Rich chocolate layer cake filled with vanilla pudding then frosted with vanilla whipped cream. This low carb and gluten-free recipe is ketogenic heaven!
Birthday cakes are something I have been meaning to post for a long time. Yes, they are special occasion cakes and take some time and effort to prepare, but a pretty layer cake is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion!
I don't know about you, but the first thing I do when I get to a birthday party after greeting my host, is check out the cake! The cake is important! A beautiful cake sets the tone for a celebration. It's often lavishly decorated with frosting, flowers, or candles, it stands proudly over the other party food, it's the center of attention, and is oooh-ed and ahhh-ed over by all. And, sometimes when they are sliced open, you get a nice surprise!
I have friends who purchase their cakes from bake shops either because they don't know how to make a cake or are pressed for time. There's nothing wrong with that - the cakes are gorgeous! But they aren't low carb and I end up refusing a piece or taking only one bite just to be polite. It makes me a little sad because I love a good birthday cake - especially if it's made from quality ingredients. (I think we can all agree that the overly-sweet frosting made from vegetable shortening that we get at most super markets is inferior to a good buttercream!)
Now, I am no professional, but I do make low carb birthday cakes several times a year for family birthdays. When the kids were younger, I would put little toys on the cakes in lieu of buying a gaudy character cake from the grocery store. Now that they are older and appreciate better tasting food, I try a little harder with decorating their cakes. I'm still no cake decorator - but I've found that a "pretty-enough" cake can be made from a few simple things.
What I use to decorate my low carb birthday cakes and layer cakes.
Equipment:
- large round tip, large open star tip, large closed star tip ( I have this Wilton Tip Kit)
- plastic bags or pastry bags for piping the frosting and whipped cream
- assorted off-set spatulas
Ingredients:
- chopped chocolate (dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate)
- chopped nuts
- a deliberate smattering of store bought sprinkles
- whipped cream or whipped coconut cream
- frosting or ganache
- pastry cream
- fruit
This low carb birthday cake features layers of moist chocolate cake filled with rich vanilla pastry cream. Both recipes are gluten-free and sugar free. They are also easy to make! I break-up the work over a few days so as not to overwhelm myself.
I use specialty cocoa powder from King Arthur for all of my chocolate low carb goodies. It results in intensely flavored and dark product. I love their Bensdorp Dutch Process Cocoa and their Black Cocoa powder. I mix them 2:1 (2 parts Bensdorp to 1 part Black). But, by all means use your favorite cocoa. By the way, those are not affiliate links, I'm just crazy about the product!
WORD TO THE WISE! To make this cake a breeze, the pastry cream can be made up to 5 days before and the chocolate cake several days ahead. Make the whipped cream right before assembly. Assembly goes quickly!
Each serving of this Low Carb Chocolate Birthday Cake is 7 net carbs.
[This post and recipe contain affiliate links. Purchasing through these links helps support Low Carb Maven at no additional cost to you.]
Low Carb Chocolate Birthday Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Vanilla Pastry Cream (15 minutes cook time - the instructions for the pastry cream are very detailed so get the recipe the link above.)
- 1 Low Carb Chocolate Cake (15 minutes prep. time)
Cream Together:
- 1 stick soft salted butter (4 oz)
- 1 cup granulated erythritol, powdered
- 1 large egg, cold*
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups Almond Flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons oat fiber (or 3 tablespoons whey protein powder)
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso granules
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs, cold
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon buttermilk (or almond milk with 1 T of vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Now Stevia Glycerite
Vanilla Whipped Cream - prep time 5-7 minutes
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 tablespoons low carb powdered sugar (or Swerve Confectioners)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 pinches xanthan gum, for stabilizing
Additional Equipment
- 2, 6 inch round cake pans
- 1 small off-set spatula
- 1 larger off-set spatula
- 1 large round hole piping tip
- 1 zip-loc bag or pastry bag (quart size)
Instructions
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- Make up to 5 days in advance and store in the refrigerator until assembly.
Cake Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350F and position the rack to the lower third. Spray 2, 6-inch round cake pans with baking spray and cut a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of each. I trace the bottom of the pans on a piece of parchment and cut inside the line.
- Measure all of the Dry Ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk together. Add all of the Wet Ingredients into a smallish bowl and beat well.
Method:
- Cream: In a large bowl, whip the butter until it is smooth and there are no lumps. Powder the eryhtritol and add to the butter. Whip with a hand mixer for 30 seconds to a minute on medium high to high speed until light, fluffy and cold. Scrape down the bowl. Add one egg and whip for another minute. Scrape down the bowl.
