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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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
It was perfect and delicious for Valentines Day, covered with raspberries and strawberries as accents. Thanks for a great recipe!
Doubled the cake recipe. Used a canola oil spray for both a 9” dark metal pans and a 9” silicone pan. Cake stuck to the dark metal. Will use parchment in it next time. Took cakes out when no longer jiggling but both are dry. Next time will take out when center is only slightly jiggly. Saw an earlier comment about adding sour cream and also wondered about using shredded zucchini to add moisture. Used golden monkfruit in the cakes. The recommend frosting is delicious. Used powdered Monkfruit for frosting. Overall, I would not say it compares to a tradition bakery cake made with wheat flour, but living a ketogenic lifestyle, it was nice to have a chocolate cake. Thank you for the recipe!
Can this be made into cupcakes!?
I’m sure it could if you just change the baking time! Be sure to report back if you try. It’s on our list to try as well 🙂
Jason
VERY IMPORTANT to use parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, even if it’s nonstick. Otherwise, this is a fantastic recipe. It was a big hit for both me and my girlfriend; we had both thought chocolate cake was a thing of the past, but this is a wonderful lifeline. The frosting recipe is equally amazing!
Thanks for the feedback! Katie tried it both ways and didn’t have a problem with sticking, but it looks like other commenters who didn’t use parchment did run into that issue, so we just updated the recipe thanks to your (and their) feedback. Never a bad idea to be on the safe side!
Jason (media relations)
I’m trying keto and tomorrow is my birthday. My daughter has a nut allergy. I’ve been dying to try the expensive sunflower seed flour. Cake is in the oven now. I don’t like a ton of ingredients, so this was perfect for me to whip together. Next up, frosting search! Thank you!
Just tried this recipe. Outstanding. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!
So I tried making this cake but I tried doubling it and the cake batter was a a bit more liquidy than the video and I can smell the erythritol after I ended up fully baking it. I’ve always been pretty bad at baking keto desserts, anyone know what I messed up on?
Hi, what specific ingredients did you use? Might just be that your cake needs to bake longer?
Hi thanks for replying. I used a premade blend of dutch cocoa and regular cocoa, superfine almond flour, Anthony’s Granulated Erythritol, regular tap water ,3 eggs and replaced other 3 (bc doubled recipe) with sour cream as an egg replacement, vanilla extract, and aluminum-free baking powder.
Hi Kamish, what is sour cream egg replacement? If you just mean plain sour cream, I don’t see how that would work ?
I just used plain sour cream. I guess I just thought that because it works in regular baking (as I have used Sour Cream in place of eggs before) I assumed it would work here’ but I guess Keto baking is a whole different beast. I will try it w/o the sour cream this time. Thanks!
How many grams in a cup?
Here is my latest version of this incredibly easy and tasty cake (still no icing as I keep forgetting to get unsalted butter). This time I put loads of walnuts on top and I am just enjoying the cake with gooey peanut butter in the middle (I just cut my slices of cake in half and put dollops of peanut butter)!
Still loving this recipe, might just have to make it every weekend as so heavenly!!!!
Definitely want to try that idea!
This really & truly is the best keto chocolate cake recipe out there. I have been following a ketogenic diet for over 2 years and in that time I have made a LOT of different keto desserts, particularly chocolate cake, and I have not found one which mimics a traditional cake so closely. THANK YOU!!
@Sandra
Lily’s is not just sweetened with Stevia, it is a blend of Stevia and Erythritol…I know, because I am allergic to Erythritol (grown on corn) and cannot eat any of Lily’s products due to that 🙁
This was delicious! I used Lakanto monk fruit sweetener golden and it was amazing. I used the frosting recipe listed. I also cooked it a little too long , I checked at 14 and it felt too soft so left it in for about 22. Next time I’ll go 19 maybe. It is very rich and very chocolatey!
My cake came out very crumbly and fell apart. I used Lakanto Monkfruit sweetner and used about 1 cup of it as it is supposed to be equal to sugar. Could that be what made it so crumbly? Thanks!
Hi I’m confused – the recipe calls for 1/3 cup only. Why use so much more?
I made this cake today. It smelled amazing. I ended up with way too much icing though so will be freezing it. I used almond milk instead of water and I used coconut flour instead of almond flour. It turned out very dry. So dry that we needed a glass if milk to wash it down with. Anyone know why it turned out so dry?
Unfortunately coconut flour is not something that can be subbed here, which is why it isn’t listed. It is a VERY different ingredient.
Jason
Coconut flour is very drying
Can you freeze this cake? I’d like to bake it tomorrow and wrap and freeze it for a couple days. Then ice it on Thursday to eat on Saturday. I do this with most of my cakes but wasn’t sure if it would work with this?
Sorry we have not tried it. Be sure to report back if you do!
Jason (media relations)
Did you try to freeze the cake? My husband wants an ice cream cake for his birthday and I’d love to know how this froze for you!
This cake is looking so yummy, I am definitely try this. thank you for sharing.