This rich and decadent chocolate keto cake is shockingly delicious… Every time I serve it, people always ask for the recipe!
The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake
Why should you make this chocolate cake?
Simply put, because it is quite possibly the best chocolate cake you will ever make, even if you aren’t on a keto diet.
The first time I made the recipe was for a friend’s birthday party, where not a single person in attendance aside from the host was on a low carb diet, and yet people went absolutely crazy for this ultra fudgy chocolate cake. In just a single night, I was already asked by three more friends to make cakes for their birthdays too!
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Keto Death By Chocolate Cake
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It’s almost too good to believe!
This exceptionally bold chocolate cake recipe—without any flour to get in the way of the soft texture and intense chocolatey flavor—will change everything you thought you knew about chocolate cake. There’s no oil required, and NO coconut flour either!
Also Try These Keto Pancakes
Easy Low Carb Chocolate Cake
The simple keto cake recipe can absolutely hold its own against any cake mix or bakery style chocolate cake.
Super dense and fudgy, it can be naturally gluten free, dairy free, oil free, and vegan… and I’ve served it to enough people by now who aren’t on any kind of special diet that I can confidently say: even if you’re used to traditional sugar-and-flour desserts, you will fall completely in love with this delicious and moist chocolate cake. Just try it and see!
Want a single serving version? Try this Keto Mug Cake Recipe
Keto Frosting Recipes
For the chocolate cake in the photos, I used this Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
Feel free to use your favorite vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting, homemade or store-bought.
Or change up the flavor by topping the cake with cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, whipped cream, ice cream, sliced strawberries, or coconut frosting. Just be sure to let the cake cool completely before spreading icing on top.
It’s also really good topped with Coconut Whipped Cream!
Can You Use Regular Sugar?
Yes, if you’re not counting carbs, the cake recipe works just fine with regular granulated sugar as well. I know this because I tested it on myself (the things I have to do for my job…).
Even if you use real sugar, you still only need 2/3 cup total for an entire double layer cake, which is crazy low in comparison to traditional chocolate cake recipes that often have at least double that amount!
For A Vegan Keto Cake
While flourless chocolate cake recipes usually call for eggs, making a vegan version was surprisingly easy. I simply mixed three tbsp Bob’s egg replacer with 150g water (half cup plus two tablespoons), let it sit for a few minutes to thicken, and then used that as my three eggs in the recipe.
If you need six eggs for a double layer cake, just use six tablespoons of the egg replacer mixed with 1 1/4 cup water instead. I haven’t tried making a version using flax egg yet, but be sure to report back if you experiment!
For A Paleo Or Gluten Free Cake
For a paleo cake, sweeten with either the erythritol option listed in the recipe or use 1/2 cup date or coconut sugar instead. The low carb cake recipe is naturally gluten free, no substitutions necessary. It’s made with almond flour, which is simply ground up almond meal. (For a cake that’s made with regular flour, I recommend this Vegan Chocolate Cake.)
(Above – watch the video of how to make the keto cake)
The recipe was adapted from these Keto Muffins
Chocolate Keto Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp dutch cocoa or additional regular
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup water or milk of choice
- 3 eggs (including the vegan option listed earlier in the post)
- 1/3 cup granulated erythritol or regular sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- *For a double layer cake, simply double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans. I listed a few keto frosting ideas above in the post. And if you're a visual person, be sure to check out the recipe video above!Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan, and line with parchment. Stir all ingredients together very well, then spread into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment to smooth down. Bake 14 minutes on the center rack (some ovens require more baking time, so continue cooking until firm if needed). Let cool completely before frosting. If you try the recipe, please feel free to leave a comment or rate it below!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Popular Keto Desserts
Or this Keto Chocolate Mousse
Oh, my goodness, yes! This cake – and frosting – is amazingly simple, easy and ever so moist and delicious. Katie is right: nobody guesses this is flourless and healthy to boot! Thank you for yet another winner!!
Hello, I’m on strict keto diet and would like to make my first keto cake your chocolate 7 ingredient one but I do t have any xylitol or Erythritol, can I use swerve instead and HOW MUCH?
Hi! If you have granular swerve then you can just use the same amount, no problem! If you have powdered swerve, unfortunately we have never tried it with a powdered sweetener so have no idea if/how it would come out. Be sure to report back if you make it!
