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Buttery keto yellow cake with fudgey chocolate frosting is just like a boxed mix but sugar free, gluten free, and only 1.4 net carbs per piece! If you need a keto birthday cake, dessert for family dinner, or just miss baking easy cakes, you’re sure to love this keto yellow cake recipe.
Updated 4/28/2020
You’re Going To Love This Keto Yellow Cake:
And here’s why:
- As easy to make as a boxed cake mix
- Comes out perfect every time
- Double or triple the recipe for a layered cake or a big sheet cake
- Tastes like the golden butter cake you’re already familiar with
- Perfect for birthday cakes
- Thick chocolate fudge frosting tops it off
- Gluten free
- Only 1.4 net carbs per piece
Making Your Own Keto Golden Butter Cake
I know people hate the word, but, this keto yellow cake is so moist! All of that butter guarantees this cake isn’t eggy or dry, promise. Best of all, there aren’t any special products in this keto butter cake recipe. You only need 6 basic low carb ingredients and one bowl to whip up this one up. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to prepare the batter, bake in a prepared cake pan (see next section for cake pan sizing), and cool until you’re ready to frost.
What Size Cake Pan Should Be Used In This Keto Yellow Cake Recipe
I’ve made this keto yellow cake into a sheet cake with a 9×13 pan, cupcakes, and as a layer cake using an 8″ or 9″ round pan. You could even make it in a bundt pan and use it for pound cake.
Here are suggested bake times for various cake pan sizes:
- 8″ round– 25 to 30 minutes
- 9″ round– 20 to 25 minutes
- 12 cup muffin/cupcake- 12 to 15 minutes
- 8×8 square– 25 to 30 minutes
- 9×13 sheet– 15 to 20 minutes
- bundt– 25 to 30 minutes
Because this cake doesn’t rise very much since it is gluten free, the height of your cake will be dependent on the size of the pan you use. Also keep in mind that every oven bakes slightly differently so check for doneness (golden top, toothpick poke comes clean) at the shorter minute mark.
Can This Low Carb Cake Be Doubled For a Layer Cake
Absolutely, in fact, I recommend it! If you’re using this recipe as a birthday cake, double or triple the recipe and evenly divide the batter between two or three 9″ round cake pans for an ultra special sugar free birthday cake!
What Does The Sugar Free Chocolate Fudge Frosting Taste Like
Oh, the frosting…we haven’t even talked about the frosting yet! Remember the canned fudge frosting? Yeah, this sugar free chocolate fudge frosting tastes just like that. It’s thick, rich, and extremely chocolatey! And just like the cake, the ingredients are few and basic. I suggest mixing up the frosting while the cake is baking so that it is ready to spread on the cooled cake.
Ingredients and Substitutions For Your Keto Yellow Cake:
Want to know if you can substitute flours? Not sure which sweetener to use? Here’s a list of substitutions that should help answer those questions:
- Almond Flour– do not substitute coconut flour with almond flour. Unfortunately, coconut flour is not a congruent baking substitute for almond flour. Coconut flour has different properties and is not measured cup for cup like almond flour. If your almond flour baked goods have a nutty taste, I suggest trying a different brand like Anthony’s or Bob’s Red Mill (or Costco brand if you’re a member). Also, make sure your almond flour is super fine for the best crumb.
- Sweeteners– powdered and granular sweetener can be used in the cake portion of the recipe. Personally, I think powdered sweetener yields the best results but when using (most) powdered sweetener, you must remember to check the ratios on the bag and adjust accordingly. For example, 1 cup of granular sweetener is typically 1/2 cup powdered. Also, some brands vary in measurements (like Pyure) so be sure to check the ratio on your product’s bag. And always use powdered sweetener in frostings so you don’t have a gritty frosting.
Keto Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Buttery keto yellow cake with fudgey chocolate frosting is just like a boxed mix but sugar free, gluten free, and only 1.4 net carbs per piece!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup sweetener of choice (I use this)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sweetener of choice (I use this)
- 1/4 cup + 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cake pan (see note) and set aside.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
- On low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg.
- Add vanilla extract and mix again.
- Slowly add the melted butter continue mixing until well combined. Scrape the sides and mix again, if needed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before flipping out of pan. Let cool completely before adding frosting.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sweetener and mix.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
- Spread frosting over cake using an offset spatula.
