You can dot the tops with additional raspberries if you’d like. Bake for 20-25 minutes , until golden.

Sugar-Free Raspberry Frosting

1. Heat the fresh raspberries with a tablespoon of water in a very small saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, then mash the raspberries down with the back of a wooden or silicone spoon . Reduce heat to medium-low or low, just high enough for a gentle simmer. Simmer, pressing down occasionally, for 3 minutes .
2. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the raspberry sauce into it. Press down to release as much liquid as possible into the bowl. Discard the solids caught in the sieve.
3. Cream the softened butter using an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes , until lightened in color and fluffy.
4. Add the powdered sweetener and beat with the mixer again until smooth.
5. Add the raspberry liquid and milk of choice. Beat again until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add additional milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. (For extra creamy frosting, pulse the frosting in a high speed blender.)
6. Pipe the raspberry frosting on top of the cupcakes. If desired, top with sugar-free sprinkles !

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 keto cupcake

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)