- Combine: Add about ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar mixture and mix until completely incorporated but still fluffy. Add half of the wet ingredients, mixing until completely and thoroughly mixed. Scrape down the bowl. Add half of the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until completely incorporated and then the rest of the wet ingredients, mixing until completely incorporated. Scrape down the bowl. Add the last of the dry ingredients mixing well. The batter should be very thick and mousse-like.
- Prepare the Pans: Add half of the batter to each pan and spread the batter evenly with a small off-set spatula. Lift each pan a few inches above the counter and drop it about 3 times. This will knock out the big air bubbles.
- Bake: Place the pans into the oven and raise the oven temperature to 400 for 5 minutes. Then turn it back down to 350 and bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the pans to a cooling rack and cover them with a clean tea towel until they are completely cool. They will sink in the middle a little upon cooling. Cool completely before assembly. Can be made ahead and frozen then thawed or made several days before assembly and refrigerated.
Whipped Cream:
- Pour the heavy cream into a small bowl and add the vanilla and sweetener. Whip on high speed until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the pinch of xanthan gum over the top and whip. It should get very stiff and almost start to pull or clump together. If not add just a pinch more. It should be very thick, firm and mousse-like. Make the day of assembly.
Cake Pre-Assembly:
- Remove the Vanilla Pastry Cream from the fridge and whip it with a hand mixer until it is nice and light. Place ⅓ of the whipped cream into a pastry bag or zip-loc bag fitted with a large round tip. Carefully slice the cakes in half horizontally. Some people find it easier to use a piece of floss for this (make sure it isn't flat floss).
Cake Assembly:
- Place one cake half on your serving plate. Pipe a circle of whipped cream along the inside-edge of the cake. Place ⅓-1/2 cup of pastry cream onto the center of the cake and spread to the whipped cream with a small off-set spatula. Top with a layer of cake and create another dam of whipped cream and fill with more pastry cream. Repeat this process one more time, then top with the remaining cake layer. You will have pastry cream left over.
- Squeeze the remaining whipped cream into the larger amount of whipped cream and starting with the sides ans using a larger off-set spatula, frost the cake with the whipped cream. I decorated the top of the cake with some of the extra pastry cream.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 12 at 7 net carbs per serving.
- *I use cold eggs in all of my baking recipes because the erythritol makes things cold when melts into the batters anyway.
Notes
Nutrition
Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake
Deborah
Have been baking low carb for over 10 years and this is still one of my favorite LC/keto desserts of all time. An outstanding chocolate cake. No one would ever know it was low carb (other than it is beautifully deliciously moist). Love love love it.
Abby
I made the cake only for a birthday party last weekend. It was delicious and turned out perfectly moist with a rich chocolate flavor. I made it in a 9x13 pan and baked it for 10 minutes less. I made one miniature cake out of the recipe, so I had a lot of leftover cake to use up. Here's what I did: I made cake balls out of it. I crumbled up the leftover cake, added a couple of tablespoons of warmed keto chocolate frosting (basically the Hershey chocolate frosting recipe made with powdered allulose instead of sugar, with a couple of tablespoons of hot coffee, and a couple of tablespoons of Courvoisier added). I also stirred in about 3 tablespoons of chocolate ganache to the cake crumbs/frosting combo. (For the ganache, I used equal parts of the new Guittard keto chocolate and heavy cream (2 cups each), and added 2 teaspoons of vanilla and one tablespoon of hot coffee and one tablespoon of Courvoisier to the ganache). I kept the cake ball mixture super light and pressed them together with my hands softly and easily. I chilled the cake balls for about an hour then drizzled with a melted mix of my chocolate frosting and chocolate ganache. Really, really good. If you don't like cake balls, try these. They were great, very light and fluffy, not at all gummy and not too much frosting. The chocolate birthday cake recipe on this site is a complete winner. Thank you.
Kim Hardesty
Abby! You are full of great ideas! I'm going to try this since my daughter loves cake pops. I'm happy you like the cake recipe. Thanks for taking the time to leave your comment. Have a nice night. -Kim
Rita
Best birthday cake. Have made it several times. With or without pastry cream, it’s amazing! For frosting I use 8 oz cream cheese and 2 cups whipping cream, sweetener and vanilla. Cocoa powder if I want chocolate, sometimes just half with cocoa powder.
