Keto Vanilla cake is tender, sweet, sugar free, and indulgent. Topped with keto vanilla buttercream (recipe included), it is an out of this world low carb dessert, and an easy keto birthday cake option.
If you're more of a chocolate person, you can top with keto chocolate frosting.
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Why you'll love this recipe
What's my favorite keto dessert? It's definitely Keto Cake! This recipe tastes just like a traditional vanilla cake, and it's sugar free, gluten free, and low carb.
Simple to make and so satisfying to eat. Best enjoyed with friends to help you eat it.
This recipe makes the perfect keto birthday cake, or a dessert for any other type of get together. Pairs perfectly with our keto vanilla ice cream.
Everyone will rave about it, (if you don't tell them, they won't even know that this is a keto and gluten free!) and you'll know that you've created a satisfying and delicious keto dessert.
Are you looking for a Keto Chocolate Cake? Try our recipe! If you don't need to eat keto, you might like this Gluten Free Recipe .
Recipe ingredients
Almond Flour - Always use a superfine ground almond flour for cake recipes. You'll get the best light and fluffy texture that way.
Coconut Flour - The combination of two types of flours makes for the best texture. I've tested this specific blend to get the perfect tender crumb.
Powdered Erythritol - This is my favorite sweetener for baking with. Use the powdered form of erythritol for best results.
Baking Powder - Baking powder helps the cake rise in the oven.
Salt - Just a bit to balance the sweetness.
Eggs - Leave your eggs on the counter for at least 30 minutes to get them to room temperature.
Buttermilk - this cultured milk adds a specific tenderness and lightness, but whole milk can be substituted.
Unsalted Butter - Melt your butter and then allow it to cool before mixing. Butter gives you an extra rich and decadent experience.
Vanilla Extract - Use your best quality vanilla extract.
If you have any questions about this recipe, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
How to make a keto vanilla cake
- In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, cooled butter, and vanilla extract.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, powdered erythritol, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Mix until well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between two prepared baking pans, then bake as directed in the recipe.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
We love baking layer cakes, like our keto carrot cake. They simply look more appealing, plus it gives you the option of adding more frosting or a filling between the layers.
Best tips
If you haven't done much Keto baking, it can be helpful to learn about using almond flour in baking recipes. We use almond flour as a low carb substitute for wheat flour, but it acts slightly differently in baking recipes.
- First, if you are storing your almond flour in the fridge or freezer, let it come to room temperature before using in your recipes.
- When measuring almond flour, always use a spoon to fill your measuring cups rather than scooping down into your flour container. This will ensure that you aren't measuring too much flour.
- Almond flour (and coconut flour) will absorb wet ingredients differently than wheat flour. You may notice that your batter is thicker than you'd expect it to be for a cake recipe. This is normal.
Substitutions
I've tested this recipe as written here and made lots of changes as I tested to make sure that I loved the outcome.
For best results, I don't suggest making any substitutions. But if you do decide to try something different, let me know how it turned out for you.
Sweetener Substitutions: I use powdered erythritol in most of my keto baking recipes. I find it easy to work with and the flavor and sweetness level is right where I want it to be. I've had good results using either plain powdered erythritol or Lankanto, which is a combination of erythritol and monk fruit. I don't recommend trying to use any liquid sweeteners, but other granulated sweeteners should be able to be used instead.
Flour Substitutions: The best combination is the ratio of almond flour to coconut flour that I've used in this keto vanilla cake recipe. I can't give you any other options that work as well because I haven't found one yet!
How to assemble your cake layers
You can make a cake as beautiful as the one in these photos. It's not hard! Just follow these tips.
- Bake your cakes, and allow them to cool completely before attempting to frost and stack them.
- Find a large plate or a cake turntable to work on. Add a tablespoon of frosting to the middle of the plate, then place the first layer on top of that. The frosting works like glue to keep everything in place.
- Next, add about a cup of buttercream frosting to the top of that first layer. Spread it evenly.
- Finally, add the second layer. Here I like to turn the cake upside down so that the flat bottom is now the top.
- To complete the layer cake, use the rest of your frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Decorate as desired.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this cake "naked" with some berries and call it a delicious day, but for a really decadent sugar free vanilla cake, make a keto vanilla buttercream to fill and top.
The recipe for my sugar free buttercream is in the recipe card below. It comes together in just minutes with four ingredients, including butter and powdered sweetener. You can color this frosting using food dyes or natural colors for a beautiful keto birthday cake.
Sugar free sprinkles would be so fun to add as well.
Alternately, you may want to serve with Keto Whipped Cream or Keto Chocolate Frosting.
Storage instructions
Can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week.
You can freeze unfrosted cake layers, well wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before decorating.
FAQs
WHAT SIZE CAKES DOES THIS RECIPE MAKE?
This standard recipe makes two 8-inch rounds or 1 9x13 inch cake. You can decide what shape you want to make, and how you want to decorate it.
HOW TO MAKE A KETO FUNFETTI BIRTHDAY CAKE
Add some sugar free sprinkles into the batter just before baking, and then use more sugar free sprinkles to decorate!
IS THIS CAKE DIABETIC FRIENDLY?
Typically keto recipes are diabetic friendly because they are sugar free. Please review the individual ingredients to be sure that this recipe works for your specific dietary needs though.
MORE DECADENT KETO DESSERTS
Keto Lemon Bars are one of our favorites. They are sweet, tart, and have the most delicious crust.
Keto Cheesecake is just simply amazing. I can bring keto cheesecake to any party and nobody will know the difference between the low carb version and a standard dessert.
Looking for a brunch treat? Make a simple Keto Coffee Cake!
Keto Pumpkin Mug Cake is amazing in the Fall or any time you want to enjoy some pumpkin spice.
LET'S GET SOCIAL, you can follow Four Score Living on Pinterest. You can also leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Did you make this Keto Vanilla Cake? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.
📖 Recipe
Keto Vanilla Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 cups fine almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ⅔ cup powdered erythritol
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk or whole milk
- 6 T unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered erythritol
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 T heavy cream
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F degrees F. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds, then spray with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, cooled butter, and vanilla extract.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, powdered erythritol, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Mix until well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pan (at least 30 minutes) before removing. Remove the parchment paper liner and frost as desired.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Add butter and vanilla to a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer (paddle attachment). Mix on high speed until pale and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sweetener, mixing on low speed until incorporated, then on medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add vanilla and cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well between, until your desired smoothness is achieved.
- Spread the frosting between the cake layers and on sides using a spatula. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature before mixing, especially the eggs and almond flour.
- When measuring almond flour, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup, rather than scooping it into the bag.
- Almond flour cakes are more likely to stick to the pan. Be sure to spray your cake pan with oil and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy release.
- Cake can be stored up to a week in the fridge.
Carla
This is now my favorite cake to make! The whole extended family thoroughly enjoyed this for my husband's birthday last weekend. Thanks for a great recipe!
Four Score Living
I am so glad you like it. Thank you for letting me know.