These Keto Hostess Cupcakes have the same rich chocolate flavor and fluffy cream filling of your favorite snack cakes, with a fraction of the carbs!
Copycat Keto Hostess Cupcakes elevate your favorite snack cake into something healthy and delicious. Tender keto chocolate cupcakes with a creamy vanilla center and a rich chocolate ganache. The sweet little swirl on the top makes you feel like a kid again!
Raise your hand if you loved Hostess snack cakes when you were a kid. For me, they were a special occasion treat. I didn’t eat them often, but if I had a little spare money from my allowance, I would buy a package at the school cafeteria. Oh boy, did they taste good! Then I grew up and realized that they were pretty darn junky and that homemade cake was so much better.
Chances are that you didn’t have a keto version on your bingo card when you went on a low carb diet. But it’s so fun to re-create junky old favorites into a healthy but decadent treat. And so I couldn’t resist creating my own low carb cream-filled cupcake recipe.
If you love luscious desserts like Keto Chocolate Cake or my fudgy Keto Brownies, this recipe has your name all over it!
Why we love this recipe
You really don’t need any special keto ingredients to re-create Hostess cupcakes in a healthier way. While this recipe has several components, it’s really not difficult to make. These keto cupcakes are:
- Tender and chocolatey, and completely nut-free.
- Filled with a fluffy vanilla cream filling, just like the real deal.
- Topped with a delectable sugar-free chocolate ganache.
- A healthier low carb option for birthdays and other special occasions.
- Have only 4g net carbs per serving!
Reader’s Thoughts
“I have a friend who loves junk food, and I told her I could make a healthy version of just about any ‘junk’. I brought these to her house, and she snarfed 2 of them immediately. Her daughter loved them as well…She invited me back, only if I bring another dozen of these! Thank you SO MUCH for the recipe!!!” — Leeann
Ingredient Notes
- Keto Cupcake Recipe: You will need to bake the cupcakes first and allow time for them to cool completely. I like to use my coconut flour cupcakes, but you can use almost any recipe or mix you like best. For an almond flour based recipe, use my Keto Devil’s Food Cake. You may find it makes more cupcakes!
- Grass-fed gelatin: This helps stabilize the whipped cream filling. It also gives if more of a marshmallow-like consistency.
- Heavy whipping cream: You need heavy cream for the filling and for the ganache.
- Sweetener: Use a powdered sweetener for the cream filling. I also use a little allulose in the ganache to keep it shiny.
- Sugar-free chocolate chips: You can use Lily’s or ChocZero. They both melt well for this recipe and will work well for the ganache.
- Cream cheese: This is used to make icing for the swirl.
- Vanilla Extract
Step by Step Directions
- Prepare the cupcakes: Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe and let cool completely. Once cool, use a small (1-inch) round cookie cutter to cut out the center of each cupcake. You can also use a sharp knife to cut a 1 inch round hole. Reserve the cores of the cupcakes.
- Bloom the gelatin: Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Whisk to combine. Heat for about 30 seconds in the microwave and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Cool 10 minutes.
- Make the filling: Combine the cream, sweetener, and vanilla extract. Begin to beat at high speed and slowly pour in the water/gelatin mixture. Beat until the cream holds stiff peaks.
- Fill the cupcakes: Spoon or pipe the filling into the center of each cored cupcake, filling almost to the top. Cut the very top off of the cores and place overtop the filling.
- Prepare the ganache: Place the chocolate chips and the allulose in a medium bowl. Heat the cream until simmering, then pour overtop the chocolate chips. Let sit a few minutes to melt, then whisk until smooth. Let cool a few minutes until thickened but still pourable. Spoon over the tops of the cupcakes and spread to the edges. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes to firm up.
- Ice the cupcakes: Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the powdered sweetener and the heavy cream. Snip off a small bit of the corner of a ziplock bag. Place the frosting inside and pipe little swirls across the top of each cupcake
Tips for Success
Coring cupcakes so you can fill them is actually very easy. I like to use a 1-inch circular cookie cutter to make a perfect hole. Once I have it pressed down into the cupcake, I twist it a few times and pull it back out. Usually the whole core comes right out. You can also use a sharp knife.
Don’t discard the cores, as you will want to cut off the very top of each one to place back over the cream filling.
This cream filling is simply stabilized whipped cream. It’s easy to make by dissolving some gelatin in water, then slowly drizzling it into the cream as it’s being whipped. It holds its shape much better!
Sweetener Options
To sweeten these cupcakes, you have a number of options. You can use any erythritol or allulose granular sweetener for the cake portion. Do keep in mind that allulose may cause them to brown faster so keep your eye on them. While over-browning may not seem like a big deal with chocolate cupcakes, it could make them taste a little burnt.
For the filling and frosting, a good powdered sweetener is imperative to avoid grittiness. And the glaze is already made with sweetened sugar-free chocolate. I do like to add a little allulose (granular is fine) to keep it more glossy, but that’s an optional ingredient.
Frequently Asked Questions
This keto Hostess Cupcake recipe has 8.5g of carbs and 4.5g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4g net carbs per cupcake.
Whipped cream can be rather fragile and deflate easily, particularly in fillings and frostings. To give it greater stability, dissolve a little gelatin in water. Add the mixture slowly to the bowl as you whip the heavy cream. Don’t add too much gelatin, as it can become rubbery and more like Jello. There are other methods for stabilizing whipped cream but this method is the most low carb and keto friendly.
Store the cupcakes in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for several months. I prefer them at room temperature so I like to let mine sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before eating.
More keto copycat recipes
Keto Hostess Cupcakes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
These Keto Hostess Cupcakes have the same rich chocolate flavor and fluffy cream filling of your favorite snack cakes, with a fraction of the carbs!
Cake
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Prepare the cupcakes according to the recipe. Let cool completely.
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Once cool, use a small (1-inch) round cookie cutter to cut out the center of each cupcake. You can also use a sharp knife to cut a 1 inch round hole. Reserve the cores of the cupcakes
Cream Filling
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Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Whisk to combine. Heat for about 30 seconds in the microwave and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Cool 10 minutes.
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In a large bowl, combine the cream, sweetener, and vanilla extract. Begin to beat at high speed and slowly pour in the water/gelatin mixture. Beat until the cream holds stiff peaks.
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Spoon or pipe the filling into the center of each cored cupcake, filling almost to the top. Cut the very top off of the cores and place overtop the filling.
Chocolate Ganache
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Place the chocolate chips and the allulose in a medium bowl. Heat the cream until simmering, then pour overtop the chocolate chips. Let sit a few minutes to melt, then whisk until smooth.
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Let cool a few minutes until thickened but still pourable. Spoon over the tops of the cupcakes and spread to the edges. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes to firm up.
Frosting for Swirls
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In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the powdered sweetener and the heavy cream.
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Snip off a small bit of the corner of a ziplock bag. Place the frosting inside and pipe little swirls across the top of each cupcake.
Storage Information: Store the cupcakes in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for several months. I prefer them at room temperature so I like to let mine sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before eating.
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.5g | Protein: 7.3g | Fat: 18.5g | Fiber: 4.5g
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