A Keto Vanilla Cake that everyone will absolutely LOVE! A pillow soft, moist, and delicious keto friendly cake with a delicious vanilla cream cheese frosting. I think it is the best vanilla cake recipe EVER! Plus, you can use the same recipe to make a keto layer cake, keto Victoria sponge, or easy keto vanilla cupcakes.
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A man placing a pink iced keto yellow cake on top of another one.

Keto Vanilla Cake

My Keto Vanilla Cake is a very special recipe! It is basically a keto yellow cake (made with whole eggs) and flavoured with vanilla. I was determined to create a cake that would become a firm favourite with everyone. It took a while to get it right, but it was so worth it. The best bit is this cake can be made and changed to almost any flavour you can imagine.

This recipe was originally published back in 2018 but has had a recent update. The recipe has not changed at all, just a few tasty new pictures.

This vanilla cake is low-carb and, being sugar-free, is perfect for a keto or diabetic-friendly diet. It has the most amazing texture, as it is both dense as well as light and fluffy. You will definitely not get anything this good from a boxed vanilla cake! It is also the perfect sugar free birthday cake!

Related Recipes: Layered Keto Cake / Keto Carrot Cake.

Why We Love This Recipe

Low carb – With just 3g net carbs per serving, you really can have your cake and eat it too! The perfect keto friendly birthday cake!

Keto pantry basic ingredients – All of the ingredients will be staples in your keto pantry.

Gluten-free – My keto vanilla cake recipe uses almond flour or meal and is a perfect gluten-free cake.

Versatile – This recipe can be used as a base recipe and adapted to different flavours with the addition or substitution of flavouring ingredients.

Quick and easy! – As with all my recipes, I keep them simple so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying them.

The Ingredients

Jump to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients to make this low carb keto vanilla birthday cake recipe.

Keto Vanilla Cake ingredients all labelled on old tiles.

Light taste olive oil – use an oil with a neutral flavour. Oils like extra virgin olive oil are too strong for the cake. You can use butter or ghee.

Sweetener  – I use monk fruit/erythritol or erythritol. These are the products I use Sukrin:1 or Monkfruit sweetener.

Almond flour or almond meal – Almond meal and almond flour are slightly different in consistency, with almond meal being a bit coarser. You can choose either for this recipe.

Eggs – I prefer to buy fresh, free-range, jumbo eggs whenever possible and have them at room temperature before using them in a recipe.

Sour cream or Greek yoghurt. – Coconut cream can be used for a dairy free keto vanilla cake.

Baking powder – I use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill Baking Powder for all low carb gluten-free baking. It really helps give a good rise and consistent baking results every time.

How to Make Keto Vanilla Cake

A red mixer mixing cake batter.
Cake batter in a lined cake pan.

Step 1. PREHEAT – to 160℃ fan/180°C static/350°F. Line a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan.

Step 2. MIX all ingredients in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl until combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan.

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Step 3. BAKE 30 minutes or until cooked through. Cool on wire tray until cool.

a vanilla cake on a cake stand with vanilla buttercream.
Two hands lifting a cake on top of another.

Step 4. MIX buttercream ingredients in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.

Step 5. FROST: Pipe thickly onto the edge of the bottom cake and spread it with an angled spatula. Place the second cake on top (if doing double) and pipe buttercream on top of cake. Using an angled icing spatula, generously spread buttercream over the sides and top of the cake. Scrape the frosting back for the naked cake look, or just keep it smooth and creamy.

Want More Low Carb Cake Recipes

Whether you’re making a keto cake for a celebration, or just for a treat, here are some others you might like to try:

A slice of vanilla cake front on on a white plate.

Hot Tips & FAQs

Can I double or triple the mix?

For layered cakes, like mine pictured, it is safe to double or triple the recipe in both a stand mixer and the Thermomix®.

Can I use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter?

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has a very strong flavour that will overpower the delicate vanilla flavour. If you want to substitute with olive oil, choose a light tasting olive oil instead.

Can I vanilla cake with coconut flour?

No, you can’t. The recipe would have to be completely different because coconut flour is very thirsty.

How long can this cake be stored?

You can store the keto vanilla cake, in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month.

A two layer keto vanilla cake frosted and strawberries on top.

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A whote cake with pink and white icing on a cake stand.