Notes
Here are suggested bake times for various cake pan sizes:
8" round- 25 to 30 minutes
9" round- 20 to 25 minutes
12 cup muffin/cupcake- 12 to 15 minutes
8x8 square- 25 to 30 minutes
9x13 sheet- 15 to 20 minutes
bundt- 25 to 30 minutes
Keep cake covered in the refrigerator up to one week. The cake is best served room temperature. Let your piece of cake sit on the counter for 10 to 20 minutes for the best experience.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 21.5gCarbohydrates: 2.9gNet Carbohydrates: 1.4gFiber: 1.5gProtein: 4.9g
439 3.8K - 4.3KShares
what kind of sweetner are you referring to when you say i cup sweetner? thank you
I typically use Sukrin products.
Is the powdered sweeter like a sugar or a brown surgar
Powdered sweetener is like powdered/confectioners sugar.
If I wanted to use a 9×13, would I double the recipe? I’ve noticed many keto baked good recipes yield much smaller portions than standard! Thank you in advance.
No, you don’t have to double the recipe for a 9×13 pan.
Should the Kerrygold butter be salt or unsalted for the cake? And for the frosting?
I’ve done it both ways and there isn’t a noticeable difference. Whatever you have on hand should be fine! (99% of the time I use salted)
Are the nutrition facts for the cake and frosting together?
Hi Liv! Yes, they are! I will make a note of that in the recipe card. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!
I made this and it turned out even better than I expected! I used an 8×8 pan because that’s what I had so I had to bake it longer. Topped with cream cheese icing and some strawberries instead of chocolate since its finally spring. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi so we use powdered sugar or no ? Also do you mean 1 and a half baking powder or I.5 ml?
Delicious! Followed recipe EXACTLY. I love being able to mix batter as I go in ONE bowl. Baked in a 20X8 CENTIMETER round ‘delia’ cake tin and it was done at 30mins. — wonderful recipe – thank you!!
Would it be possible to replace the powdered sweetener with liquid sweetener? Thank you
In the cake, yes, if you know what the conversion would be. In the frosting, no, because the sweetener helps it thicken.
If I want to make a stacked cake is that possible?
Sure! You can divide the batter between multiple pans or double/triple the recipe.
Oh you awesome wonderful Keto Queen!! Thank you so much for this recipe! My poor hubby is having such a hard time adapting to keto (I am embracing it!) and thinks he will NEVER have a sweetie again. I can now prove to him he can have his cake and eat it too!! And that frosting looks “bad word” amazing!! Thank you My Keto-Queen!!
The link for the sweetener in the cake recipe goes to the powdered sugar one. Does this mean I use powdered sugar in the cake batter instead of the regular sweetener?
You can use granular or powdered. It doesn’t really matter. I just like the lakanto powdered best!
Just made this and it’s delicious! However, it’s not yellow in color. Any ideas why yours is so yellow and mine is more tan?
Hi Jess. The color comes from the eggs and butter. So depending on where you get your eggs and the type of butter you use, the color could vary. đ
Can this recipe by used as cupcakes?
Sure, just adjust the cooking time depending on the size of your cupcakes.
Unbelievably! I made the frosting and you seriously cannot tell it’s low carb! Yum!!
The meals/desserts look delicious!
Hi! This looks amazing! Getting ready for Pumpkin Season . . . . how could I add Pumpkin Puree and all those yummy spices and get a Pumpkin Cake/Cupcake/Muffin??? Thank you for all of your recipes!
That would a totally different recipe. Try this recipe if you’re looking for something pumpkin!
I made this today and It. Was. Amazing! I was craving yellow cake with chocolate frosting so much I actually bought a box mix and was going to go off Keto to eat it. Well, after making this cake I gave the cake mix to my neighbor! Thanks so much, great website!
I’ve tried making this cake several times. It always come out very dence and flat. Looks nothing like the cake in picture and taste even worst. The frosting on the other hand is very good. What am I doing wrong? Tried the last time using brown eggs. Came out the same.
I’m sorry you had trouble with this recipe. Brown eggs vs white eggs would make no difference in the final cake (they’re only different colors based on what the chicken is fed). Make sure you’re using a super fine almond flour (as always in low carb/GF baking). This cake has 8T of butter so it has a very rich and buttery flavor. I prefer using Kerrygold for a more pure flavor. Also, keep in mind that GF baking yields a different texture than what you’re used to.
Actually brown eggs come from a different chicken breed. The Eggs are the same ,shell color is different thatâs all. In Canada ALL the eggs were white, I moved to NZ and all the eggs are brown. It makes no difference.
Iâm making your cheesecake, then saw this cake recipe. Itâs next on my list!
