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How I Made This Keto Chocolate Cake So Decadent
I first served this keto chocolate cake for my daughter’s 5th birthday, except I used my keto peanut butter mousse as the frosting. While that tasted great and was a big hit, I re-tested it more recently with keto chocolate frosting, and liked it even more. But honestly, it’s the almond flour chocolate cake itself and not the frosting that makes it such a winner. Here’s why:
- Rich, chocolaty, and super moist – This cake is ultra decadent, moist, and sweet, with a deep chocolate flavor and silky chocolate frosting. I think it’s plenty of cocoa powder combined with Besti and sour cream that makes it so rich. I recommend this one if you’re a big chocolate fan, otherwise it might be too intense and you might prefer my vanilla keto cake instead.
- Easy to make – The batter comes together in one bowl, without any special equipment. You can make the frosting while it bakes, or prep it in advance.
- Low carb and gluten free – It’s hard to believe this is a grain free, sugar free chocolate cake, because it doesn’t taste like it! You’d never guess it has just 4.6 grams net carbs per slice.
If you need a perfect low carb dessert recipe for a birthday or other celebration, this keto chocolate cake is perfect. Grab a bag of Besti and make it with me!
“This really was the best keto chocolate cake (and I have tried a lot!!) It was moist, tender crumb, chocolatey and easier to make than I thought it would be. Making this again for sure!”
-Claire
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto chocolate cake recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – This one is super fine for the best texture. (I use it for keto brownies and almond flour cake, too!) Many other brands are more coarse and can make your cake grainy. I don’t recommend using coconut flour, as it’s too dry. 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.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is the key to an ultra moist almond flour chocolate cake! For those of you that complained your result was dry, the sweetener was likely the reason. Besti locks in moisture and leaves the cake moist, while other sugar substitutes such as erythritol and most other brands of monk fruit or stevia will leave it dry. If you still want to substitute, use the sweetener conversion calculator to find out the right amount.
- Cocoa Powder – I recommend Dutch processed cocoa powder like this, which is less bitter than other types and has no added sugar.
- Butter – Make sure it’s at room temperature, so that it creams nicely. I used grass-fed 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). For that version, I prefer butter-flavored coconut oil to get that buttery flavor.
- Eggs – If you need an egg-free option, you can try an egg substitute.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk – 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 sour cream with 3/4 cup full-fat coconut cream + 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- Baking Powder – I like this non-GMO brand. Make sure it’s fresh, and don’t confuse it with baking soda, which is not the same and will leave an aftertaste when combined with these ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract – This one is my favorite.
- Frosting – I like to frost my keto chocolate cake with my sugar-free chocolate frosting, though you could also use keto cream cheese frosting or keto buttercream frosting. With any of these, I highly recommend using Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, because it dissolves completely and doesn’t leave a gritty texture.
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowHow To Make Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cream the butter and Besti. In a large mixing bowl, use a a hand mixer (I have this one and love the built-in storage for the attachments) to beat together the butter and Besti, until fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then almond milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Beat in the almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, until smooth.
- Transfer. Divide the batter among two springform pans or cake pans lined 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.)
- Bake. The cake layers are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pans, then run a knife along the edges and flip to release.
- Make the frosting. I recommend my keto chocolate frosting recipe here, but mentioned other options in the ingredients section above.
- 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 my tips below for more frosting tips. Feel free to decorate your almond flour chocolate cake with more frosting (not my strong suit!), sugar-free sprinkles, or fresh berries like I did!
My Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and cold eggs will solidify the butter. If I forget to set out the butter, I fill a stainless steel bowl with boiling water. After a few minutes, empty, dry, and place upside down over the butter on a plate to soften fast. If I forget to let the eggs come to room temp, I place them in a bowl of warm water.
- Rotate and swap the locations of the pans halfway through baking. This helps the cake layers bake more evenly, since different sides of most ovens tend to run hotter than others. At least that’s the case with mine!
- Double the frosting amount if you want to decorate the top. For a two-tier keto chocolate cake, I use 3/4 cup of frosting between layers, 1 1/4 cups on top, and 1 1/2 cups for the sides — about 3 1/2 cups total. You’ll need more if you want extra for decorations. I skipped this and topped my cake with berries instead.