Keto Vanilla Cake

A Keto Vanilla Cake that everyone will absolutely LOVE! A pillow soft, moist, and delicious keto friendly cake with a delicious vanilla cream cheese frosting. I think it is the best vanilla cake recipe EVER! Plus, you can use the same recipe to make a keto layer cake, keto Victoria sponge, or easy keto vanilla cupcakes.
4.96 from 118 votes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Low Carb
Diet: Diabetic
Recipe Category: Low Carb
Calories: 187kcal
Author: Megan Ellam
Servings: 16 slices
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Ingredients 

KETO VANILLA CAKE

KETO VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

  • 0.5 cup (100 g) powdered sweetener
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons (60 g) butter cubed
  • 250 g (9 oz) cream cheese softened, and cubed
  • 0.25 cup (60 g) sour cream

Instructions

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

  • PREHEAT – to 160℃ fan/180°C static/350°F. Line a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan.
  • MIX all ingredients in a stand mixer until combined. Spoon mix into prepared pan.
  • BAKE 30 minutes or until cooked through. Cool on wire tray until cool.
  • MIX buttercream ingredients in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
  • FROST: Evenly cover the top of one cake (if doing double) with half of the frosting. Top with second cake and spoon the remaining frosting onto the top. Use an angled spatula to smooth over top. Chill for 1-2 hours before slicing the cake.
    For a “naked” look, gently scrape back icing using a cake scraper. Be careful to scrape icing back to edge of cake, and not to remove crumb. Garnish with fresh berries.

THERMAL METHOD

  • PREHEAT oven to 160℃ fan/180°C static/350°F. Line a 20 cm (8-inch) springform pan.
  • MIX: Place all ingredients into mixer; Mix 1 min/speed 3. Follow from Step 3 above.
  • FROST: For frosting; mix all ingredients 1 min/speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl. Repeat until smooth and fluffy. Follow instructions above for frosting the cake.

Video

Notes

  • My pictures show 2 cakes, and I doubled the recipe to make two full size. You can use one batch and slice the cake in half or use smaller pans to make layered easy keto cakes, if you prefer.
  • For the top layer Strawberry Frosting; I added one tablespoon of strawberry juice (I pushed a berry through a sieve) to give a subtle flavor and color to the cream cheese frosting.
LOW CARB CAKE INGREDIENTS
Choose light tasting olive oil and do not use extra virgin olive oils as they have a strong flavour. Melted butter or ghee can be used in place of the oil.
Double acting baking powder reacts and creates gas bubbles twice; once when moisture is added, and a second time when it’s heated. In comparison to a regular baking powder, this gives keto and gluten-free baking a better texture as the ingredients are denser and need a bit more help with rising. 
I use blanched almond flour to make a prettier gluten free vanilla cake. You can use natural almond flour or almond meal in its place. You can use macadamia flour or cashew meal (higher carb) in place of the almond flour. Coconut flour is not a suitable substitute. Coconut flour sucks up a lot of moisture and more ingredients would need to be added to compensate in this almond flour cake.
Sweetener: I use monk fruit sweetener or erythritol sweetener in my keto cake recipes. I find they give the cake a good texture without having a cooling effect. 
It is always better to line all your baking tins, as this ensures that the cake can be removed easily.
It is really important to allow the cake to cool completely before icing it, otherwise, the buttercream will melt. Use sugar free sprinkles for an easy vanilla birthday cake. Or add colour and flavours to the buttercream frosting to make a fancy keto birthday cake. 
LOW CARB VANILLA CAKE IN THERMOMIX
For a keto layer cake like mine pictured, it is safe to double or triple the recipe in both a stand mixer and the Thermomix®. Just make sure to bake each cake separately not at the same time. 
STORAGE AND FREEZING KETO CAKES
You can store the vanilla keto cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. It freezes well if kept in an airtight container or ziplock bag. I freeze in individual portions so it is simple to defrost when I would like a piece of cake.
This recipe yields approximately 16-20 servings. The actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. 
To calculate the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe by 16-20. The result will be the weight of one serving. 
Nutritional values shown are guidelines only. They are for 1 serving using the ingredients listed. 
All recipes have been tested using all of the cooking methods included by various recipe testers.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, store in an airtight container and freeze.
The recipe card instructions contain the most basic of steps and a list of ingredients. If you have any queries, questions or are unsure of substitutions, please scroll up to the blog post for more information.

Your Own Notes

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 2mg | Net Carbs: 3g
Tried this recipe?Mention @meganellam or tag #madcreations!

