Introduction to Keto Almond Flour Cake
Have you ever tried a keto recipe that’s so amazing you can’t believe it’s low-carb? This Keto Almond Flour Cake is one of them. It’s light, fluffy and sweet, with a surprising zest thanks to the lemon. Despite such simple ingredients, this recipe is absolutely irresistible.
This golden brown cake is perfect for any occasion – from high tea to kids’ birthdays! And with no sugar and such low carbs, it can even be enjoyed as a sweet morning treat. Our favorite part about this recipe? The sprinkle of sliced almonds!
A Keto Twist on Spanish Almond Flour Cake
This recipe is actually adapted from a traditional Spanish recipe called Tarta de Santiago, or Cake of Saint James. It dates back all the way to the Middle Ages.
While traditional flourless Almond Cake does use low-carb almonds as a base, it’s also made with a lot of sugar. Luckily, we’ve managed to make Almond Cake low-carb.
Keto Sweetener
We’ve swapped out the sugar for our favorite keto sweetener, erythritol. We love this sweetener because it has no impact on blood glucose levels, and can be used as a sugar replacement in a 1:1 ratio in most recipes – no tricky math required! Feel free to use a granulated sweetener of your choice in this recipe.
Almond Flour
This recipe didn’t actually require any flour substitutions to make it keto-friendly. Like many flourless European cakes, this cake is made with almond flour.
Unlike coconut flour, which can produce a dry batter, this makes it moist, fluffy and light. And unlike other almond flour-based recipes, the almond flavor can really shine through on its own.
Eggs
When it comes to keto recipes, the key to creating a light and fluffy dessert is the eggs. This allows the cake to get the perfect rise, without the need for baking powder, baking soda or any other leaveners.
This recipe uses separated eggs with beaten egg whites to create the ideal texture. This technique can seem a little tricky to master, but we promise it’s worth the effort.
Lemon Zest
Fruit is usually kept to a minimum on a keto diet, but the great part about using lemon zest in a recipe is you only need to use the tiniest amount. It also has a unique flavor from lemon juice or pulp, which means you don’t have to worry about this sweet cake tasting sour or overpowering.
Not to mention that utilizing acids like citrus in your cooking is an incredible way to elevate a dish. Try adding a little lemon to one of your favorite keto recipes!
Sliced Almonds or Coconut Chips
Sliced almonds and coconut chips are both amazingly delicious, low-carb toppings to add an awesome layer of crunch to your recipe. They’re also high-fat, which makes them super keto-friendly.
Not sure which one to choose? Almonds are great to complement the overall flavor of the cake, while coconut chips have an amazing natural sweetness to them. Bonus points if you toast them first!
Dairy-Free Keto Almond Flour Cake
Finding dairy-free keto recipes can be tricky – until now. This Almond Cake doesn’t contain any dairy – not even butter!
Unlike other recipes, this one doesn’t require any substitutions. You won’t find any coconut cream, almond milk or coconut oil here. Instead, this cake stays perfectly moist thanks to the high-fat almonds and egg yolks.
Is This Cake Vegan?
While this Almond Cake recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, it does contain eggs, which means it isn’t suitable for a plant-based diet. The eggs are important for allowing the cake to rise and get that fluffy, springy texture without baking powder.
Almond Flour Cake – Better Than Chocolate Cake?
If you’re a fan of dense, rich mud cakes or recipes that involve tons of chocolate frosting, you may be reluctant to try such a simple cake. But don’t judge a book by its cover – this gluten-free recipe is seriously underrated. There’s a reason people have been loving it for over 500 years!
So what makes it so amazing? First of all, it’s light and fluffy. We promise you won’t finish a slice feeling overly stuffed (though there’s nothing wrong with a decadent slice of cake every once in a while!).
This also means it’s a great recipe for any occasion. Feeling something sweet and satisfying after dinner? Need to whip up something impressive for guests? Creating your own high tea experience at home? This gluten-free Almond Cake is the answer.
An Amazing Base Cake Recipe
If you want to get experimental, you could even use this recipe as a base and mix in whichever flavors or extra ingredients you like.
You can swap out the lemon zest for orange, vanilla extract or even cinnamon. Sometimes less is more.
While this recipe recommends sliced almonds or coconut chips for toppings, feel free to try contrasting flavors like shaved dark chocolate and sliced fresh berries.
Fun Flavor Ideas
Try adding in sugar-free sprinkles for a funfetti-style kids’ birthday cake, mixing in a little cocoa powder to hit those chocolate cravings, or experimenting with matcha powder for something completely different.
Frosting Your Cake
Want to level up your Almond Cake? We’ve got frosting recipes for that! We recommend this buttercream-inspired 3 Minute Keto Frosting – or if you want to add another tangy flavor to the mix, this Simple Keto Cream Cheese Frosting is amazing, too.
Make sure to allow the Almond Cake to cool completely to room temperature before frosting to prevent any melting.
Our Tips and Tricks for the Best Almond Flour Cake
This gluten-free recipe seems simple, but it uses a couple of special techniques and ingredients to create the perfect cake. Don’t worry – this recipe is still approachable for the novice baker.
Separating the Egg Whites
It’s a good idea to crack each egg over a separate container before adding the egg white and yolk to different bowls, just in case you accidentally pierce the yolk and contaminate your egg white mixture. This can make it difficult to beat the whites into peaks.
You can use the cracked eggshell, a special separator or just your fingers to separate the egg whites.
And while we’ve recommended beating the egg whites with a stand mixer, you can also use a handheld electric mixer over a large mixing bowl.
Recipe
Ingredients
Not provided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 8 inch spring form pan with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, erythritol, and lemon zest. Add the egg yolks and mix until a tough dough form.
- In a separate bowl, add the egg whites and beat until soft peaks are achieved.
- Add half of the beaten egg whites to the almond flour dough, and mix well until the dough becomes looser.
- Next, add the remaining beaten egg whites, and gently fold the mixture, being careful to not knock the air out of the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the lined baking pan. If desired, sprinkle the coconut chips or sliced almonds on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden around the edges and tender in the center.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with powdered sweetener and serve.
Notes
- Net Carbs: 3g
- Serving Size: 1 slice (cake yields 8 slices)
- Toppings:
- Coconut chips or sliced almonds (optional)
- Powdered sweetener of choice (optional)
- You can replace the lemon zest with orange zest, vanilla extract, or cinnamon for different flavors.
- Eggs separate better when they are cold however, egg whites form stiffer peaks at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
Almond Flour Cake
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 155
- Calories from Fat 117
- % Daily Value*
- Fat 13g 20%
- Saturated Fat 2g 10%
- Carbohydrates 5g 2%
- Fiber 2g 8%
- Protein 8g 16%
- % Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
