Keto Chocolate Cake Recipe

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 12 slices

Yield: 1 sheet cake

Chocolate cake is a wonderful dessert, but for anyone following a keto diet, it’s full of ingredients that can’t be eaten. To make this keto-friendly chocolate cake, we swapped out the sugar for a 1:1 cup for cup keto sweetener. While some recipes call for only liquid stevia, we felt that the volume loss from not having a granular or powdered sweetener offset the texture too much. We used a base of almond flour instead of wheat. To help create the structure and texture of traditional chocolate cake, we upped the amount of eggs.

That rich chocolate bite comes from natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is unsweetened cocoa that has been treated with an alkali to give it a milder flavor. Because it is neutral, it does not react with baking soda, so you can not use it in place of the natural cocoa powder in this recipe.

For a buttercream frosting, the only swap needed is the sweetener. Serve this keto chocolate cake for any festive occasion where a chocolate cake would be enjoyed.

“This keto chocolate cake was moist and delicious, and it was effortless to prepare and bake. The frosting was fast and easy, too. The dark chocolate cake is firm and easy to frost. I used 3 tablespoons of almond milk in the frosting, and it spread nicely.” —Diana Rattray

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 cups almond flour
1 1/3 cups powdered or granular keto sweetener
1 cup natural cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
6 large eggs
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cooking spray

For the Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered keto sweetener, such as Confectioners' Swerve
1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup unsweetened, non-dairy milk, divided

Steps to Make It

Make the Cake

Gather the ingredients.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Whisk in the eggs, butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. The batter will be very thick.
Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Then line the pan with parchment. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading into an even layer.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting before removing from the pan (remove and discard the parchment).

Make the Frosting

Gather the ingredients.
Combine the butter, sweetener, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the milk. Continue to beat until combined. If frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until desired texture is reached.
Once the cake is cooled, frost and serve.

Recipe Tips

To amplify the cocoa powder's natural flavor and richness, add 2 teaspoons of espresso powder with the vanilla in the cake batter. Additionally, you can use espresso or coffee in lieu of the milk.
If you want to lighten the cake slightly, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the batter once it is completely mixed together. This will help aerate the cake as it bakes, making large holes in the sponge.

Recipe Variations

For a layer cake, this can be baked in 2 (8-inch) cake pans. Reduce the baking time to 20 to 25 minutes, accordingly.
The batter will make 24 cupcakes. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
For a kick of citrus, you can add 1 teaspoon orange extract and 1 tablespoon orange zest.
You can use a neutral oil instead of butter for the cake for a lighter texture.
There's no need for frosting if you don't want it—simply dust some cocoa powder or confectioners' Swerve over the top instead.

How to Store and Freeze

Store unused portions of the cake in a tightly-sealed container.
The cake itself will stay fresh at room temperature for several days. If the cake is frosted and your house runs warm, we suggest storing in the fridge so the buttercream does not melt.
To freeze the cake, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a tightly sealed container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	476
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g	56%
Saturated Fat 21g	105%
Cholesterol 175mg	58%
Sodium 687mg	30%
Total Carbohydrate 15g	5%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 153mg	12%
Iron 4mg	25%
Potassium 197mg	4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.