Mascarpone & Chocolate Chip Muffins with Strawberry Icing are simple, delicious, and only 2g carbs each.
These muffins are excellent on their own, so the strawberry icing is optional. I added the icing to make them look a bit more special and to introduce some extra healthy fats suitable for a ketogenic diet.
I must admit the decoration didn’t turn out as neatly as I hoped. My piping job is far from professional — the icing piping looks messy — but the flavour more than compensates for the untidy finish.
I’ve always struggled with piping. No matter what type of bag or nozzle I use — disposable, reusable nylon, parchment, zip-lock or even specialty silicone tools — I end up with more icing on my hands than on the muffins. Air bubbles, slippage and nozzle issues make the whole process frustrating. If you have a foolproof method, I’d love to hear it!
My piping challenges while preparing mascarpone & chocolate chip muffins with strawberry icing
Despite the messy piping, the combination of mascarpone, dark chocolate and a light strawberry icing produces a moist, flavourful muffin that works beautifully as a keto-friendly treat. If you prefer not to ice them, the muffins are still delightful and make a great low-carb snack or dessert.
Please don’t be dissuaded by my imperfect piping — the recipe yields tender muffins with a rich, creamy crumb from the mascarpone and satisfying pockets of dark chocolate. If you do choose to add the strawberry icing, refrigerate the finished muffins and store them in an airtight container.
Warning: I used lupin flour in the batter. Lupin can cause a reaction in people with peanut allergies, so exercise caution. If you have a peanut allergy, consider substituting coconut flour or almond flour; however, note that different flours will alter texture and may require quantity adjustments to avoid a dry batter.
Here is the full recipe for my mascarpone & chocolate chip muffins with strawberry icing. They might be a little imperfect in appearance, but they are tasty and satisfying.
Enjoy!
- For the chocolate chip muffins:
- 250g mascarpone
- 100g erythritol (or another keto-friendly sweetener to taste)
- 1 tsp pure stevia powder (optional, adjust to taste)
- 3 medium eggs
- 70g melted unsalted butter
- 70g lupin flour (substitute coconut or almond flour if preferred)
- 50g unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of fine Himalayan pink salt
- For the strawberry icing:
- 80g unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 60g cream cheese
- 40g fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
- 2 tsp powdered erythritol
- 1/4 tsp pure stevia powder (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (175°C static).
- In a bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, erythritol and stevia until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition to incorporate fully.
- Whisk in the melted butter until combined.
- Sift in the lupin flour, baking powder and salt. Mix gently until you have a uniform batter.
- Fold in the chopped dark chocolate.
- Divide the batter between 12 silicone muffin moulds or paper-lined metal tins.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely before icing.
- To make the strawberry icing, soften the butter slightly then beat together with the cream cheese until smooth.
- Puree the strawberries and add them a spoonful at a time to the butter-cheese mixture until you reach the desired colour and flavour.
- Stir in the powdered erythritol and stevia, tasting and adjusting sweetness as needed.
- Chill the icing until firm enough to pipe or spread, then decorate the cooled muffins.