Theresa Madison
This cake looks delicious! I want to make this cake today, but I don't know if you will see my questions in time in order for me to do so. I have just come across your page. My question is can I still make this cake although I don't have any oat fiber nor whey protein fiber. All I have is almond & coconut flour. Also, I don't have any instant coffee granules, but I do have ground coffee. Will this do? I want to make this cake for Father's Day!!! Last question, will this actually make a 4 layer cake as shown in the picture? Thanks for your help!
Kim Hardesty
Hi Theresa. I never recommend making a new recipe, especially with substitutions, the day of an event. You can try using another 1 tbsp of coconut flour instead of the oat fiber (or whey protein powder), but the recipe I shared was what gave me the best result. Yes, this makes two thick 6-inch layers which I split in half and filled to make a 4 layer cake. It is a small cake but very filling since it is made of ground nuts and contains a lot of fat. Don't substitute ground coffee for instant in any recipes that call for it - just omit. The coffee serves to enhance the chocolate flavor.
I will make two cake suggestions that you may want to make instead of this one since you are doing in all in one day: This Sour Cream Cake which is a sheet cake and very beautiful. I also like this Chocolate Strawberries and Cream Cake which makes one 8 inch cake that is almost 2 inches tall. Remember to cook all low carb cakes completely but be careful not to overbake. All low carb cakes will seem to be dry when cold from the fridge since all of the fats become solid in the fridge. It's best to let cakes and cupcakes come to room temperature 20-30 minutes before enjoying.
Good luck with what you decide. If you want my text number let me know by leaving me an email. You can find where to do so at the bottom of the site. I will check it a few times today. -Kim
Kat
Made just the cake part in a 12x9 pan and it turned out fantastic. I substituted 1/2 cup splenda and 1/2 cup xylitol to be creamed with the butter and 2 Tbps of splenda for wet ingredients. Cooked at same temperature, 10mins shorter. Fantastic and received rave reviews!
Diane Hester
Can this recipe be doubled and baked in a 10-cup bundt pan?
Kim Hardesty
I have not tried that, Diane. I don't know how long the cake would take to cook. You can look at my Bundt cake recipe and replace 1/2 cup of the coconut flour with sifted cocoa powder and replace the lemon juice with water. It is an amazing bundt cake recipe. -Kim
Nicole
Can I substitute the coconut flour?
Kim
Although I haven't tried it, you can try adding an additional 1/4 cup almond flour and 2 TBSP more oat fiber. That's where I would start. -Kim
Daniela
Hi, i loved the recipe, i'd like to know if aprox. how many grams of sugar would it have?
Mariana Faria
Wow! It looks very good. But 12 g of carbs per serving? That might be less than the regular thing, but (sadly) is not low carb or keto. I needed a good (real) low carb recipe for my diabetic twins birthday party.
Kim
Hi Maria, do you subtract fiber? If you do it is 7 net carbs per serving. This is a decadent cake and it is keto and it is low carb. I think you would be hard pressed to find a cake that was 3 carbs a serving, but I have some ideas for you. I have cupcake recipes, lemon cake, walnut cake, sheet cake and cheesecake recipes. I will link a few for you below.
Instead of frosting, use whipped cream like I do on my birthday cakes. Fill them with whipped cream instead of a low carb pudding or low carb jam. Use one piece of fruit as a garnish instead of slicing fruit for a filling. That will help with the carbs.
vanilla cupcakes
lemon cupcakes
lemon ricotta cake
festive sour cream cake
raspberry swirl cheesecake
nana's cheese pie
chocolate walnut cake
I hope one of these ideas is the one or at least help you decide what you want to do for your twins birthday. -Kim
Miralda Guilherme Rocha
I will try this recipe now. I' looking for a goodlow car chocolate cake and this one looks so delicious. Thanks!
Jaleh
The cake looks awesome, but the directions are a bit confusing. You say to cream together butter, 1 egg and granular erythritol. There is another place that says 3 eggs are needed and powdered erythritol. I hope I’m doing it right.
Kim
Hi Jaleh. I tried to make this recipe as clear as possible because this technique really results in a nice textures cake. The recipe has a total of 4 eggs. I have found that creaming the butter and sweetener together until light and fluffy and then whipping in one egg, really helps the process along. That is why one egg is added here and the remaining eggs are mix together with the remaining wet ingredients. And just to clarify- cream the butter and sweetener until light and fluffy FIRST and then beat in the egg keeping that light and fluffy texture. I hope this helps. -Kim
Kirsten
I just saw this, thanks so much! Just made the pastry cream, made cake day before yesterday. So far everything is going smoothly except for the gelatin part. I used NuNaturals Delicious Unflavored Gelatin from pasture raised cattle, and it proofed up hard like a bowl of set Jello and ruined the other ingredients. Started over with the Knox gelatin AND I melted the butter and put in bowl with vanilla and stevia glycerite, THEN out the water on top of this, and sprinkled gelatin over this all, QUICKLY blended with my hand blender and IMMEDIATELY put in the cream mixture...that time it seemed to have worked beautifully. I have never proofed gelatin before so was it the different brand or the technique... I may never know LoL but anyway it's chilling in the fridge now. Excited for tomorrow and assembly! Bless you for having this recipe...his favorite is German chocolate and this is the closest thing I found. He's lost 35 pounds and I have lost 20, so we didn't want to cheat for our birthdays, both of which are in the next 2 weeks! *Really *Appreciate being able to surprise him with this treat.
