This delicious Low Carb Strawberry Shortcake Dessert has a base of moist gluten-free and dairy-free almond flour cake to support the stars of fresh ripe strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.
Strawberry shortcake was one of my favorite desserts growing up. We grew our own strawberries in the garden and it seemed I waited forever for them to ripen. My mother made bisquick biscuits, adding cream, and sugared the tops. I loved how they sparkled. When I was older, she let me cut the strawberries for our strawberry shortcake. A job I took seriously
It’s almost strawberry season in Southern California – the time of year I find myself steering my car towards roadside stands stacked with flats of strawberries right from the farm, picked fresh that morning. We’re talking big, glossy, dark red strawberries, so juicy – that the juice dribbles down your chin.
I’ve been going to Bob & Gary’s Field Fresh Strawberry stand for twelve years. It is literally right off of a major highway. Its red and white rail fence and signs seen from the road. It’s conveniently located just two miles from my house.
The strawberry shortcake dessert recipe starts with an ultra-moist almond flour cake baked in a sheet pan. For photos, I cut the sheet-cake into circles with a biscuit cutter and got 12 round bases, but for everyday serving, I would cut the cake into 12 squares and serve that way. If you cut your almond cake into circles, save the crumbs!
[TIP] I save my low carb cake crumbs for cheesecake bases. I break them into crumbs and press them into the bottom of a spring-form pan. Just pour the cheesecake batter over the top and bake. I’ve done this for years and it yields a nice low carb dessert. This idea works with cake scraps, left over muffins, or failed cakes. It works beautifully.
The base for this strawberry shortcake dessert is gluten free and dairy free. Using full fat coconut to replace the oil and add moisture results in an unbelievably moist cake. If you would like an all dairy-free dessert, follow the instructions for making Whipped Coconut Cream and substitute it for the whipped cream.
If I have you thinking about strawberries, try my Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream which is absolutely amazing.
This Low Carb Strawberry Shortcake dessert is 6 net carbs per serving
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This delicious Low Carb Strawberry Shortcake Dessert has a base of moist gluten-free and dairy-free almond flour cake to support the stars of fresh ripe strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup Sukrin: 1 (or Swerve)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (full fat from a can)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia glycerite (or stevia drops)
- 12 ounces strawberries, Diced
- 2 tbsp Sukrin Icing Sugar (o Swerve Confectioners)
- 1 cups heavy cream***
- 2 tablespoons Sukrin Icing Sugar (or Swerve Confectioners)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position the rack to the middle. Spray a small sheet pan with baking spray and then line the bottom with parchment paper. The baking spray keeps the parchment in place. My quarter sheet pan measures 12 x 8 1/2 inches at the base and 13 x 9 1/2 inches at the top.
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Measure the dry ingredients for the cake into a medium bowl and stir to mix thoroughly. Then, add the eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice, vanilla and stevia glycerite to the bowl and mix with a hand mixture until ingredients are incorporated.
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Pour the batter into the parchment lined baking sheet and gently spread it to the edges of the pan. Place the cake into the oven and turn it up to 400 for 5 minutes. Then turn it back down to 350 for about 20 minutes more until fully cooked and lightly browned on top.
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Remove the shortcake from the oven and let cool completely before cutting. Cut into 12 squares or use a biscuit cutter to cut into circles.
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To plate, add a dollop of whipped cream to a piece of cake and top with the freshly sliced berries. Piping the whipped cream is also a nice effect. Serves 12.
*** For a dairy-free version, substitute the whipped cream for whipped coconut cream. One can find the direction in the post How To Make Whipped Coconut Cream. Two 13.5 ounce cans will yield about 3 1/2 cups of whipped coconut cream.
[NOTE:] I crumbled the cake left over in the sheet pan after cutting circles and pressed it into the bottom of a 6-inch cheesecake pan. Then I poured the cheesecake on top and baked. You can do this for any leftover cake or cake "fail".