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107 responses to “Keto Vanilla Cake”

  1. Sara

    5 stars
    This is great! My friend and I are doing keto and one of the things I miss the most is desserts. Thanks for this recipe!!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      You are welcome Sara

      Reply
  2. Beth Neels

    5 stars
    This is so moist and delicious! My family loved and I don’t feel guilty eating it! Win-win!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      So glad it was a hit Beth.

      Reply
  3. Catherine

    5 stars
    I’m so impressed with this cake and all your keto cakes! They look beautiful and sound delicious. I made a keto cake once and it was so good…love the cream cheese frosting!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Me too Catherine! How good is it.

      Reply
  4. Tisha

    5 stars
    Vanilla cake is such a classic! This is a great keto friendly version and so perfect for getting that sweet tooth fix!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks for the review Tisha

      Reply
  5. Raia Todd

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness! This looks so delicious!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks Raia. It is!

      Reply
  6. Nadine

    Hi! Can you use coconut oil instead?

    Reply
    1. Megan

      You could use a liquid coconut oil Nadine, preferably not one with a strong coconut flavour.

      Reply
  7. Cassie O’Brien

    Hi, is your nutritional info for the cake alone or with the butter cream?. I just put mine into my tracker and my counts are WAY above yours I have 330 calories and 12.5g carbs per slice. It was all well and good till I got to the frosting. Please help me work out what I’ve done wrong.

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Hi Cassie, they do include the buttercream. Check your sweetener. I use zero calorie zero carb Sukrin products.

      Reply
  8. MARY

    Hi Megan, I am waiting for cake to bake as l type 🙂 – can you please tell me if the Nutrition Information is for just one cake or for the double layer cake that is shown? And does it include the buttercream?
    Cheers

    Reply
    1. Megan

      It is just for the one cake as per the recipe Mary.

      Reply
  9. Andrea

    What a pretty cake! And low carb is a huge plus. I am looking forward to trying this. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks so much Andrea 💕

      Reply
  10. Sally

    5 stars
    What a beautiful looking cake! Love the use of almond meal, I totally get how it makes a dense but light cake when combined with a high quantity of eggs. I bet this is just as delicious as it looks 🙂

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks Sally. Yes this cake is quite tasty for sure.

      Reply
  11. Carol Jackson

    HI Megan – thanks for the recipe. Looks great. If making chocolate would you add cacao powder or cocoa powder but reduce almond meal by the same amount or doesn’t it matter?

    Reply
    1. Megan

      I would just add 1 tbsp of unsweetened cacao. No reduction of almond meal is needed.

      Reply
  12. Paula Montenegro

    5 stars
    The cake in the photos looks so good, and I personally love the idea of dense but light! I don’t follow any special food diet, but I love that it uses almond meal. And the frosting is the perfect pairing!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks so much Paula.

      Reply
  13. Sylvie

    5 stars
    Cannot believe there is hardly any sugar in this recipe, what a winner! Light, fluffy but still cakey like you said… just how I like it!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Nothing wrong with a little sugar free baking! Thanks Sylvie.

      Reply
  14. Tisha

    5 stars
    I know a couple of people who would LOVE this recipe for their KETO lifestyle!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks so much Trisha. Any shares to friends is always appreciated!

      Reply
  15. Farah

    5 stars
    I can’t believe this is keto! it looks so fluffy soft and wonderful. Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thank you so much Farah. It really is a delicious cake!

      Reply
  16. Jeannette

    5 stars
    Anything with almond meal (or almonds in general) is a winner for me. Also love that there’s a zesty lemon buttercream to balance it all out! Thanks for such a great recipe, Megan!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thanks Jeanette. Glad you love the recipe!

      Reply
  17. Alexandra @ It’s Not Complicated Recipes

    5 stars
    What a beautiful cake, Megan! This would be a perfect addition to any celebration!

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Thank you Alexandra.

      Reply
  18. Leisa

    Thank you 😀

    Reply
  19. Anonymous

    Hi Megan could you use macadamia oil instead of olive oil? Thanks

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Yes you could. Just check that the oil is a flavour you enjoy first

      Reply
      1. Anonymous

        Thank you

  20. Leisa

    I can’t wait to try this as a coffee cake. Megan how much coffee powder would you recommend for the cake and butter cream?

    Reply
    1. Megan

      Hi Leisa,
      I would use around 1 tbsp (dissolved in 1tbsp water) in both the cake and buttercream. Alternatively a ristretto shot of coffee and just add as needed.

      Reply
      1. Leisa

        Thank you 😀

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