Kim
I hope he enjoys the cake Kirsten. It sounds like he is doing wonderfully! Happy Birthday to him. -Kim
Kirsten
So many steps-- looks overwhelming --but I am going in! Wish me luck! Hubby's bday is Sunday! Thanks for having this recipe!
Kim
Hi Kirsten. Make the pastry cream ahead of time to make sure it is thick. The cake can be made up to 5 days before assembly, wrapped in plastic and kept in the fridge. There is no need to make it all in one day - cake shops don't and you don't need to either. If you need my text number to get in contact with me, send me an email. Good luck. -Kim
Molly DuBose
Do you think it will keep in the fridge for 2 days? Want to make for fathers day but we are camping that weekend. Thx.
Kim
Hi Molly. Yes, it will keep, but it may be easier to make the cake and filling on the same day. Park them in the fridge, then fill and frost the day of. I hope he likes the cake. -Kim
Christina Horrell
Ok so i literally just put this cake kn the oven. But im worried. should the battertaste salty???? Please tell me its normal. freaking out making this for my type 1 diabetic girlfriend for her 40th birthday Wednesday
Kim
Hi Christina. It shouldn't be salty... Taste a little of the crumb. If it is just a little salty, then add a little more sweetener to the filling and frosting. It will balance the slight saltiness of the cake. I use pink sea salt so if you used something like Morten's salt, then there may be a difference in saltiness. All salts have a different degree of saltiness. If you need to text me, send me an email. -Kim
Christina Horrell
What's your email? Its salty. Not sure what i did wrong
Kim
Hi Christina. I'm sorry I didn't get to this last night. We had company over that spent the night. My email is kim[@]lowcarbmaven.com -please remove the brackets. The only thing I can think of is that the brand of butter was salty - I find that Kerry Gold is especially salty. I will make a note in the recipe. I'm sorry that happened. -Kim
Nickaye
Really want to try this cake but need it for a few more than this recipe makes, can you make this into rectangles or must it be circle?
Kim
Hi Nickaye. I haven't tried doubling the recipe, so I don't know how it would go. I'm sorry that I don't have that information for you. -Kim
Deborah
This cake was extraordinary!
Followed the recipe exactly except for a sub for the buttermilk, and used your single layer alternative per your recommendation for bake time for the chocolate walnut cake version (325 F for 30 – 40 min, and mine needed the full 40).
I did not have the buttermilk, and instead used yogurt thinned with water (2 parts plain Greek yogurt to 1 part water, mixed, then measured), which I have done in other recipes before for buttermilk, and it worked great.
,
The cake was just fabulous. Made it for a birthday dinner with my son who claimed as others have “no one would ever know this was low carb”.
I did a lazy hack for the icing…..1 cup of heavy cream first whipped, then a half a package of sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix and 1/3 cup powdered sugar replacement of your choice beaten into it. This yields a “stabilized whipped cream frosting” that has 26g of carbs for the entire batch….and your cake would serve 10 generously so 2.6 g carbs per serving for the icing.
Did big pillows of frosting on the top only (did not frost sides….did I say lazy?) Dusted a bit of cocoa around the edge to decorate…..heaven. THANK YOU! Another winner from Low Carb Maven.
Kim
It sounds wonderful, Deborah! I'm so glad that your son and guests liked the recipe. I love the "pillows of frosting". I bet it was beautiful. Thanks for coming back and letting me know it was a great success. -Kim
Alison
It's easier to slice the cakes in half if you use dental floss. Not used of course. just wrap it around your fingers as if you were going to floss your teeth. Only it'll be a longer piece. put it on the cake where you want to cut it with hands on each side and gently pull. I find it the easiest way to cut a cake in half. Cake is great. I've made it a few times with variations
Kim
This is a good point, Alison. Although I have a nice cake slicing knife. I often use a piece of floss. I'll add it to the recipe notes. -Kim
Meg
When you say erythritol powderd are you talking about a powderd sugar version or granules?
