The Ultimate 3 Healthier Summer Cupcakes

Can you enjoy summer cupcakes while leading a healthy lifestyle? Cupcakes are infamous for their frosted tops with cake decorations, full of powdered sugar and butter. How could you possibly enjoy summer cupcakes without eating an insane amount of carbs and calories?

Fortunately, we found the ideal summer cupcakes for you to enjoy in moderation, while leading a healthy lifestyle. Here’s a sneak peek, before sharing some facts about making them taste like bakery cupcakes and revealing our top recipes.

Our Best Summer Cupcakes at a Glance

Our favorite summer cupcakes include:

• Summer vanilla cupcake recipe with cream cheese frosting (9, 8)
• Summer chocolate cupcake recipe with cacao frosting (15)
• Summer gluten-free lemon cupcake recipe with cream cheese frosting (7, 8)

Let’s share some tasty secrets and facts, before going over the top cupcakes.

Our previous post goes into great detail about the strawberry rhubarb jam.

Summer Cupcake Secrets Revealed

Summer cupcakes revive core memories of childhood bliss on hot summer days. Now, let’s look at some quick facts and secrets to ensure that you enjoy cupcakes in a healthy way and in moderation. Also, you’ll discover the secrets to feeling less guilty about tasty cupcakes. 

Can You Use Cake Mix for Cupcakes?

Yes, you can turn a cake mix into cupcakes with a few simple changes. The culinary folks at Spoon University suggest the following changes to turn cake mix into cupcakes (16):

• Replace water with milk at a 1:1 ratio
• Replace oil with melted butter at a 1:2 ratio
• Add an extra egg to the cake mix

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What is on top of a Cupcake?

The most popular cupcake topping is buttercream. However, two tablespoons of vanilla buttercream frosting contains 180 calories, 18 grams of fat and 8 grams of carbs (1). It’s a heavy carb and calorie load in one treat (2). Moderation is the ultimate tool for enjoying summer cupcakes.

Frosting is a blend of butter and powdered sugar, which is why the calories, fat, and carbs are high. Alternatively, use other toppings. One of our recipes uses cocoa powder, stevia, and milk for lower carbs and calories (15). Soon, you’ll discover more replacements.   

How to fill a Cupcake?

You could fill cupcakes with buttercream frosting or even lemon curd. You’d fill half the cupcake liner with cupcake batter, place a tablespoon of filling over it, and scoop another ¼ cupcake liner’s worth of batter over it. 

However, lemon cupcake recipes with lemon curd fillings have 379 calories and 63 grams of net carbs per cupcake as one example (14). The filling in summer cupcakes is delicious and makes them ultra-moist. Unfortunately, the calories and carbs are high and may not be diet-friendly (2). 

What Is the Secret to Moist Cupcakes?

Moist cupcakes are possible with a few kitchen tricks, including:

• Replacing one part water with one part milk (16)
• Adding an extra egg (16)
• Using double the melted butter is recommended (16)
• Using vegetable oil instead of butter (6)
• Mixing dry and wet ingredients separately if the recipe suggests it (18)
• Filling cupcake liners ¾ full with batter (4)
• Baking cupcakes at 180-200°C or 350-400°F (13)
• The batter must be pourable and not too thin or thick (5)

Can You Eat Cupcakes on Keto?

The keto diet suggests 55-60% of your daily calories from fats, 30-35% from proteins, and only 5-10% from carbohydrates (10). By that data, someone eating 2,000 calories daily must limit carbs to 25-50 grams daily, with something closer to the lower amount potentially being more appropriate for those who count net carbs. 

Net carbs are the amount of carbs there are, once you deduct the fiber amount from the total carbs. Unfortunately, a simple vanilla cupcake recipe could contain 21 grams of carbs and 20 grams of net carbs per cupcake (17). It wouldn’t be a good idea to survive on a single cupcake an entire day.

Cupcakes would be difficult to fit into a keto diet. However, the Mayo Clinic suggests keeping carbs to 225-325 grams daily on a 2,000-calorie diet if you eat a healthy balanced diet, but moderation is the key (2)! You can certainly eat cupcakes in moderation on a regular healthy eating plan, but maybe not on keto because you might hit your daily carb goal with one dessert (10). 

Read more: 4 Keto Carrot Cake Recipes with 2 Bonus Low-Carb Treats

Easy Healthy Summer Cupcakes

Our favorite healthy summer cupcakes include recipe ideas for easy treats. Our favorite summer cupcakes are healthier but may still be unsuitable for ultra-low-carb diets like keto. 

Still, enjoy these summer cupcakes in moderation on a healthy eating plan (2). Our picks have the fewest carbs and calories possible and show nutritional values per serving.

Our previous article covers everything you need to know about Caesar dressing.

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Our vanilla cupcake recipe with cream cheese frosting is inspired by Eat Bird Food (9). Cream cheese frosting lets you make delicious cupcakes without all the added calories and carbs. The frosting macros are for two tablespoons, which is enough per cupcake (8). 

• Servings: 12
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Bake: 16 minutes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• ½ cup of almond milk
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup of cane sugar
• ½ cup of softened butter
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup of apple sauce
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 ⅓ cups of white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. Salt

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C or 350°F while lining a baking pan with cupcakes liners,
2. Whisk the milk and vinegar in a bowl and let it curdle for 5-10 minutes,
3. Whisk sugar and butter in a separate bowl with a hand mixer on medium for 3-5 minutes,
4. Add the eggs, apple sauce, and vanilla before whisking on low speed,
5. Slowly add the milk mixture while whisking on low,
6. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, whisking until just combined,
7. Fill the cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 16-18 minutes,
8. Let them cool on a wire rack after an inserted toothpick comes out clean,
9. Prepare your frosting, and use only 2 tablespoons on each cupcake. 

