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One taste and you’ll declare this the best keto chocolate cake recipe! It’s rich, soft, moist, and has a deep chocolate flavor. It’s almost hard to believe this almond flour chocolate cake has no flour or sugar, but it’s true. And while a low carb sugar-free chocolate cake looks complex, I promise it’s easy to pull off at home. (If you prefer vanilla over chocolate, try my classic vanilla keto cake instead.)

I first served this keto chocolate cake for my daughter’s 5th birthday, but I used peanut butter frosting (technically a keto peanut butter mousse) at the time. While that tasted great, I re-tested it more recently with keto chocolate frosting and decided that was the winner, with the flavor most people expect from this type of dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Keto Chocolate Cake Recipe

Rich, chocolaty flavor
Decadent, super moist texture
The perfect amount of sweetness with no aftertaste
Make the batter in 1 bowl
4.6 grams net carbs per slice
Naturally gluten-free
Perfect keto dessert for birthdays, celebrations, or anytime

Keto chocolate cake with berries on top and slice missing.

Wondering how a chocolate almond flour cake that looks this decadent can possibly work for a low carb or keto diet? The answer is simple: Better keto ingredient swaps!

I used Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour like I did in my keto brownies and almond flour cake instead of white refined flour, and my very own Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend instead of white refined sugar for perfect flavor and texture.

If you’ve tried other flours or sugars for your baked goods and just can’t find the perfect combination for a decadent, bakery-style cake — these are the ones! I know you’ll be able to taste the difference.

Get Almond Flour

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Almond flour chocolate cake with berries on top and slice missing.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for chocolate keto cake, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Almond Flour Chocolate Cake:

Salted Butter – Make sure it’s at room temperature so that it creams nicely. I used salted butter for convenience, but you could also use unsalted and add 3/8 teaspoon of salt to the batter. If you want your keto chocolate cake dairy-free, replace the butter with coconut oil (same amount). If possible, get butter-flavored coconut oil to get that buttery flavor.
Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I strongly recommend using either allulose or monk fruit allulose blend to get the moist texture a chocolate cake should have. Allulose locks in moisture, while other sugar substitutes such as erythritol and most other brands of monk fruit or stevia will leave the cake dry. If you still want to substitute, use the sweetener conversion calculator to find out the right amount.
Eggs – Use room temperature eggs, as cold eggs will solidify the batter and prevent it from being smooth. If you need an egg-free option, you can try an egg substitute, but I haven’t tested them with this particular recipe.
Unsweetened Almond Milk – Thins out the batter for a moist low carb chocolate cake. You can substitute other types of keto milk here if you like.
Sour Cream – Adds richness and moisture. If you need a dairy free option, replace the 3/4 cup sour cream with 11 tablespoons full-fat coconut cream + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
Vanilla Extract – Use high quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Cocoa Powder – Cocoa powder adds a rich, dark chocolate flavor to the cake.
Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – This one is super fine for the best texture in your keto chocolate cake. Avoid almond meal, which can yield a grainy result. Unfortunately, you can’t use coconut flour. If you are nut-free, you may be able to use sunflower seed meal as a 1:1 replacement for the almond flour, but the color, texture, and flavor of the cake will be somewhat different.
Baking Powder – Helps to create a light, airy texture. Make sure it’s fresh. Don’t confuse this ingredient with baking soda, which is not the same thing.

Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake Frosting:

I like to frost my keto chocolate cake with sugar-free chocolate frosting, though you could also use cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting. For the classic chocolate version, you’ll need:

Unsalted Butter – Softened butter works best for the frosting. I have not tested making dairy-free chocolate frosting, but in theory, you can use the butter subtitute mentioned above for that as well.
Cocoa Powder – Cocoa powder adds a rich, dark chocolate flavor to the frosting.
Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This sweetener is ideal for frosting because it’s super fine (like real powdered sugar) and dissolves easily, creating a smooth texture that sets well and doesn’t clump. Erythritol-based powdered sweeteners can crystallize or not dissolve well, leading to a gritty texture.
Vanilla Extract – Use high quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Heavy Cream – Also called heavy whipping cream, this helps thin out the frosting to the right consistency.