Kim
Hi Meg. Sorry about that. Some of my recipes imported weirdly into my new recipe card. I meant granulated sweetener that you powder yourself because powdered sweetener is expensive. If you are going to use already powdered sweetener (like Sukrin Melis or Swerve Confectioners) then use 1 1/4 cup. I hope that helps. -Kim
Jackie
This was hands down the BEST cake we’ve ever had...even compared to our pre Keto days! My newly minted 13 year old declared it his absolute favorite birthday cake ever! Thanks for giving us such fabulous recipes!!!
Kim
I am so happy you all chose this recipe to help your son celebrate his birthday and that you all enjoyed it, Jackie. You did a beautiful job on the cake and I was thrilled that you tagged me in Instagram so that I could see it. Well done! Again, Happy Birthday to your new TEEN! -Kim
Emma
Can I make this recipe with any of the instant coffee?
Kim
Sure, Emma! Enjoy. -Kim
Meilnda Linss
i made the chocolate cake for my Bday and it was fabulous. I used your french silk buttercream frosting because I love buttercream and it was the best I have every tasted sugar free. And it turned out light and fluffy after I figured out which paddle to use on my Kitchen Aid. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe. I wanted to post a pic but did not know how.
Kim
I'm so glad you enjoyed the cake, Melinda, and Happy Birthday! -Kim
Melinda
Hi. Couple of questions. If using Almond milk what kind of vinegar do you use, white vinegar or apple cider etc., The powdered erythritol is the 1 cup measured before powdering or after or can I just use swerve confectioners. Thank you. Going to make this for my Bday cake next week.
Kim
Hi Melinda. You can use white vinegar and Swerve Confectioners. Give yourself a few days to make the cake. Make the pastry cream and cake one day and then assemble another. It's easier that way. I hope you have a very Happy Birthday. -Kim
Jovana Silva
I was wondering if this was diabetic friendly?
Kim
Yes, Jovana. Almost all of my recipes are suitable for diabetics. I hope you enjoy it! -Kim
Stacy
I used your strawberry jelly recipe as a filler and it was awesome. No one believed it was sugar free. Thanks for another great recipe.
Kelly Jones
I am so excited to make this for my Dad's birthday on Sunday! I got all my ingredients and supplies. I plan to do the pastry cream Friday, the cake Saturday, and put it together Sunday. However I just thought about any high altitude adjustments you may make? I live in CO and rarely do any low carb baking but I'm trying to do something special. I just want it to be as close to perfect as possible. Thanks!
Kim
Hi Kelly. I have no experience with high altitude cooking. I would do the cake first to see if it turns out. You can wrap it and keep it in the fridge for several days. I hope it the cake turns out and that your Dad has a wonderful birthday! Let me know if you have any more questions. I can give you my text number via email if you need it. - Kim
Kelly Jones
I’m happy to report that the Cake came out great! I ended up taking a chance and guessing on high altitude adjustments. I increased the almond flour by 1 tbsp, I decreased the erythitol by 1 tbsp, and finally increased the almond milk by 1 tbsp. I baked it for 5 minutes on 400 as in the recipe but only cooked it for 30 minutes at 350 (toothpicks came out clean.) Just in case anybody else lives in high altitude just wanted to report what I did. My dad and I both loved it. It’s a lot of work but definitely worth it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kim
Kelly, I'm so glad the cake turned out. I hope your dad had a nice celebration. Thank you for sharing your technique for high altitude baking and adjustments. I'm just about sea level so I am absolutely no help! Yes, making a layer cake by scratch is more work than boxes and containers of frosting. Luckily, the cake and pastry cream can be made in several days advance and the cake assembled the day before an event. Thank you again, for taking the time to comment and share your baking experience. Enjoy your day! -Kim
Venus
Thank you for this recipe. I'm going to have to try it soon!
I'm just curious. Why do you cream an egg with the butter?
Kim
Hi Venus, great question. Generally when butter and sugar are creamed together, the sugar melts a bit and the creaming creates thousands of little bubbles which help texture. Erythritol doesn't dissolve very well and adding that one egg, helps the process along. I test recipes all different ways and I have found that this method creates a nice cake. -Kim
Nancy
Can you replace the oat fiber for physillum husk? I don’t tolerate whey protein but I guess it will give a similar water absorption effect
Kim
Hi Nancy. Try adding 2 more TBSP of coconut flour. The texture will be just a little different, but should be similar. Enjoy the cake. -Kim
Jessica
Thanks Kim, that’s really helpful. I didn’t know about the T and t system. In the UK we use tbsp and tsp.
