This Low-Carb Dark Chocolate Layer Cake may be gluten-free and guilt free, but it is the best chocolate cake ever! This rich, velvety cake is perfect for birthdays, holidays and other special occasions.
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I have made this chocolate cake many times now. The first few times were to perfect the recipe. After that, the cake was just too good and we ate it all before we could photograph it. This cake is amazing fresh out of the oven and still warm. Be sure to let it cool enough that you don’t burn your tongue. Watching it cool a bit is a struggle, though!
If you plan to frost it, let it cool completely first. Good luck with that! You will soon find frosting is completely overrated. Feel free to change you mind and eat it warm. So good!
This recipe makes only one layer, so if you want two layers, you will need to double the recipe. If you want to end up with two layers, you may want to make a third, because chances are, one of the layers will disappear before you’re ready to frost them!
Enjoy!
-Annissa
Low-Carb Dark Chocolate Layer Cake
Ingredients
- Coconut oil to grease pan
- 2 cups finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup stevia erythritol sweetener
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or wipe a 8 X 8 inch pan, 9 inch round cake pan or three 4-1/2 inch pans with coconut oil. (photo is shown with three 4-1/2 in layers)
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and sweetener. Whisk these dry ingredients together until well combined and lump free.
- Add coconut oil to dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and almond milk. Using a spoon or an electric mixer, mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour into prepared pans.
- Place pans in preheated oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes if using three 4-1/2 inch pans or , 30-35 minutes for an 8 X 8 inch pan, or 25-35 minutes if using a 9 inch pan.
- Cake is done when the top springs back to a light touch or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Recipe Notes
Per serving:
Calories: 222
Fat: 19.4 grams
Carbs: 8.4
Fiber 4.5 grams
Protein 8.4 grams
Net Carbs: 3.9 grams
Could I use coconut flour instead of almond flour in this recipe?
Unfortunately, coconut flour responds very differently so I’m afraid that it probably wouldn’t work out well. Coconut flour tends to soak up a lot of liquids and expand, and almond flour does not.
What kind of frosting did you use for the cake? Can you include a link to the frosting in the recipe by chance?
Sorry, I think I found it just below, provided it is the low-carb cream cheese frosting. I guess I should have looked a little harder, lol.
No problem! Thanks for checking out our recipes! One tip on the frosting: feel free to add a few tablespoons of cream if you prefer a thinner frosting. I hope you enjoy the cake!
-Annissa
Can dutch-processed cocoa be used in this recipe?
Absolutely!
Can I use regular stevia sweetener? Can you make this recipe in a loaf pan? Do I have to adjust the oven temp and how long do you think? Thanks.
I haven’t tried either of these options. If you substitute stevia, you would have to adjust the quantity significantly as It is much sweeter than the blend. Pure stevia will not have the same bulk as the stevia erythritol blend does so the results might not be as good. My concern with a loaf pan is that it’s so thick that by the time the inside of the cake is done, the outside might be over-done. Let us know if you decide to try either of these things. We would love to know how they worked out!
What about gluten free flour? Could that be used? Or how about agave syrup?
Natalie,
Almond flour is gluten-free. Other gluten-free flours may respond a bit differently, and I haven’t tried them with this recipe. Because agave syrup is a liquid, it will change the consistency of the batter. You would need to decrease the amount of liquid a touch. Agave syrup, while sweeter than sugar, is not quite as sweet as the stevia/erythritol blend, so you may want to add a bit more.
My gut feeling is that if you make these substitutions, you will end up with a decent cake. I haven’t done them in my own kitchen, so I’m really just guessing here. Keep in mind that the nutrition information will change dramatically. Best of luck!
I noticed that you said this will only make one layer of a cake. What diameter are you referring to when you say that? I’m planning on making 3 6″ layers and I’m curious if I would be alright making 2 recipes instead of 3. Thanks in advance!!
Just kidding. I just read the first line of the recipe again. Duh!
No problem! Enjoy the cake!
-Annissa
Would Swerve work in this? It’s a 1:1 ratio to sugar. Hoping to test it today. Thank you!!
The sweetener I use has a 1/2:1 ratio to sugar. Swerve should work, but you will need to double the amount. Because you use more erythritol, there may be more of a “cooling” effect.
-Annissa
These photographs are amazing.
Thanks so much!
Question is the stevia erythritol sweetner the same thing they use in sugar free candy that causes one to “run to the bathroom” if you consume too much of it?
Deana,
No it isn’t! Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, but unlike other sugar alcohols, it is absorbed by the gut, then passed out in the urine unchanged and without being metabolized by the body. Other sugar alcohols (like maltitol,and xylitol) are not absorbed and may cause lots of gut issues when they reach the large intestine. In addition, some of these sugar alcohols are partially metabolized by the body and may increase insulin levels or other issues with a keto diet. While there are a few people out there who may have issues with erythritol, most find it isn’t a problem.
Stevia is derived from an herb and is typically well-tolerated.
Hope this helps!
-Annissa
How big is a serving? As in, how many slices per cake?
We calculated the nutritional for this recipes by breaking it into 9 servings. We did this because it’s super easy to cut a square into 9 pieces by making 2 cuts one way to cut the cake into three rectangles, then two cuts the other way to create 9 pieces. The nutritional information is per piece of cake.
Could this recipe be made into cupcakes?
Yes, the baking time will be somewhat shorter, but that would work fine.
-Annissa
Where is the recipe for the frosting?
The Ultimate Keto Chocolate Frosting Recipe