Chocolate Cupcakes with Jaca Chocolate Buttercream

By Jaca Kitchen · · Updated

These sugar-free chocolate cupcakes swap every ounce of sugar for Jaca allulose, so you get deep, fudgy chocolate cake and a silky chocolate buttercream with about 1 gram of sugar per cupcake. This is our Jaca-adjusted, healthier take on the bakery classic — all the richness, none of the sugar crash.

Because Jaca (allulose) is about 70% as sweet as sugar, we use it at twice the amount of the sugar it replaces. It browns a little faster in the oven, so start checking your cupcakes a couple of minutes early.

Prep time: 30 minutes · Cook time: 20 minutes · Makes: 14 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the chocolate cupcakes:

  • 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup Jaca allulose (in place of 1/2 cup granulated sugar)
  • 1 cup Jaca allulose (in place of 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar; add 1 teaspoon molasses for brown-sugar depth, optional)
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk

For the Jaca chocolate buttercream:

  • 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 cups Jaca allulose, blended to a fine powder (in place of 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar)
  • 1/2 cup (43g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a muffin pan with 14 paper liners.
  2. Whisk the cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, both cups of Jaca, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk, and stir gently until just combined. Don't overmix.
  5. Fill each liner about halfway.
  6. Bake 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Jaca browns faster than sugar, so start checking at 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
  7. For the buttercream, beat the softened butter 3–4 minutes until pale and creamy.
  8. Add the powdered Jaca, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low to combine, then on high for 1–2 minutes.
  9. Add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, beating until the frosting is light and spreadable.
  10. Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and serve.

A note on Jaca: Allulose is a rare sugar that tastes and bakes like the real thing but has virtually no impact on blood sugar and almost no calories — so these chocolate cupcakes land at roughly 1 gram of sugar each instead of the usual 20-plus. Blend Jaca fine for the frosting and add the cream slowly for the silkiest swirl.