Orange Cranberry Cupcakes – Gluten and Sugar Free!

I’ve been wanting to make some sugar-free sweet treats for awhile now, and to try Lakanto sweetener in a cookie or cupcake. Enter my delicious, fresh, wonderful tasting sugar free orange cranberry cupcakes with Lakanto sweetener!

Lakanto is a sugar substitute made from a mixture of monk fruit and erythritol. It is zero net carbs, zero calorie, zero glycemic sweetener that can be used as a 1:1 substitute for sugar. This sweetener is also Keto, Diabetic, Candida, Paleo, and Vegan-friendly, making it a perfect option for all lifestyles and diets.

This was the first time I tried Lakanto, and I thought it turned out well. The 1:1 ratio is accurate, though it has a sharper, almost acidic taste to it. Lakanto is also very sweet, so I would not suggest using more than the recommended sugar amount. It is also crunchier than normal, a bit like coconut sugar is grainier and chewier than normal sugar. If you will use Lakanto for the frosting, I would suggest blending it first to give it a more confectioner’s sugar consistency.

If you are interested in trying Lakanto sweetener, you can find it on Amazon at this link: https://amzn.to/2OyUVjJ

While these cupcakes are a very sweet dessert, you can also use these as breakfast muffins, and just omit the frosting, of course. It’s a delicious breakfast or snack option!

So without further ado…let us begin!

For the muffins you will need:

1 1/2 cups almond flour (I use this brand from Amazon)
2 tbsp coconut flour (Nutiva has a great brand online at Amazon)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup lakanto sweetener (https://amzn.to/2OyUVjJ)
2 tbsp orange zest
pinch of salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries (make sure they have no added sugar, like this brand on Amazon)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted coconut oil

For the frosting you will need:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Lakanto sweetener ( I bought mine on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2OyUVjJ)
1/2 cup organic milk powder. You can use non-fat milk powder, whole milk powder, or coconut milk powder. They all work great!)
2 tsp orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (first 6 listed), as well as the orange zest. In a smaller bowl, with an electric mixer or whisk, beat together the eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until fully blended together, then mix in the cranberries

Step 2:

Next, take out a couple cupcake trays. Grease the trays or line them with cupcake papers. Spoon a couple spoonfuls in each mold, and put in the oven to bake. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown on the outside.

Step 3:

As the cupcakes are cooking, you can prepare the frosting. First, blend the Lakanto sugar in a small blender to change the crunchy sugar to a powder consistency. Add to a bowl and mix together the sugar and butter, preferably with an electric mixer.

Next add in the orange zest and juice, then lastly the powdered milk. Put in the fridge until you are ready to frost the cupcakes, as this will help set the mixture to its final frosting consistency.

Step 4:

Once the cupcakes are done cooking, them out of the oven, set aside to cool for a couple minutes, then spoon them out and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Take the frosting out of the fridge, and frost the cupcakes with as much frosting as you like. Use some extra orange zest, cranberries or anything you prefer to decorate the cakes.

Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to a week.