- I recommend an icing spatula and cake stand to help apply the frosting more easily. The spatula reduces sticking and I find the shape easier to work with than a regular one. The cake stand helps because I rotate it as I frost.
- I recommend cutting the cake into narrow slices. It’s very rich and decadent, so you need less than you might think to be satisfied.
Keto Chocolate Cake
By
My BEST keto chocolate cake! This almond flour chocolate cake is ultra rich, moist, and chocolaty, but so easy to make in one bowl.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line the bottom of 2 9" round springform pans with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, beat together the allulose and butter with a hand mixer, until fluffy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the almond milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
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Beat in the almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, until the batter is smooth.
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Divide the batter among the prepared pans, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake the almond flour chocolate cake layers for 25-35 minutes, until the top springs back and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, then run a knife along the edges and flip to release.
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Make the keto chocolate frosting here. Before you begin, adjust the amount on the recipe card to 28 servings — this will make the 3 1/2 cups you need for this cake.
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Place one layer of keto chocolate cake onto a cake stand or platter. Using an icing spatula, frost the top with 3/4 cup (96g) frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost the top with another 3/4 cup (96g) frosting. Finally, frost the sides with 1 1/2 cups (192g) frosting.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 narrow slice, or 1/24 cake (it’s VERY rich!)
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture, make decorating easier, and more.
- Storage: Keep this keto chocolate cake in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can serve it cold, but I prefer to let it come to room temperature, as the frosting texture is better that way.
- Freeze: This cake keeps well in the freezer for 3-4 months. You can freeze cake layers separately (wrap well), or freeze the whole frosted cake (freeze solid first, then wrap).
- Thaw: You can do this in the fridge overnight (8+ hours) or at room temp which is a little faster. Leave the plastic on for unfrosted cake, otherwise unwrap if it’s frosted because the wrapping will stick to the frosting once it thaws.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Try More Of My Recipes
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Keto Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
More Keto Chocolate Cake Recipes
If you like this decadent cake, you’ll probably like some of my other keto chocolate cake recipes:
For other flavors beyond chocolate, try my classic keto cheesecake, French almond flour cake, or Mexican-inspired keto tres leches.
131 Comments
S.
0I just made this cake and had issue with it…first, as I was making it; the allulose & butter mixture mixed well. But, it began to clump in pieces as soon as I mixed in the eggs & it would not mix uniformaly thereafter! I followed through with the recipe anyway (as written) & baked it. To my surprise, it had no sweetness at all! Texture was good, but no sweeteness detected- just a completely bitter-tasting cake! I believe this is due to the allulose issues noted at the start. I would like to try it again, as I was pleased with the texture. Please tell me an alternative way to uniformaly incorperate the allulose? Should I desolve it in the almond milk? Or should I try mixing it with the dry ingredients first? The Allulose I have is more like a powdered sugar texture..it is manufatured by “Splenda”.
Wholesome Yum M
0I am sorry this happened to you. It sounds like your ingredients were not at room temperature when you incorporated them. Unfortunately, this can cause clumping in the batter. I have not personally used the brand of allulose you used. I recommend using Wholesome Yum Allulose for my recipes. It dissolves well and does not leave any aftertaste or bitterness.
Jt
0Hi, I adjusted this recipe to 8 servings instead of 24, and would like to bake the cake in a loaf pan…may I know to what tempuature I should bake it & for how long?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi JT, The oven temp will remain the same, but the bake time will decrease. I would start checking for doneness about halfway through the time listed in the recipe card.