I’ve just also found your cup to gram conversions which is really helpful too. Thank you!
Best wishes,
Jessica
Jessica
Hi Kim
I have a few questions about the chocolate cake recipe:
I don’t quite understand the wet ingredients quantities- what does 1/2 cup + 2T buttermilk mean? Is it 1/2 a cup and another 2 teaspoons or tablespoons of buttermilk? Sorry if it’s obvious!
Also, do you think it would taste ok with plain whipped cream?
And, what does stabilised cream mean?
Thanks for your help.
Kim
Hi Jessica. Great questions, all! Yes, it's 1/2 cup of buttermilk plus 2 tablespoons more. I just made that more clear in the ingredient list. In the U.S. - a capital "T" usually means tablespoon and a lowercase "t" means teaspoon in case you ever see it in another recipe.
As for the whipped cream, you don't have to add the vanilla if you don't want to. The sweetener gets cold as it melts and makes a nice whipped cream, but you don't have to sweeten it either. The few pinches of xanthan gum will stabilize the whipped cream - making it stiff and preventing it from turning liquidy.
If I haven't answered your questions or if you have more, please let me know. Enjoy your day! -Kim
Adrienne
where does the frosting or ganache come into play? Is that if you just want to alternate layers?
Kim
Hi Adrienne, great question. There is no ganache or frosting in the recipe. I have filled the cake and decorated the top with my recipe for chocolate pastry cream. The "frosting" is actually whipped cream with peanut butter. They come into play during cake assembly. I mention both: Making a dam around the edge of each cake layer with the peanut butter whipped cream and filling with the pastry cream.... then frosting the cake in the peanut butter whipped cream and how I decorated the top. I hope this helps. -Kim
Marie
Is there any other substitute for the Oat fiber 500? I can’t have whey and don’t think I could get it in time (I was planning to make it this week for a party). Can I omit it and add extra flour?
Kim
Marie, you would do better to use this walnut cake recipe (https://www.lowcarbmaven.com/chocolate-walnut-cake/) instead of trying to sub ingredients. Sometimes subbing ingredients with out testing can result in disaster and I would hate for that to happen to you. I only tested this recipe with the ingredients listed. Another idea is to find a chocolate cake on another site and then fill it with the pastry cream and frost with whipped cream. I hope these ideas help. -Kim
Melissa
Oh man! Eating this right now! We are all impressed!topped with raspberries and made in an 8” cake pan.
Kim
Great, Melissa. I love the raspberries. Chocolate and raspberries are perfect together! Thanks for coming back to let me know you like the recipe. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
rima
I am attempting to make this today however i noticed your cake has 4 layers. the recipe only calls for 2 pans, it does not say to make this into 4 layer cake. Am I missing something?
Kim
I split each cake in half horizontally, Rima. Then I filled and stacked as I went. -Kim.
twilliams
Hi Kim,
I will pay you to make one of these low carb cakes for me.
Kim
I bet shipping would be a disaster, lol. It just got a great review from someone on Instagram. The only tricky part, and only if you’ve never made it before, is the pastry cream. It’s a pretty good recipe, but I love the chocolate walnut cake just as much as this one and it’s beautiful, too! Thanks for the nice compliment. -Kim
MacKenzie
I am so very excited about making this cake for my grandpas birthday I got to mixing all the dry ingredients but i am not sure where does the "cream together" section come in?
Thank you
Mackenzie
Kim
Step 4 Mackenzie, where it says Cream. There have some great comments about this cake on Instagram lately. I hope you like it. Happy birthday to your grandpa. -Kim
Sasha
It is not clear what you do with the buttery "Cream" that you prepare in step 4, as it never mentioned again beyond this step. It appears to be very different from later mentioned in the recipe the "Vanilla Pastry Cream" (which is a different recipe, per link provided), and the "Whipped Cream" (which is in step 8)...I am in the middle of this recipe and just completed step 5. My batter is like a very thick mortar, not "mousse-like" - so I wonder if I need to mix in the buttery cream I made in step 4...Help!
Kim
Sasha. I’m waking up just now. Let’s get on Facebook on the LCM page so we can message. I’ll look at the recipe now. -Kim
Jennifer Ann
This cake changed my diabetic mother's life. I made it for her birthday. We live in other states while I'm in law school, so the low-carb treats have been on pause lately. She came up for her birthday and I made her this and she raved, and raved, and raved. She took the rest home with her and told me the sponge moistened in the fridge.
