Honestly not trying to snark, but as a trained pastry chef shouldn't you have the expertise to test recipes and figure this out?

That said, as an amateur home baker, I've made several varieties of standard cupcakes with lakato monkfruit sweetener baking 1:1 substitute for a diabetic family member that turned out really well. Some people are sensitive to erythritol and chicory root, though, so it wouldn't be my first choice for kids.

I love banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting; the bananas add a lot of sweetness and moisture to the recipe without the need for a lot of sugar. This recipe is a hit in our family, and you could reduce the added sugar (I would reduce the granulated and brown sugar by equal amounts). You could also adjust the amount of frosting.
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/banana-cupcakes-with-cinnamon-cream-cheese-frosting/

We made banana and applesauce muffins. She loved them. I literally googled a recipe. There are many out there for little kids that use bananas or apples for sweetness. I also make my kids high protein muffins and pancakes still.

Google WW mug cake

Or WW Cupcakes

If you don't want your kid to have sugar that bad, you don't give him a cupcake. Cake = sugar. Why "fake" it if you don't want him to have it?

In my experience as someone from Germany, you can safely cut the sugar of American baking recipes by half and they will still be plenty sweet.

Your kid will become fat to spite you op

When I bake, I almost always cut sugar by a third. I always find the recipes too sweet in general and don't miss some sugar.

Everything else stays the same. Still homemade. Still "real" ingredients. Still sweet enough.

Anonymous wrote:Not against DC having sugar, just looking for a cake recipe, and especially icing recipe, with substitutes so overall the sugar shock to the system is less DC hasn't had sugar yet, and I'd like to do a "smash cupcake" so trying to reduce the amount right before bed. Thanks!

Your DC has had plenty sugar in breast milk, fruit and plenty of other foods you've served. There's not going to be some "shock" of craziness to the system. Just make whatever cupcakes you would make (if you're having a small party) or simply get one from a bakery/store.

Enjoy!

Anonymous wrote:I make cupcakes without sugar a lot, instead of the sugar substitute with maple syrup and mushed bananas but half it ie. 1 cup of sugar: use 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup mushed bananas, but then lessen the liquids a bit (ie. 1 cup of milk, make it 1/2 cup milk). They turn our great with many recipes I have tried!

For icing just mix cream cheese with a bit of honey and cinnamon!

m

You are kidding yourself. So no sugar but using syrup and fruit. Hahahahahahahaha.

White refined Sugar is just sap/juice from sugar cane boiled until the water is gone. Keep reducing your syrup and you get the same thing.

forgot to say use real maple syrup, because if it's aunt jemimas or something it will be basically just corn syrup.

I make cupcakes without sugar a lot, instead of the sugar substitute with maple syrup and mushed bananas but half it ie. 1 cup of sugar: use 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup mushed bananas, but then lessen the liquids a bit (ie. 1 cup of milk, make it 1/2 cup milk). They turn our great with many recipes I have tried!

For icing just mix cream cheese with a bit of honey and cinnamon!

No ideas for the cake, but use a whipped cream frosting. It's lighter, and kids are more likely to dive in. Plus it's messier, which is good for the smash cake.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, a "trained" pastry chef!!! Please regale us with your expertise!!! Lady, no one cares. Eat it.

I mentioned my profession to illustrate that I am obviously not opposed to the use of sugar. Calm yourself.

Never mention training, expertise or level of education on DCUM, PP -- lots of these women are very threatened by it.

Mine refused to even touch her cupcake on her birthday. I'd have been pissed if I went to the trouble of making a special one for her!

Of course almost a year later she's making demands about the kind of cake she wants.

OP, I am in the NBD camp but then I remembered that I did make DD a cake with a lower sugar frosting. I just used a regular cake recipe that wasn't too sweet (maybe Mark Bittman's basic yellow cake recipe?) and made a yogurt based frosting. Maybe greek yogurt, cream cheese and some confectioner's sugar whipped in? (DD's favorite food was plain yogurt, so maybe that's why I did it that way?)

She didn't really care for it, just like she didn't care for the grocery store cake at her first birthday party (a few days after her birthday).