Sugar-Free

One of my friends is diabetic, so I've been experimenting with sugar-free or reduced sugar recipes. I've found it easy to do in the cupcakes, but harder in the frosting. I use agave nectar in the cakes, which is sweeter than sugar, so you use a lot less, but it's all natural and the body metabolizes it slower, so it doesn't cause a spike in insulin. But for the frosting, it's more difficult. I usually use an easy buttercream, with multiple cups of powdered sugar. I've also attempted a swiss merenge buttercream, which only uses a small amount of regular sugar. This is the easiest to convert to sugar free. I use either agave nectar or stevia, a natural sugar alternative, in lesser amounts. This technique is a lot harder, so it's taken me a few more tries to get it right. But the result is yummy! No one can tell these cupcakes are sugar-free! And although it's not wise for anyone, much less a diabetic, to eat all 6, one or two is ok.