Cupcake Macros: 137 calories, 20 g carbs, 5 g fat, 3 g protein, and 2 g fiber (9)

Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• ½ cup of fat-free Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup of maple syrup
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and use a hand mixer on medium speed,
2. Whip the ingredients together for 5 minutes until smooth, thick, and fluffy.

Frosting Macros: 63 calories, 5 g carbs, 4 g fat, 1 g protein, and 0 g fiber (8)

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Summer chocolate cupcakes are delicious. Our recipe is inspired by Amy’s Healthy Baking, which substitutes a few ingredients and uses dark chocolate for fewer carbs and calories (15). The frosting recipe also reduces fat, carbs, and calories while the taste is next-level.

• Servings: 12
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Bake: 20 minutes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup of unsweetened cacao powder
• ¾ cup of white whole-wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup of plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
• ⅔ cup of maple syrup
• ¼ cup of fat-free milk

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C or 350°F while lining a baking pan with cupcakes liners,
2. Whisk the cacao powder, baking powder, salt, and flour in a bowl,
3. Stir the oil, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl until mixed,
4. Mix the yogurt into the oil mixture until no lumps remain,
5. Stir the syrup in and alternate between adding the dry ingredients and milk,
6. Fill the cupcake liners to ¾ full before baking for 20-22 minutes,
7. Test to see if a toothpick inserted comes out clean and remove to cool on a wire rack.

Frosting Ingredients:

• ¾ cup of unsweetened cacao powder
• ½ cup of fat-free milk
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. liquid Stevia

Frosting Directions:

1. Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl and make a center well,
2. Pour your milk, vanilla, and Stevia into the well,
3. Stir until well combined and decorate your cupcakes.

Macros: 135 calories, 26 g carbs, 4 g fat, 5.4 g protein, and 5.4 g fiber (12)

Read more: Why Am I Craving Chocolate? The Reasons Beyond the Sweet Tooth and How to Fix It

Lemon Cupcakes Recipe

Our gluten-free summer cupcakes recipe for lemon cupcakes packs a delicious punch and is inspired by Cupcakes and Kale Chips (7). The recipe won’t have as few carbs and calories as the last two, but it makes a gluten-free option available. 

Use the cream cheese frosting from the vanilla cupcakes, remembering to use only two tablespoons per cupcake, and add the macros per serving to this recipe’s macros (8). Also, add lemon zest to the frosting for these cupcakes.

• Servings: 12
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Bake: 22 minutes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 ⅓ cup of gluten-free flour without xantham gum included
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup of unsalted and softened butter
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup of whole or 2% milk
• ¼ cup of lemon juice

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C or 350°F while lining a baking pan with cupcakes liners,
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl to set aside,
3. Use a hand mixer to cream the butter, oil, and sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy,
4. Reduce the mixer to medium, blending the eggs in one at a time,
5. Continue blending as you add the lemon zest and vanilla,
6. Add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients,
7. Blend the batter on low speed with the hand mixer until just combined,
8. Gradually pour the milk and lemon juice into the bowl, 
9. Increase the hand mixer’s speed to high and blend for 3 minutes,
10. Cover the bowl to sit and rest for 20 minutes,
11. Divide your batter into the liners, filling them ¾ full,
12. Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean,
13. Let the cupcakes cool in a pan for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack,
14. Use only two tablespoons of cream cheese frosting per cupcake.

Macros: 202 calories, 28 g carbs, 10 g fat, 3 g protein, and 1 g fiber (7)

FAQs

• Can You Freeze Cupcakes?

Yes, you can freeze baked cupcakes, with or without frosting. A small Spanish study found that freezing pre-baked was the better option as the batter’s active ingredients take too long to freeze and become denser and change in consistency (3). However, you can freeze baked cupcakes, separated by parchment paper, for up to six months (11). 

• Are Cupcakes Better With Milk or Water?

Milk results in more moist, fluffy cupcake goodness, according to Jennifer Nigro from Vermont University’s post on Spoon University’s culinary blog (16). All our favorite recipes also use milk because it aids cupcakes better than water if you want moist delectables (9, 15, 7).

• How Do Bakeries Get Their Cakes So Moist?

Jennifer Nigro from Vermont University suggests that adding whole milk, melted butter, and an extra egg could give you a bakery taste with cakes and cupcakes (16). However, a small study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology supports vegetable oils for moist baked goods as oil better coats the flour proteins (6). Evidence for moist baked goods is divided, but milk, an extra egg, and melted butter or oil should give you moist cupcakes. 

• Should Cupcake Batter Be Thick or Thin?

Cupcake batter must be thick but pourable. A small study in the Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology examined batter consistency related to adding wheat germ (5). They found that the addition of wheat germ (resulting in a thicker batter) caused dense cakes that didn’t rise much. 

However, slightly thick but pourable batter should maintain the right consistency for cakes to rise nicely and have an aerated, soft center. Runny batter isn’t ideal, but it must be pourable and not too thick, using flour and other dry ingredients. 

The Bottom Line

Healthy summer cupcakes are possible and available in three of our favorite flavors. Remember to avoid the regular buttercream frosting and use alternatives if you want to keep it lighter. However, choose your best flavor, and make your healthier summer cupcakes today.