Low Carb Chocolate Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream
Hi Kim! Am I able to bake these in 8″ or 9″ inch round cake pans so I can make a layered birthday cake out of it???? And the low carb sweetner I have on hand is Pyure???
Sure, Nick. You can put the batter in a round cake pan. I haven’t done it so I’m not sure how big the cake would be or how long to bake. I would check it at 20 minutes and then check every 5 minutes after that. You want the middle to be cooked and springy when gently pressed with a finger, but still sounding a little moist.
If you want a stellar cake that has already been tested in-the-round, I would make the Lemon Ricotta cake and fill it with berries. You can find the recipe on the first page of the site. It has an amazing texture and is really nice. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Ok I will be making it for sure!!! It looks amazing! I love strawberry and lemon together!!! Can I substitute the swerve for Pyure? It’s a erythritol and stevia blend?
Absolutely, Nick! Pyure will be fine. I see that it is twice the sweetness of sugar. Depending on which recipe you go with (almond cake or ricotta)…. You will not need to use stevia glycerite for additional sweetness if you are using Pyure. If you go with the ricotta cake, you may want to start with half the amount of sweetener, taste, then add more if you want it sweeter. I have a pretty chocolate cake with strawberries if you want to see how I filled a layer cake with strawberries, but I am sure you have you own picture in mind. Enjoy your creation! -Kim
Can I use sunflower seed flour instead of almond? We are not free house and I don’t like the taste of coconut flour.
Oh and can Monk fruit be used instead of sukrin I find sukrin leaves a bad cooling taste
You may use any sweetener you like. I like the granulated Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener, but it is erythritol based like Sukrin so maybe you use something else? -Kim
I use Lakanto and it doesn’t give me the same cooling effect as sukrin. (Weird I know!) I am making it for easter with sunflower seed flour so I will let you know how it turns out!
Yes, Beth and let me know if it turns green like sunflower seed baked goods sometimes do. Happy Easter. -Kim
I think it should work, Beth, but I honestly haven’t tested it with this recipe. -Kim
What can I use besides almond flour? My husband is allergic to almonds. Thank you!
Also, where do I buy Sukrin? Will Truvia work?
Thanks!
Hi Holly. This recipe uses almond flour. I have a great coconut flour muffin recipe which would be great as a strawberry shortcake. Use this recipe but don’t add the strawberries and chocolate chips. The muffins are very tasty and have a nice light texture. https://www.lowcarbmaven.com/low-carb-strawberry-chocolate-chip-muffins-sugar-free/ Enjoy! -Kim
Thank you so much!
This recipe is top notch (and I’ve made my share of paleo and keto desserts)!! I decided to try cupcakes. I got a dozen, each muffin/cake tin filled about 3/4. I used parchment paper liners, in case they wanted to stick. Tested and pulled them out at about 18 min and though I didn’t get a browned top, the crumb was lovely, and they were so moist!! Interestingly, the vanilla and lemon really hid the coconut; I wondered about that. Thanks!!! This is a keeper for way more than just shortcake! They’d be great for birthdays and brunches too!
Thanks, Ululani. I like how you made them into cupcakes and I’m happy they turned out well. Yes, the recipe yields a very moist product. Thanks for taking the time to share how you prepared the recipe and your suggestions! Have a wonderful week. -Kim
I have not used canned coconut milk but have noticed that some recipes call for the milk to be shaken or separated. Which should we do for this recipe? Thank you
Shake the can, Lori. The coconut milk adds both fat and moisture to the recipe. It’s very moist. Enjoy. -Kim
Are there directions for the whipped cream?
