Low-Carb Halloween Spiderweb Cupcakes

Martina SlajerovaUpdated 18 October 2021★★★★★4.8 (84 ratings)

Ready in 2h
4.2 g net carbs
239 kcal
Serves 16

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Healthy Halloween Spiderweb Cupcakes (low-carb, keto, primal)

Halloween can be challenging when you follow the ketogenic diet. Luckily, not all treats are unhealthy and full of sugar. These spiderweb cupcakes do require a bit of effort but they are real fun and it's a great way to get your kids involved in making them. The base is soft and fluffy and the frosting is smooth and creamy. They are some of the best keto cupcakes I've ever made!

For more low-carb, paleo & primal recipes for Halloween, check out my other posts:

Why use protein powder? As my friend and fellow blogger Carolyn explained in this post, protein helps baked goods rise and stay risen. If you skip it, it may not rise as much as it would with protein powder. If you don't have any protein powder, try a tablespoon of ground chia seeds.

Step-by-step

Start by making the muffin base. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F. Line a muffin tray with medium muffin paper cups or use a silicon muffin tray. Grease each cup with a small amount of coconut oil or ghee. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: almond flour, cocoa powder, whey protein (this ingredient is essential for fluffy cupcakes), powdered Erythritol, cinnamon, baking soda and cream of tartar (if using vinegar, add to the wet ingredients in step 2).
In another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients (make sure they have reached room temperature): eggs, coconut oil, pumpkin puree, almond milk and stevia. Whisk with a hand whisk or use a mixer.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and combine well. Using a ladle, pour the mixture into 16 medium muffin cups. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
To test whether the muffins are done, you can use a toothpick and stick it in the centre of a muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done!
When done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool down. Make sure the muffins have cooled down completely before you add the frosting.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Make sure all the ingredients have reached room temperature before you start mixing them. Place the butter, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, powdered Erythritol, cinnamon and optionally stevia into a bowl and mix until smooth using a hand whisk or mixer.
When the muffins have cooled down, spread the frosting on top of them and set aside. Prepare the chocolate sauce. Place the dark chocolate in a small bowl. Heat up the cream in a saucepan. Once hot (but not boiling), pour the cream over the chocolate pieces and let it sit for about 2 minutes.
I made a double batch of the chocolate sauce and kept the remaining sauce as topping for keto pancakes and waffles. The sauce needs to be refrigerated and will not stay liquid. To soften again, simply put in a cup of warm water for a few minutes.
Then, use a spoon or a whisk to stir until smooth and glossy. Place the chocolate sauce into a squeeze bottle or piping bag.
Make the chocolate spiderweb. Using the squeeze bottle, draw a spiral on top of each frosted cupcake. Then take a wooden stick or toothpick and draw 6-8 lines starting from the middle of the cupcake to the outer line of the chocolate spiral, creating the spiderweb-like pattern.
Enjoy or place back into the muffin tray and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Recipe