Unfortunately, she brought it to work so she could have a slice with tea for breakfast each day and she caught her boss in the kitchen with a mouthful of cake, covered in crumbs.
That being said, I've been inspired by this recipe and I'm creating new things in the kitchen to mail to my mom to make up for her boss's HUGE faux pas (seriously, who does that?).
Regarding the cake itself, the only technical issue I had is that my pastry cream did not stiffen nearly as much as it seems to be in the pictures. I read your recipe notes for the pastry cream and I used your original method-- 2 Tbs of cornstarch and then nixed the gelatin (I wanted to splurge for her birthday and the notes seemed to indicate that tasted better). Would that account for the consistency being runnier? It thickened some in the fridge over night, but more like a custard that runs down a spoon rather than an icing.
Thank you so much for the recipe! This is a game-changer.
Kim
What an inspiring comment, Jennifer. I happy to hear that your mother loved the recipe and that her boss did, too. Lol. What was he thinking?
I think the pastry cream wasn’t cooked long enough. There is a fine line between getting that starch to cook and thicken and scrambling the eggs. It takes a few times to get it right. I always make my pastry cream a few days before. It should be pretty stiff from the fridge - even after whipping it with the beater to loosen it for spreading and piping, it should still have some texture. (The cornstarch version has better texture than the gelatin version.)
Because of the bits and fat, the cake will feel dry or hard when cold and should become softer if the slice is left on the counter for 20 minutes before enjoying. That’s the nature of the beast, so I am glad she said it softened as it went on. One of my favorite cakes that can be left on the counter and just gets better and better is the chocolate walnut cake!
Anyway, thanks so much for coming back to comment and I’m thrilled that your mom is finding things that she likes. Enjoy your day. -Kim
Salama
Tasted great, but turned into a messy leaning tower in the end. Custard was oozing out from between layers under the weight of the crumb. Despite the technical issue will definitely make again. Even non keto guests enjoyed.
Kim
Oh, my! I'm sorry you had to deal with a leaning tower of cake! I'm glad you enjoyed the cake even-so. Have a great weekend. -Kim
Sel Carmen
Hello, thankyou for this recipe! I want to ask if can I use this cake then cover it with fondant?
Kim
Hi, Sel Carmen. I have never used fondant I don't know. It's just a cake. I'm sure you could. I would love to hear if you end up trying. Also look at the Moist Chocolate Walnut Cake and see it the crumb looks okay. It can also be cooked in a 6 inch pan. -Kim
Dani
I really, really wish that people would actually make it before putting a five star rating. I think only one, maybe two people actually made it who gave it five stars. It's looks very pretty and yummy though. :-)
Kim
Hi Dani. I've also had people completely change a recipe and then rate it 2 stars because they didn't like it after all of the changes they made. It is what it is. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Dani
I LOATHE when they do that too....Or my favorite....When they leave bad reviews on a cookbook they bought because it's "too much work" or "uses specialty ingredients". Steamed broccoli and roasted chicken doesn't sell cookbooks, especially on certain diets where people are trying to find substitutes for things they had to get rid of lol. Ahhhh, vent done. Sorry. Lol. I'll have to make this cake sometime before I use it for a birthday. Thanks for the recipe. I'll update once I make it. ☺
Kim
Rant away, Dani! Yes, make the cake first to see if you need to tweak anything per your taste. The rest is just pastry cream or whipped cream - easy peasy. Have a great day. -Kim
Jennifer W
Just made this recipe over the last two days and it all came together great! Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Kim
That's awesome, Jennifer. I'm glad it worked out well. Enjoy your cake! -Kim
Amy
Can you make the cake 1 day before and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours before hand ?
Kim
Oh, yes, Amy. I do each step a different day. That's what cake decorators do, too. If you ever make a jam or pastry cream, do that several days before, the cake can be made 2-3 days before or even frozen for later. I make the whipped cream frosting just before assembly. Enjoy. -Kim
Katia
I can't seem to find a 6 inch cake pans anywhere in store. If I use 9 inch pan so should I use x1.5 of everything in the recipe ?
Kim
Hi Katia. I purchased my pans on line because 8 inch pans were just too big for my family. Yes, you can increase the yield of the recipe. I have a recipe scaler on the recipe card - just slide the slider to increase number of servings. Also, there should be a metric conversion if you need it. Let me know if you have any more questions. -Kim
Wendy
The recipe says 1 stick of butter then 4 ounces in parentheses, all the sticks I use are 8 ounces. Which measure is correct?