Hi Cyndy. Sure. Whipped cream almost doubles in size from the measured liquid amount. Pour 1 cup of cold heavy cream into a medium mixing bowl. Add powdered sweetener – a sugar alcohol like xylitol or an erythritol based sweetener is perfect for this because they make things cold as they melt. Beat at high speed with a hand mixer until the whipped cream is the desired consistency. Soft peaks is when you lift the beaters and the peaks on the beaters curl over. This is perfect to top a pie or dessert and serve right away. To fold into a pudding, you will want stiff whipped cream. Continue beating until the beaters leave deep tracks and the whipped cream is very thick and holds stiff peaks. When you lift the beaters out of the whipped cream and flip them over, the whipped cream should stand stiff and not bend over. To stabilize whipped cream for a frosting, add 1/8 (for a small amount) or 1/4 tsp xanthan gum when the whipped cream is at the soft peak stage. Sprinkle it on the surface, don’t just dump. Continue whipping until the whipped cream is very thick and almost clumping around the beater. This will stay thick for many days without breaking down. -Kim
Hi Cyndy. Sure. Whipped cream almost doubles in size from the measured liquid amount. Pour 1 cup of cold heavy cream into a medium mixing bowl. Add powdered sweetener – a sugar alcohol like xylitol or an erythritol based sweetener is perfect for this because they make things cold as they melt. Beat at high speed with a hand mixer until the whipped cream is the desired consistency. Soft peaks is when you lift the beaters and the peaks on the beaters curl over. This is perfect to top a pie or dessert and serve right away. To fold into a pudding, you will want stiff whipped cream. Continue beating until the beaters leave deep tracks and the whipped cream is very thick and holds stiff peaks. When you lift the beaters out of the whipped cream and flip them over, the whipped cream should stand stiff and not bend over. To stabilize whipped cream for a frosting, add 1/8 (for a small amount) or 1/4 tsp xanthan gum when the whipped cream is at the soft peak stage. Sprinkle it on the surface, don’t just dump. Continue whipping until the whipped cream is very thick and almost clumping around the beater. This will stay thick for many days without breaking down. -Kim
I’m thinking…instead of baking the batter in a cake pan then cutting it, if it’s thick enough do you think it would work to spread it inside greased English muffin rings that are placed on top of a parchment-lined baking sheet? That way they’d already be round. Baking time would probably have to be reduced slightly, but you wouldn’t have any waste.
You can do that if you wNt, Heidi, but that extra cake never goes to waste. It can be mixed with cream cheese and made into cake pops or layered with fresh fruit and whipped cream and made into a trifle or even crumbled, pressed into a springform pan and used as a cheesecake base. The cake can also be cut into squares so there is no waste. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
This is SO good. I think I like it better than any shortcake I’ve ever had, and strawberry shortcake is my favorite food EVER. We were going to have a cheat meal so we could eat strawberry shortcaks with the fresh strawberries in season and after making this we decided we didn’t need to take a cheat meal, this was excellent enough! Woo!! Thank you! I’ve made about 4 batches in the last couple weeks and I’m making everyone try it 🙂 So far it’s a big hit even among non-low carb eaters.
You’ve made my day, Shelly. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a nice comment to tell me what you think! Have a wonderful week. -Kim
HI there, I’m new to low-carb eating and have a question. I have the swerve but not the stevia drops. What do you suggest? This looks so good!
You can add more Swerve, Shannon, but it may result in a cooling effect if too much is used. Sweeten to taste if you don’t have and stevia and enjoy the recipe. -Kim
This is amazing! I made it tonight and the cake itself is so moist… most things I’ve tried to make with almond flour have turned out dry, but this was just like baking with regular flour. The whip cream and strawberries made it the perfect keto friendly dessert.
Thanks for the recipe – I’ve got plenty more tabs open on ones I want to try now!
