The fresh flavor of lemons inside a moist cupcake, topped with a creamy frosting that has... you guessed it, more lemon!!
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The frosting has a blend of mascarpone and cream cheese, which gives it a great texture and plenty of healthy fats! Fresh lemon juice and zest give these a such a nice and refreshing flavor.
I use lemons in so many recipes, I just love their fresh flavor! They are also so good for you, read about the Health Benefits of Lemons in my article.
The oat fiber that I use in this recipe really helps give it great texture! I bake with it often, because it helps give a bread-like texture to anything I bake, much more so than anything else I've ever tried using. I have listed some of the many recipes I use oat fiber in, towards the bottom of this page.
What's in Keto Lemon Cupcakes
- Super fine almond flour
- Oat Fiber (see notes)
- Eggs
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Heavy cream
- Mascarpone cheese
- Swerve confectioners
- Baking powder
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Salt
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Keto Cupcakes
To Make the Gluten Free Cupcakes
Start by preheating your oven to 350F.
Add the flour, baking powder, oat fiber and salt to a bowl and whisk together, then set aside.
Separate the eggs, and set yolks aside. Using a hand mixer, whip up the egg whites until you have soft peaks.
Add the Swerve to the egg yolks and mix.
Then add the vanilla extract, lemon juice/zest and sour cream and continue mixing.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix by hand.
Then fold in the egg whites until combined.
Scoop into silicone cupcake liners or paper liners.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
To Make the Sugar Free Frosting
Whip the mascarpone and cream cheese together in a bowl using a hand mixer.
Add ¼ cup of the heavy cream (reserving the 2 tablespoons), Swerve confectioners (or powdered erythritol), vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest, then mix until smooth and creamy.
Add more of the heavy cream if needed, to get your desired consistency.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag (ziplock bag with the tip cut off will work too), and frost once the cupcakes have cooled completely.
Top with fresh grated lemon zest and small slice of lemon.
Are Lemons Keto?
Lemons take front and center in this gluten free cupcake recipe so it's natural that you may wonder if lemons are okay on Keto.
They absolutely are! In fact, lemons are recommended on Keto because of their many health benefits. Where you typically avoid a lot of citrus fruit on Keto, lemons are the exception.
They're low in sugar, a great source of Vitamin C and contain antioxidants that promote healthy digestion and aid in fluid retention. There're many other great health benefits discussed in this article on Healthline.
What are the Carbs in Lemon?
Lemons are low in carbs with only .5 grams per lemon wedge! How is that for Keto friendly?!
Substitutions for Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes
- If you can't find Mascarpone cheese, you can definitely use all cream cheese. They will have a slightly more tart flavor and the carb count will differ, so make sure you make the adjustment in your macros.
- Lemons and blueberries just seem to go hand in hand sometimes. To add a slightly different spin on these Keto lemon cupcakes, you can gently fold in a few fresh blueberries into the frosting for an extra added burst of flavor.
- Another great combination is lemon with raspberries. Because raspberries will sweat some when mixed, it's a good idea to just top them with a few berries after the cupcakes have been frosted.
- If you prefer a more subtle flavor like vanilla, you can also try these Keto Cupcakes that are also made with sour cream that keeps them nice and moist!
Can I Make Keto Lemon Cupcakes Ahead of Time?
if you want to make these cupcakes a week or so before you need them, you can. For best results, make the cupcakes, allow them to cool completely, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in the freezer.
You will want them to thaw completely before frosting. Because almond flour cupcakes tend to have a little condensation as they thaw, unwrap them and set them on the counter until they are room temp, then proceed with frosting.
Tips for Making the Best Keto Lemon Cupcakes
The texture in these almond flour cupcakes are amazing! They are so close to a traditional cupcake, moist and fluffy, and they get that way by using a mixture of both almond flour and oat fiber.
This is what will give you that authentic cupcake texture that you're looking for. Super fine almond flour works best in any kind of low carb or gluten-free desserts that don't use all purpose flour in.
If you don't have a super fine almond flour, you can certainly use what you have, just be sure to whisk the dry ingredients to break up any lumps.
What is Oat Fiber? Is Oat Fiber Keto Friendly?