How To Make Keto Chocolate Cake

This section shows how to make almond flour chocolate cake, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Prep. Preheat the oven. Line the bottom of two 9″ round springform pans or cake pans with parchment paper. (I made a 2 layer cake, but you could use 3 pans instead for a 3 layer cake, and just reduce the baking time.)
Cream butter and Besti. In a large mixing bowl, beat together Besti and butter with a hand mixer, until fluffy.
Add the wet ingredients. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then almond milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients. Beat in almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder until the cake batter is smooth.

Transfer. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pans, then run a knife along the sides and flip to release.

Baked keto chocolate cake in round baking pan.

Make the frosting. Follow the keto chocolate frosting recipe here.
Frost the cake. Place one layer of keto chocolate cake onto a cake stand or platter. Frost the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the top. Finally, frost the sides. See the section below on best tips for frosting.
Add toppings. Feel free to decorate with more chocolate frosting (not my strong suit!), sugar-free sprinkles, or with fresh berries like I did!

Decorated keto chocolate cake recipe with berries.

Tips For Frosting Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

Delicious and moist keto chocolate cake is the perfect indulgence for special occasions. Here are some tips to help you master the art of frosting it beautifully!

Make enough frosting. If you’re making a two-tier cake, use 3/4 cup of frosting between layers, 1 1/4 cup on top, and 1 1/2 cups for the sides — about 3 1/2 cups total. Make extra to hide flaws and decorate the top; leftovers are great for keto ice cream topping or straight from the spoon!
Double the frosting amount if you want to decorate the top. Cake decorating needs a lot of extra frosting. I skipped this step and topped with berries instead.
An icing spatula makes it easier to apply frosting. Using one reduces sticking and helps it go on evenly.
A cake stand is helpful for frosting. It allows you to rotate your keto friendly chocolate cake as you frost it.
Frost the flat parts first, then the sides. Start by frosting the flat top of the bottom layer, then add the top layer and frost that. Finally, finish with the sides. I usually go back to check on any imperfections at the end.

And then serve! I recommend cutting the cake into narrow slices, because it’s very rich and decadent.

Storage Instructions

Store this low carb chocolate cake recipe in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s best at room temperature, but fine cold as well.

Freezing Instructions

Yes, you can freeze this keto chocolate cake for 3-4 months for optimal taste, though it will be safe to eat beyond that. You have 2 options:

Freeze cake layers separately – Pre-bake sugar-free chocolate cake layers separately, let cool, wrap each layer with plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze. Make and freeze frosting ahead in a zip lock bag, or make fresh when ready to have the cake.
Freeze the frosted cake – Make room in the freezer and place the uncovered cake inside on a tray. Once it’s solid (at least 4 hours in the freezer), remove it from the freezer and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil to keep any moisture out.

You need at least 8 hours to thaw cakes in the fridge, or ideally overnight, but you can thaw at room temperature in a pinch. If unfrosted, let the cake thaw with the plastic on so that condensation doesn’t get inside. If frosted, it’s best to unwrap it before thawing so the frosting doesn’t stick to the plastic.

Almond flour chocolate cake frosted with berries on top and 1 slice removed.

More Keto Chocolate Cake Recipes

If you like this decadent cake, you’ll probably like some of the keto chocolate cake recipes below.

Tools To Make Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake

Cake Pans – You’ll want a set of two so that you can bake the layers at the same time. This brand never, ever sticks, which is important since only the bottom gets lined with parchment paper. You can also use springform pans to easily release the cakes.
Hand Mixer – Believe it or not, but I don’t own a stand mixer! This handheld version works just as well and I love that I can store it away when it’s not in use.
Cake Stand – The best keto chocolate cake recipe deserves to be put on a pedestal, don’t you think? And if you need a more practical reason to get a cake stand, it makes it way more convenient to frost the cake.
Icing Spatula – This special spatula makes frosting this sugar free low carb chocolate cake recipe easy. Definitely recommend!

Keto Chocolate Cake With Almond Flour

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92 Comments

isabel
0 November 17, 2023Reply

Hi! Is it possible to just use ordinary wheat flour as well? I am just trying to make a cake with allulose, and found your recipe this way. I don’t have almond flour. Thank you!
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 November 21, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Isabel, I have never tried using wheat flour in this recipe.
Su
0 September 23, 2023Reply

I don’t have the Besti mixture and need to make the cake. What substitute can I use?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 September 23, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Su, You can try a different sugar substitute, but the cake will be more dry. For next time, you can get Besti here.

Keto Chocolate Cake (Almond Flour)

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

Why You’ll Love This Keto Chocolate Cake Recipe