So glad you liked it, Crystal. It is one of our favorites. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. -Kim
So I was wondering. . .for the Sukrin could I use stevia? My teacher is making us make a food truck project and we have to serve one item. I wanted to serve this and the only problem is that I am unsure if it will be bad to use the stevia or not…
Jody, are you low carb or sugar free? If not, then use sugar. If you are low carb or sugar free what sweetener do you typically use? You may be missing a little of the bulk from the sweetener in the recipe if you just use stevia to taste. I haven’t made the recipe without it. Could you sub Truvia? Let me know what you have and I’ll try to help you find a suitable replacement. Btw, your food truck experiment sounds like fun! -Kim
I’m low carb :3 I am not sure about the sweetener products we have in our stores because we’re such a small town, but I think we have Truvia. The swerve sugar isn’t sold anywhere close to me so I’m unsure what to do. Also thanks! The theme for the truck is low carb because that’s what I’m stuck eating (doctor’s orders :/), and so why not make it delicious? I know we have the liquid and solid stevia so I’m not too worried…
Hi Jody. Use the Truvia if you can get it. It is basically the same ingredients which are in the Sukrin that I love to use. It will say 3 carbs and 3 sugar alcohols on the package. I typically don’t count the carbs because the body does not even digest the erythritol. That would be perfect. Good luck with your project. I would love to see a picture. Have fun. If you have any other questions or need to be able to text me, let me know. -Kim
Thank you so much, your recipes are wonderful! My mum and I both liked your recipes and plan on making them at home really soon. Also, I’ll send a picture as soon as I’m finished.
You are so welcome, Jody! I hope you enjoy the recipes. You can send the picture to me on my Facebook page, email, or even on Instagram. Have a great weekend. -Kim
These are so pretty, and they look delicious, too!
Thank you, Bethany!
Kim, this looks lovely as always. My husband will go crazy over this. I will have to surprise him with making this. It is so pretty.
Thank you so much Katie, you are ever so nice. And, thanks for reminding me that I need to go check out the latest creations at your beautiful blog. Have a super weekend. -Kim
HI! This looks absolutely delish! I’m wondering if you have tried baking the cake in cupcake tins? And if so, what temperature and time? Thanks so much!
Hi Annelle. Thanks! I have not tried baking this in cupcake tins. I wanted it these to be a flat sheet-cake type of cake and that’s how I developed it. I’m not sure how they would do in cupcake tins… this is not a cupcake recipe. I would bake at 350 and watch them. Sorry I’m not as much help as I usually am. If you bake in a sheet pan, you can use the leftover cake in triffles or parfaits. Have a great weekend. -Kim
I’m going to try this in my muffin top pans I found on sale! I’m usually a strawberry shortcake biscuit vs cake kinda person, but this looks so delish I have to try 🙂 Too bad I used my tub of berries to make chia jam last night, or this would be on the menu for this frigid winter evening!
I hope you like it Jenn. Please let me know what you think. -Kim
I LOVE your recipes! I’m so excited to try this tomorrow! I’ll report back! Thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes!
Hi Nicole. Thanks so much for the kind words. You are totally welcome, I love sharing what I come up with. Have a nice weekend. -Kim
This was excellent! My whole family (kids and husband) really enjoyed it. Thanks!
Kate, I’m so glad your family enjoyed it. It’s one of my favorites. Thank you for leaving a comment. 🙂 -Kim
thanks so much for this recipe–It is almost strawberry season here–
Can you tell me how much sweetening power is in 1/2 tsp of stevia glycerite? I have looked all over the web and still can’t find this answer
thanks again
Hi, Jeanne. You’re welcome for the recipe. No, I do not know the sweetening power of stevia glycerite, just that it is super concentrated and I that amount works in this recipe. But, I will try to think this out with you, so bear with me. A typical cake takes about 1 cup of sugar, if I remember correctly. The ingredients in this cake are slightly sweet (almond flour and coconut milk) and I have called for 1/2 cup of erythritol which is not as sweet as sugar. I would guess that the sweetness equivalent is around 1/3-1/2 cup of sugar. I make my desserts less sweet, so that is a guess. I know that was clear as mud, but I hope it helps. -Kim
thanks for the info–I am going to try this weekend
This looks amazing! Almond cake is one of my favorites and you’re definitely making me crave it this morning!
Awww, shucks. Thanks Lauren. -Kim
This looks so great, Kim! I love that it’s gluten free. Almond flour is one of my favorite “secret” ingredients. I particularly like the photo of the strawberries at the top – it’s a really powerful image!
Thanks, Raquel. Sure means a lot coming from you!-Kim