Keto Red Velvet Cupcakes - Just in Time for the Fourth!

 I wanted to do something special for the Fourth of July, and after thinking hard about what I could make, I came up with red velvet cupcakes. 

Only here's the thing. I've never had a red velvet cupcake before.

 I've thought about making them, and I've looked them up several times. However, I've never actually eaten one.  

Here's what I know about red velvet cupcakes.

 They are not just chocolate cupcakes with red food coloring. In fact, while they do have some cocoa and some red food coloring, what makes them what they are is buttermilk and vinegar. And, it is the chemical reaction of the vinegar with the buttermilk and cocoa that brings out more of that red color.  

Now, I know I said I've never had a real red velvet cake before...

 So, it begs the question. How do I know that these cupcakes actually taste like they are supposed to? Well, from what I've read, they should have some chocolate flavor, but with tanginess that comes from the vinegar and buttermilk.  And these cupcakes definitely seem to have it all. After the first try I had the rich flavor of a combination of a chocolate devil's food cake with a tangy twist, and by the fourth try they finally stopped sinking in the center, to make the perfect keto cupcake, aka a fat bomb!   Whether I've had a red velvet cupcake before or not, I'm pretty sure I nailed this one. But no matter what, it is absolutely delicious! Enjoy!  

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 22 mins

Additional Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 57 mins

Ingredients

Cupcake

• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

• 1 TBSP + 1 tsp White Distilled Vinegar

• 1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, Softened

• 2 TBSP Coconut Oil

• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 2 tsp Splenda Zero Liquid Sweetener

• 2 Eggs, Large, Room Temperature

• 1/4 Cup + 2 tsp Swerve, Granular

• 1 1/4 Cup Almond Flour

• 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour

• 1/4 Cup Natural, Unsweetened Cocoa

• 1 TBSP Chocolate Whey Protein

• 1/4 tsp Salt

• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda

• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder

• 2 TBSP Red Food Coloring

Frosting

• 1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks), Unsalted, Softened

• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

• 1 Cup Swerve, Confectioners

Instructions

Cupcake

1. In a small bowl, add heavy whipping cream with 1 TBSP of Vinegar. Stir and set aside. This will make your gluten free buttermilk.

2. In another small bowl, add all dry ingredients. Combine well, breaking up any lumps. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, add all wet ingredients except for the eggs, food coloring, and buttermilk combo (whipping cream and 1 TBSP of vinegar). Please note that there is one extra tsp of vinegar that was not placed in whipping cream. This will be added to the wet ingredients in this step.

4. Whip ingredients until thoroughly combined.

5. Add eggs.

6. Mix on slowest setting or by hand until thoroughly combined. It will be a very lumpy texture when done.

7. In the bowl of buttermilk (cream and vinegar) add the red food coloring and mix well.

8. Add the colored buttermilk to the wet ingredients and mix slowly, or by hand, until combined. Again, this will not be a super smooth texture.

9. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until just combined. Do not over mix.

10. Line a cupcake/muffin tin with 16 muffin liners and fill each cup evenly.

11. Bake in the oven for 22 minutes at 350 degrees.

12. Remove from oven when timer goes off and a toothpick comes out clean if placed in the center.

13. Let rest for 2-5 minutes, and then carefully transfer the baked cupcakes to a cooling rack.

14. Once completely cool, you may frost and serve.

Butter Cream Frosting (See Notes for the Traditional Cream Cheese Frosting)

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whip on highest speed for 2-3 minutes.

Notes

1. Be sure to follow instructions very carefully. When ingredients get mixed, and how much they get mixed is crucial to this recipe.

2. When I made this, I preferred the flavor of the buttercream frosting instead of the traditional cream cheese frosting.

3. If you would prefer cream cheese frosting, omit the heavy whipping cream, only use one stick of butter instead of two, and add 1 8oz package of full fat cream cheese, softened. All instructions are the same.

4. Nutritional information is based on 1 cupcake plus one serving of the buttercream frosting. One serving of the buttercream frosting is 1 TBSP.

5. Nutritional information not provided for the cream cheese frosting.

6. For keto macros, sugar alcohols are 11.2 grams, making the total net carb 2.1 grams.