Kathy Franco
0great recipe and I tweaked it a little.. I added more sweetner to my taste and folded in beaten egg whites.. it’s looking good in the oven
Dee
0My son is on a low carb diet and he loves chocolate so I thought I’d try this recipe as it sounded delicious. I had to make 3 adjustments to the recipe. I also did not make the frosting. The sweetener I used is Swerve. I also had use Bobs Red Mill Egg Replacer in addition to the 2 eggs I had and I baked the cake in a 13 x 9 pan, not 2 round pans. The pan set me up for failure as the edges burnt before the center was set. That coupled with the grainy texture of only using Almond Flour, made this cake inedible. I may try it again using 1/2 Coconut Flour & !/2 Almond Flour, baking in 2 round pans and increasing the vanilla extract, sugar, try baking chocolate or add more cocoa to punch up the chocolate flavor.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Dee, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. You did make a few changes, which likely didn’t help the outcome. The texture for this recipe should not be grainy. Please be sure to use “fine” or “superfine” ground almond flour for the best textural results. Also, I don’t recommend remaking this with half coconut flour and half almond flours. It would greatly change the ratios and leave you with a very dry, crumbly cake.
Vicky Green
0i noticed you used 2 nine inch spring foam pans. Can regular 9 inch cake pans be okay
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Vicky, Yes, cake pans will work too. Just be sure to layer the bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides well.
Vikki
0My entire family loved this cake! Now they request that I make it for all our special occasions. Thank you for this gem!
Twayna Thomas
0Love all of your recipes. How do I change this to a cupcake recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Twayna, I actually have a chocolate cupcake recipe! This one is made especially for baking in smaller portions like cupcakes, so it’s great!
Solène
0Hi can I change the sour cream with coconut cream ?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Solene, Yes! Replace the 3/4 cup sour cream with 11 tablespoons full-fat coconut cream + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
Kat
0Hi, Can I sub the almond milk for regular milk or cream?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kat, Coconut milk or cream will work great in this recipe. Regular milk may work, but the recipe won’t be keto or low carb at that point.
Marilyn Othon
0Hello! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! Can you switch the almond milk for coconut milk?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marilyn, Yes, that will work. I recommend using carton coconut milk over canned for this recipe.
anita
0Hi, this cake is by far the best keto cake I’ve ever made and I make a lot!
My question is is the nutrition info for the cake WITH the icing?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Anita, I’m so thrilled you love the cake recipe! Yes, the nutrition facts include the frosting. Enjoy!
Ahmed
0I’ve limited options where I’m from… can I use Tropicana Slim sweetener and how much should I use?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ahmed, I am not familiar with this sweetener. Please check with the manufacturer to see if this brand is suitable for baking.
Allie
0Doors the nutrition information include the frosting used?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Allie, Yes the nutrition includes the frosting. Enjoy!
Joe
0I’m kind of a newbie at baking so this might be a silly question but I was wondering about adding cream cheese to the frosting, your thoughts?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Joe, Sure! You can replace some of the butter with cream cheese per your tastes.
Margret
0How many carbs is this cake?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Margret, This recipe makes 24 servings. Each serving is 5.2g net carbs.
Gail
0Hi, using granular sweetener, is the cooked cake gritty, or do we use a powdered sugar. This looks so delicious, I want to make straight away depending on your sweetener.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gail, The cake is not gritty, but you can use a powdered sweetener in place of granular if it concerns you.
Kathleen Brock
0Has anyone ever made this in a single layer? If so, what size?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kathleen, a 9×13″ pan will do nicely here. Baking time will be longer, be sure to keep an eye on your oven and do the toothpick test before removing.
Kathi
0I made this cake today for my son’s birthday and it turned out so moist and delicious! He always has a chocolate cake with strawberries and raspberries on it for his birthday, but he is now on a low carb diet, so was very sad he wouldn’t be able to have cake. I happened upon your recipe and he loved it even better than all past cakes I have made him. Keeper recipe! Wish I could post a pic of how beautiful it came out!
Lina
0Hi maya! Can’t wait to try out your recipe! Can I sub the almond milk with coconut milk? Will it overpower the richness of the chocolate taste?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lina, I think coconut milk will work great!
Lina
0Thanks!
Wendy
0I use Swerve, you mention allulose. How much would I use If I use Swerve? I don’t really understand the conversion chart. The chocolate cake recipe calls for 1 3/4 cups of allulose. Would I use that same measurement with granulated Swerve?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Wendy, You’d use 2/3 the amount, so roughly 1 cup + 2 tbsp of Swerve to replace the allulose. However, the cake would be less moist than it is with allulose. If you wanted to try it, you can get it here.