The Oat Fiber is really important in this recipe! I use it in so many recipes, because of the amazing texture it gives whatever I'm baking! It is hands down, the best ingredient I've baked with! The Oat Fiber that I use is made by Lifesource Foods, because they grind it to a very fine powder and has a mild flavor. I buy it in the 16 ounce bag, which lasts a while, because you don't need to use much in your recipes.
Oat Fiber is not the same as Oat Flour, which is made from grinding oats. Oat Fiber is made from grinding the outer husks of oats and is pure insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve in water and is not broken down in the digestive tract, so it has zero net carbs and is Keto friendly.
More Recipes Using Oat Fiber?
These are just a handful of the recipes that I use oat fiber in:
- Blueberry Muffins
- Strawberry and Lemonade Cake
- Coffee Crumb Cake
- Coconut Lime Cupcakes
- Cheddar Jalapeño "Cornbread"
- Fluffy Pancakes
- Blueberry Crumb Loaf
- Rosemary & Kalamata Olive Focaccia
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
More Keto and Low Carb Lemon Desserts
If you'd like to know more about baking on Keto, this article, Keto Baking Made Easy, is loaded with tips and info that you'll find helpful. You might also check out my Keto Sweet Treats eBook that has 50 amazing Keto dessert recipes, all with color pics, macros and more! I'm offering it at 50% off when you subscribe to my free weekly emails here.
Shop my favorite products on Amazon and check out my Keto Pantry List!
Lemon Cupcakes - Keto, Low Carb & Gluten Free
INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ¾ cups super fine almond flour
- ¼ cup Oat Fiber
- 2 eggs, divided
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ cup swerve confectioners
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the frosting:
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup swerve, confectioners (or powdered erythritol)
- ¼ cup heavy cream + 2 tablespoons, or as needed
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Add the flour, baking powder, oat fiber and salt to a bowl and whisk together, then set aside.
- Separate the eggs, and set yolks aside. Whip up the egg whites until you have soft peaks. Add the swerve to the egg yolks and mix. Then add the vanilla extract, lemon juice/zest and sour cream and continue mixing.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix by hand. Then fold in the egg whites until combined. Scoop into silicone cupcake liners or paper liners.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting:
- Whip the mascarpone and cream cheese together in a bowl using a hand mixer. Add ¼ cup of the heavy cream (reserving the 2 tablespoons), swerve confectioners (or powdered erythritol), vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest, then mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add more of the heavy cream if needed, to get your desired consistency. Add the frosting to a piping bag (ziplock bag with the tip cut off will work too), and frost once the cupcakes have cooled completely.
- Top with fresh grated lemon zest and small slice of lemon. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
RECIPE NOTES
I was wondering if we have to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks? I'm looking at other recipes and the eggs aren't separated. So, for this recipe could I use whole eggs and would this change the texture or something?
The recipe is written with the eggs separated. Whipping up the egg whites helps add volume to the cupcakes.
Hi can I use this recipe in a bunt cake mold?
I've not tested it in any cake mold as of yet, so I can't say for sure how it might turn out or what the cooking time/temp might be.
Could you use coconut flour instead of the oat fiber?
You can try it, but you might need to add more liquid and possibly another egg. I can't say for sure how it might turn out, since I've not tried subbing with coconut flour before. If you do try it, please let us know how it turned out please.
The ingredients list Lemon Juice and the directions say Lemon extract... which one do I use? I ended ip making these tonight using extract and haven't tried them yet.
I'm guessing these must be refrigerated after baking since the frosting contains mascarpone/cream cheese and heavy cream. Does it dry out the cupcake?
Hi Cali,
Yes, you'll want to refrigerate leftovers and no, it does not dry them out as long as you keep them in an airtight container.
hello, my cupcakes came out pretty dense. they remind me of cornbread vs. a fluffy or cake-y cupcake. what should I adjust? I am at normal altitude.
Hi Lynn,
Sorry to hear that! It sounds like maybe the batter was over-mixed. I'm not sure what else would cause them to be dense, honestly.
Anyway to make these dairy free?
Hi Debbie,
Not that I'm aware of, it would really require a complete overhaul of the recipe.
These are Ah-mazing! Thanks so much for the recipe. Yum!
Awesome, I'm glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the great feedback 🙂