Am I able to use the same kind confectioners sugar in both the cake and frosting? Can’t wait to try to recipe.
Sure! I prefer that actually! Just make sure that you use the correct amount because most powdered sweeteners are not 1:1 measurements.
What brand almond flour do you use?
Costco/Kirkland brand
Hello – can I use coconut flour instead of the almond flour for the cake recipe. Planning on making this cake for my mom’s birthday and she loves coconut. – Thank you! đ
No, I have not tested this recipe using coconut flour. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just swapping the flours. However, I LOVE coconut cake myself so I will have to give that one a go and share it on the blog!
I made this for a birthday party. I put it in a 9×13 pan. It is about an inch thick. I’m not sure what it tastes like because we haven’t cut it yet, but is it supposed to be this thin? I made the frosting, and it tastes really good. More like a chocolate mouse. I wonder about taking it to the party because it’s so thin. I just wondered if that was normal.
In a 9×13, yes the cake will be thin. The cake won’t rise like a traditional gluten based cake. It’ll still taste good though. In the future, use smaller pans for taller (gf) cakes. đ
I need a dairy free low carb cake for a birthday party in a few weeks. Can I replace the butter in the recipe with coconut oil? I can add butter extract, which is not dairy.–The kosher certifixcation says so.
I know I can replace the cream cheese with Tofutti.
Also, I have a springform pan. Can I use that? II need to impress the sweetie eaters.
Hi- that is quite a lot of adjustment on this recipe and since I haven’t tried it as such, I wouldn’t advise it. I’d hate for you to waste expensive ingredients. If you’re looking for a yummy low carb and dairy free cake, try this recipe I have instead. I also have dairy free brownies that are delicious too.
Hi! If I were to use a cupcake pan, would I make 16 cupcakes since the recipe yields 16? Sorry if that’s a dumb question
You could divide the batter however you wanted to get any number of cupcakes (8, 12, 16). I don’t know exactly how much batter per cupcake would be required to get 16.
My husband’s 65th BD is coming up next month. He LOVES yellow cake with chocolate frosting but we are Vegan Keto. Can I substitute chia seeds or similar for the cake mix. I know I can use Myokos Cashew Butter (the best)! And what would you suggest for the cream cheese?
Thanks so much!!!!!
Hi, I cannot say how to make this cake vegan friendly. That would be too many alterations to the recipe and I am not well versed in vegan cooking. You may try and find another blog dedicated to vegan keto recipes.
Hi there! I’m planning on making a birthday cake for my mom who is currently on keto. However, I have found that oftentimes the almond flour is sometimes too strong in my baking, Could I replace the almond flour with coconut flour?
No, you cannot use coconut flour. If your cakes are nutty tasting, then its the brand of almond flour you use. I suggest Costco (Kirkland), Anthony’s, or Bob’s Red Mill.
Quick question: Do you use powdered sweeter in the cake and frosting or is the sweeter in the cake granular?
You can use either. I think powdered bakes better. Just be sure to use the appropriate amount if you use powdered.
I found your recipe when looking for a low carb yellow cake to make pineapple upside down cake. Would your cake recipe work?
Well, theoretically yes, but pineapple is not keto friendly and there isn’t really a substitute to achieve that flavor.
question : do we need two different types of sweetner for this recipe (it looks like they’re both powdered) or can i just use the same for the frosting and cake? thank you!
you can use the same for both! đ
What size pan did you use (in the picture)? 8″ round? And if so, does this recipe make one or two?
This recipe makes 1 layer cake. You can use any size pan youâd like but it is not enough to split into two layers. Youâd need to double it for a layer cake.
In this keto yellow cake chocolate frosting recipe, is the amount for baking powder 15-FIFTEEN teaspoons or is it 1 1/2 -one and a half teaspoons?
Thanks!
Hi, it is 1 and 1/2 teaspoons. đ
the cake and frosting tasted great but i think a 9×13 is too big. my cake was rather flat. and despite putting butt all over the pan and sides, it stuck horribly. the whole thing crumbled to pieces trying to get it out. I’ll try again with 8×8 or muffins.
Hi- I’m sorry you had trouble with the cake being overcooked and sticking. That should not happen in any pan that is well greased, including a 9×13. Keep in mind that gluten free cakes do not rise much so a single batch of batter will not reach the top of the cake pan, that is normal. I would suggest seeing if your oven is properly calibrated because if not, they will not disburse heat evenly and cause overcooking (I just had this issue in a new house/oven and burning baked goods).