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Have you been searching for a keto birthday cake recipe that doesn’t sacrifice flavor and texture for the sake of being healthy? This keto vanilla cake is exactly what you’ve been looking for! This sugar free birthday cake has three layers of low carb cake with cream cheese frosting and while it looks impressive on a cake platter, it’s surprisingly easy and can be made in one bowl.
We’re using a mix of almond flour and coconut flour in this recipe, because they produce a better texture than just using one of them alone. And, I always use Besti sweetener for my keto cake recipes, because it makes them super moist, and adds natural sweetness without crystallizing or causing an aftertaste. Can’t say the same for other sugar substitutes. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Keto Birthday Cake Recipe
- Classic yellow cake flavor
- Light and tender crumb
- Make it in one bowl
- Great for birthdays or other holidays
- Only 2 grams net carbs per slice
Keto Vanilla Cake Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for low carb birthday cake, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
For the cake:
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The best sweetener for keto cakes, because it not only tastes and bakes like sugar, it also makes them very moist. See other options below.
- Butter – I prefer to use grass-fed butter for nutrition and flavor, but feel free to use any unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Unsweetened almond milk – You can use store bought or homemade almond milk, just be sure it’s unsweetened either way. This can also be substituted with other keto milk, such as coconut milk beverage (the liquid kind from a carton, not the thick kind from a can) or watered down heavy cream.
- Vanilla extract – A must for yellow vanilla cake! But if you like other flavors, feel free to add other extracts.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – My recommended brand because it’s super fine and blanched. Other brands come in varying consistencies and moisture levels, so may turn out differently, and you definitely want to avoid almond meal, which would make your cake gritty.
- Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour – Like the almond flour, this one is super fine, and also has the right moisture level. Made with premium organic coconuts.
- Baking powder – Make sure your baking powder is fresh so that your cake rises, which tends to be more difficult with low carb cake recipes.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Cream cheese – I recommend full-fat, but any kind of plain cream cheese will work.
- Butter – I prefer to use grass-fed butter for nutrition and flavor, but feel free to use any unsalted butter.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The powdered version of Besti, to use for frostings.
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Keto Birthday Cake
This section shows how to make keto vanilla 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.
- Beat butter. In a large mixing bowl, beat together Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend and butter until fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients. Beat in eggs, almond milk, and vanilla extract.
TIP: Make sure your milk and eggs are at room temperature. Otherwise, they can solidify the butter.
- Add dry ingredients. Beat in Wholesome Yum Almond Flour, Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour, and baking powder.
- Bake. Transfer 1/3 of the cake batter into the lined springform pan and bake. Repeat with remaining 2 layers. Set aside to cool.
TIP: If you have three pans, this will go much faster. You can bake all three at the same time, on the same oven rack.
- Cool. Let your vanilla keto cake cool completely before removing from the pan and assembling.
- Make frosting. Beat together cream cheese, butter, Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, and vanilla extract until it is smooth.
- Layer cake. Place one layer on a cake stand or platter and spread some of the frosting on top. Repeat with the other two layers. Frost the top and sides of cake.
- Top with chopped pecans. The keto birthday cake looked prettier with the nuts on top, and I didn’t have to obsess about making the frosting perfectly smooth on top. But, if your frosting skills are better, feel free to skip the nuts and decorate the top however you like!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you have cake on keto?
No, traditional cake is not keto. But, this keto vanilla cake recipe will satisfy all of your cake cravings without the sugar crash.
Is this keto yellow cake gluten-free?
Yes, this sugar free birthday cake is also gluten-free.
Can I use only almond flour or only coconut flour?
No, sorry, you do need both flours for the right texture and moisture in this low carb birthday cake recipe. You can browse my almond flour recipes or coconut flour recipes to see other options with each of these flours.
Can I use a different sweetener?
Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend is the closest thing to sugar I’ve found (and it’s why I created it, I didn’t love the alternatives!), and in particular, it makes the moistest cake. I’ve made this cake with other sweeteners in the past and it’s not as moist.
But, if you need other options, you can use a granulated sweetener for the cake (like allulose or erythritol) and a powdered sweetener for the frosting (like powdered allulose or powdered erythritol). The amounts you need will vary depending on the sweetener, so check my sweetener conversion chart.
Can I use a different frosting?
Yes, you can any keto frosting! Try a keto buttercream frosting or keto chocolate frosting to switch it up.
Feel free to add sugar-free sprinkles as well!
Storage Instructions
Store the cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Can you freeze cake?
Yes, you can freeze cake for 2-3 months. To do so, place it on a sheet pan, uncovered, and freeze until solid. Once solid, wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and foil to freeze long-term.
To thaw, unwrap the layers and thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Easy Keto Cake Recipes
If you like this keto friendly birthday cake, you might also like some of these other keto dessert recipes:
Tools To Make Sugar Free Birthday Cake
- Springform Pan – You need a springform pan bake this cake in, you’ll still need to line with parchment paper. You should get three cake pans if you want to cut down on cooking time.
- Hand mixer – I love mine because it has storage for all the different beaters.
Vanilla Keto Birthday Cake Recipe
Vanilla Keto Birthday Cake Recipe
This keto vanilla birthday cake recipe is so rich and moist that no one will guess it's also a sugar free birthday cake, with 2g net carbs per slice. Perfect for birthdays, or any day!
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Ingredients
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Cake
Cream cheese frosting
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line the bottom of a 9 in (23 cm) round springform pan with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, beat together the Besti and butter, until fluffy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the almond milk and vanilla extract.
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Beat in the almond flour, coconut flour, and gluten-free baking powder.
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Transfer 1/3 of the dough to the lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and spring-y. Repeat with another 1/3 of the dough, then again with the final 1/3 (making 3 layers total).
Frosting
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Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered Besti, and vanilla extract, until smooth.
Assembly
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Let the cake layers cool separately to room temperature before stacking. Frost between the layers, and all over the top and sides at the end. Top with chopped pecans (optional) if desired.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Recipe Notes
Optional pecans not included in nutrition info.
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/24 of entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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595 Comments
Carolyn
0Can you make this cake in a 9×13-inch pan instead of 2 round cake pans? I would like also to know if you can bake your other cakes in this size pan?
thank you
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Carolyn, You should be able to do that. Monitor closely for doneness and tent it with foil if it looks too brown.
Ediith
0Is that 32 oz cream cheese….
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Edith, Yes, there is 32oz of cream cheese in this recipe.