Kim
Wendy, in an American pound of butter (how it is typically sold) there are 4 sticks, each is four ounces. One four ounce stick is the correct measure. I hope this helps. -Kim
Rebecca Evans
This looks so delicious.. Kim are you near Fort Worth?.. I need a low carb keto friendly cake by Wednesday for my boyfriends birthday.. Unfortunately, I'm not a baker.. Wish you sold cakes.. no bakery I can find that sales these types of cakes.. All of them come with full of sugar, fat, and carbs :(((
Kim
Thanks Rebecca! No, I'm in California. Darn. I hope your boyfriend has a great birthday! -Kim
Laura
Is this 12 g of Carbs per slice or for the entire cake?
Kim
Hi Laura, it's 7 net carbs per slice. It's a pretty big piece of cake since it is 4 layers. It is a special occasion cake and a littler higher in carbs than my other desserts. It's delicious. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Jennifer
Hi! I featured tis recipe in my post 15 Low Carb Desserts that are Absolutely Delicious!
Kim
Thank you Jennifer. I will share on social media. Enjoy the rest of your week. -Kim
Janinemarie Jacoby
I found your website because of your brownie recipe which actually turned out awesome because I'm an accomplished cook and bake.
This has nothing to do with the post I went through your website there seems no way to contact you? I've been on keto for about 2 months now but struggling with using different apps and converting things I finally subscribed to my fitness pal but it counts Xylitol and swerve
I bought one person's plan but it doesn't seem like I can get the hang of this. Do you have any ideas how to log effectively for keto there doesn't seem to be a good app out there this is what's making keto difficult for me so I can lose weight at the same time and get healthy.
Kim
Hi Janinemarie. There is an email icon on the site, but I will look into something easier to see. What I do is leave out the erythritol because it doesn't get digested by the body. I count the calories in xylitol because some of it is digested by the body. I actually like Fatsecret.com better than my fitness pal. I hope this helps. Thanks for contacting me and I'm glad you liked the recipe. Have a great week. -Kim
Lisa
Made this yesterday and it was a hit.
Kim
You did? Thanks so much for letting me know, Lisa! I think you're the first person who's tried it and commented. You've made my night. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. -Kim
allison
OMGEEEE That is one gorgeous looking cake!! I bet it is just as delish as it looks!! Hubby's birthday is in February and I know what I will be making!! Beautiful Beautiful Kim!!!!! Drooling here!!
Kim
Wow! Thanks, Allison. I really appreciate your feedback because you are a great low carb baker and cook. You've made my day. -Kim
Stacey
I'd like to make this into cupcakes. How many do you think it will make?
Kim
Hi Stacey. I haven't made this recipe into cupcakes yet, but I would say that it should make 12. The batter is really thick so I would put it into a large zip log bag, cut off the tip and squeeze it into the muffin well or cupcake liner. When you are done, lift the tray a couple of inches off of the counter and let it fall. Do this about twice. I would guess that they would cook in about 15-20 minutes. They will be done when springy to the touch on top and may sink just a little upon cooling. I like to cover mine with a tea towel until cool to trap in the steam. I have a great chocolate muffin recipe that would be great as cupcakes. It uses only coconut flour and zucchini. It's really good. So, that is an option, too. Let me know how this recipe does as cupcakes. -Kim
Maria
What is erythritol, what does it taste like and is there and after taste? This ingredient is new to me. I'm always excited to find new ways to low carb bake! Thanks Kim for sharing this luscious low carb recipe.
Kim
Hi Maria. Thank you! I'm glad the cake appeals to you. It was my son's birthday today and I made him a chocolate walnut cake with a raspberry mousse filling and a milk chocolate ganache frosting. We loved it. Anyway, I have a great article that discusses low carb sweeteners and then a companion article that lists all of the popular brands of low carb sweeteners. Here is the link: http://www.lowcarbmaven.com/low-carb-sweeteners-choose-best-sugar-free/ But in a nutshell, erythritol has no aftertaste but it does have a cooling effect upon melting. If too much is used (like swapping 1 for 1 for sugar) you can detect that cooling effect. It has zero calories and does not spike blood sugar. You can get more detailed information about it in the article. I'm sorry for not explaining further, but I'm dealing with a migraine tonight. If you have any more questions please ask and I promise to be more articulate! Have a wonderful week. -Kim
Annie
Man, these look so incredible! I'm not sure I can make my version look this pretty, but as long as it's low carb and tasty, it will all be great! Thanks for posting this!
Kim
Thanks, Annie! I hope you like it. All cakes are pretty in my opinion! Have fun. -Kim