These Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes are made without any added sugar, gluten free, tree nut free, grain free and low carb too!
When you read, "Banana" in a recipe, you must think, there is no way that can be low carb, right?
Wrong. It's all in the amount and how many servings it's divided by. A little banana goes a long way in flavor and providing that authentic banana cream pie taste into a cupcake, a small amount if ripe banana is needed.
I kid you not, my own picky hubby and picky kids loved these, could easily taste the banana flavor and asked when my photos were done so they could have another!
Scooping the inside out of the cupcake is certainly a personal choice. You could leave a lot more cupcake and use less filling. You could just frost the top if you like. But for me, considering I wanted these to be like a cream pie; a little crust with a lot of cream, I went with a big scoop out of the cupcake.
What did we do with the insides of the cupcakes I scoped out, you might be wondering?
Ate them of course.
FYI: I did not exclude the inside of the cupcake that is scooped out on the nutrition info because I imagine it will be eaten at your house too.
Coconut flour is my go to choice when making recipes for my kids since my youngest has a tree nut allergy. I do love almond flour as well and when it's a single serve kind of recipe just for me or the hubby that's one I love to use. But often coconut flour is the best choice for our family. Some of you might say you hate the taste of coconut. My youngest is the greatest detector of coconut and he DID not taste any coconut. The banana is the star flavor in these cupcakes.
Brenda's Notes:
- You can make this without banana extract, but be warned, there may be more coconut flavor in the cupcakes.
- You can make this with a plain liquid stevia instead of vanilla stevia if you don't have any.
- The protein powder is needed and should not be eliminated. The protein powder helps provide a better texture that resembles traditional cupcakes with gluten.
- Optional topping: My Sugar-Free Vanilla Wafers!
Low Carb Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 8 eggs
- 1 teaspoon banana extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
- ⅓ cup mashed banana
- ¾ cup Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour
- ⅓ cup whey protein powder
- ¼ cup Swerve sweetener or another granulated sugar sub
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon banana extract
- ½ tspvanilla liquid stevia
- pinch salt
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Optional decoration: Sugar-Free Vanilla Wafers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a stand mixer, add the eggs, banana extract, liquid stevia and mashed banana. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk the remaining dry ingredients together.
- Combine the dry with the wet in the stand mixer and then add in the softened butter.
- Blend until combined well.
- Grease 12 cupcake liners and pour batter evenly into each.
- Bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before adding filling.
- To make filling; Add all ingredients into a stand mixer except heavy cream. Blend on high until smooth. Pour in heavy cream and blend on high until mixture is whipped.
- Use a apple corer or knife to cut out center of each cupcake. Discard center or eat!
- Place filling into a piping bag and fill center of each cupcake continuing to cover the top of each as well.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been sponsored by Bob's Red Mill with whom I am honored to be in partnership with. All opinions are 100% my own and always will be. Thank you for supporting the brands I enjoy working with.
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Kathie
I really wouldn’t use the banana in the cake...I’d add more liquid if needed (for the coconut flour). What brand of banana extract do you use? I 💕 bananas!
Gina
Could a vanilla whey protein powder be used to omit the stevia drops? I am allergic to stevia and have to adapt keto and low carb recipes.
Brenda
It wouldn't be sweet enough, you need another sweetener, maybe try Monk Fruit or Swerve.
Terri
Could u use almond flour instead of coconut flour? And if so do u know what the measurements would be for that and everything else?
Marie
HUGE hit at our house. Even my 12 year old loves these. Followed the recipe exactly (okay maybe a smidge more banana extract.. love the taste).. and they turned out beautiful. I would like to use this same recipe and try other flavors, although I'm sure this banana cream will remain a favorite. Thank you!!
Brenda
Great to hear thank you!
Bobbie
Can u leave the liquid stevia out as I couldn't find it st the store
Brenda
You would need another sweetener to replace it.
Nicola
Another "liquid" sweetener? Have any suggestions besides Stevia?
Brenda
Swerve or Sukrin.
Kim Schmidt
It reads 4.3 net carbs
Can you give the fiber amount, protein, fat, and calories please?
Thank you! These look delicious!
Brenda
its all listed above, top right of the recipe
Alisha
Can you substitute apple sauce for the butter?
Brenda
You probably could but I'm not sure the texture would be the same or hold its shape, you would have to experiment with it.
Tiffany
Has anyone used this recipe with egg whites instead of the entire egg ?
Melissa | Hungry Food Love
Your blog is always so informative! Thanks for sharing that info on Bananas... plus aren't these the cutest little treats!
Carrie Willard
I made these yesterday and ate one. It wasn't as good as I had hoped, so I put the rest in the fridge. After sitting overnight in the fridge, I had one for breakfast and it was excellent. I wonder why so many things baked with stevia taste better the next day?
Also, my cupcakes stuck to the liners badly even though I greased them with coconut oil spray. What do you suggest?
Brenda
If you used coconut oil cooking spray and then refrigerated them, that's why they stuck to the liners. Coconut oil hardens in the fridge. Unless you meant they stuck before you placed them in the fridge overnight, in that case you may not have used enough spray. I actually used olive oil cooking spray. Another option is to use silicone liners instead of paper liners.
Amber
These look great! What kind of protein powder did you use? Was it vanilla flavored?
Brenda
I used vanilla from Jay Robbs.
AZ@...And a Dash of Cinnamon
I always loved banana cream pie growing up.