Simply amazing!!! Thank you so much for this recipe. Instead of using a sweetener I ground 4 dates (made them a puree) and mixed with the ingredients. This was my first keto bday cake 🙂 Happy happy camper here.
Love your sweetener idea!
Wow, wow and even more wow! Just made this and it is absolutely delicious and it’s Free From! You would never know! Tastes so good. My boyfriend said it’s top notch quality and one of the best he has tasted.
It is so good to be able to still enjoy chocolate healthily!
Thank you Katie for sharing this recipe. This will make many tasty birthday cakes and treats for myself!😄
Thank YOU for making it 🙂
(Katie)
I was looking for a chocolate cake keto recipe for couple weeks and finally chose yours today. It was very easy to prepare and the cake is incredibly good. My daughter truly hates the taste of cream cheese in anything but didn’t even notice there was some in the frosting. She took two servings.
I’ve made 1/2 recipe of frosting and there was left over. I would be doing 1/3 next time for my 1 layer cake. I will be checking your other recipes as I believe they will be awesome as well. Thank you for sharing and making our day so special. Wishing you the best 🙂
Thank you both so much for trying it!
I’d love to know the nutrition facts of this cake, double layer plus the chocolate cream cheese frosting. Under the Nutrition facts of the cake alone it says for 8 servings. So how much carbs and calories per slice of cake as shown in the picture?
I made this and it didn’t rise. It was for a birthday so now I have to go out and get a box cake. What could be the reason it didn’t raise like most cakes do?
Hi Linda, this one is not supposed to rise much and that doesn’t mean it’s not still good to use! If you look at the video and the photos, those are two layers. Doing one layer is fine too – just frost it and it should have the thickenss of very thick brownies.
Personally think this needed much more sweetener to taste like cake, but the texture was right. I think with a sweet creamy frosting it could be saved, but the cake on its own was more like savoury chocolate bread. Double the sweetener and it’d be good 🙂
Absolutely delicious! I made the accompanying cream cheese frosting which ended up making the cake too rich, so scraped it off. Can’t wait to make this again.
This cake is absolutely amazing I used ground almonds as I didn’t have almond flour
Would definitely be making again
Awesome recipe. I made this recipe in twelve tin muffin pan with cupcake liners. Baked them one rack above center for 18 minutes at 350. I love to bake but I’m new to keto and low carb and I’m terrible about loving baked sweets, especially chocolate. I always read reviews and saw that some commenters cakes turned out dry so I added two tbsp of melted butter. I knew it would be ok because I had also added 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of psyllium husk powder(hold recipe together better) and 1/8 tsp of xanthan gum(makes for fluffy and slightly chewy texture, more like flour) I also used almond milk and eggs as suggested. So happy these turned out so beautifully and very moist, fluffy and tasty. My new official go to recipe for chocolate cake and muffins. I made the chocolate cream cheese frosting (it’s great but cream cheese isn’t really fav) this time but I do believe a keto buttercream frosting made with powdered swerve or peanut butter frosting would be heavenly on these! Thank you so much for all your lovely recipes sweet girl.
Thank YOU so much for trying it. Your muffins sound delicious, and we love the peanut butter frosting idea!
When I tried this recipe for the first time, I used your recommendation of the added psyllium, xantham, and butter. Thanks!
I’ve been strict keto for three years and this cake is by far the closest to the real thing. I use brewed strong coffee for the 1/3 liquid which of course deepens the chocolate flavor. I use a cream cheese, swerve confectioners powdered sugar, dark cocoa blended together for the frosting. Sometimes I replace the cocoa with peanut butter and extra salt and make like a Reese’s cake. Great recipe!
Your reeses cake idea sounds so good!
Can I use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder? If so, what’s the ratio? Thanks!
Sorry we have never tried it!
What brand of erythritol do you use for this cake and the frosting?
So Nourished granulated, or Lakanto monk fruit blend (granulated: https://www.lakanto.com/collections/sweeteners/products/lakanto-classic-sugar-free-sweetener-family-size-800g?rfsn=5498197.ceff0a) both work!
Curious as to why there is no oil or butter?
I tried the recipe and it is amazingly delicious, but I do not know why it sinks when I take it out of the oven. I have tried cake and cupcakes and both keep sinking. Any ideas or recommendations? I am using monk fruit sweetener and Bob’s egg substitute.
Hi, do you mean monk fruit extract, or a blend like Lakanto?