August 18th, 2019
Keto Vanilla Cake Gluten Free | Sugar Free
This Keto Vanilla Cake is one of our most popular keto recipes ever. So easy and it works beautifully every single time.
Before jumping to the recipe please note that the below information contains HOT TIPS for this recipe. We try and answer all your questions to guarantee a perfect keto recipe every time.
Featured in our Healthy Family Keto Cookbook. Get your copy today and make the Boston Cream Pie! View Cookbook
My Keto Vanilla Cake is a very special recipe! I made it my quest to make a cake that everyone will love and use often. It may have taken a while, but I think I have a winner!
It sounds weird to me when I describe this cake as dense but light and fluffy. How a cake can be both dense and light is beyond me but that is what I call this low carb vanilla cake. It is far better than any boxed vanilla cake that is for sure!
This low carb keto cake recipe is also the perfect diabetic friendly cake recipe. Whether you need to cut out sugar or have to cut out sugar as part of your diet, you will be so happy with this cake.
It really is a perfect sugar free cake mix.
Keto Vanilla Cake
First up this is a keto vanilla cake recipe using almond flour or meal. For those of you looking for a keto nut free vanilla cake I have yet to test this recipe with any nut free flours, but I assure you it is on my list.
So, at this point there is no variation on the almond meal. Usually I would just recommend a pepita and sun flour mix but with the delicate flavour of this cake I am not so sure without testing.
The Ingredients
- Light tasting olive oil – use an oil with a neutral flavour. Oils like extra virgin olive oil are too strong for the cake.
- Sweetener – I use either Sukrin:1 or Monkfruit sweetener. The choice is yours of course.
- Almond flour or almond meal
- Eggs – I always use room temperature jumbo eggs
- Sour cream or Greek yoghurt. Coconut cream can be used for a dairy free keto vanilla cake.
- vanilla extract
- baking powder
How to make Keto Vanilla Cake
This really is an easy recipe. Basically you can whisk this altogether in a large bowl, use a stand mixer or a Thermomix®.
For layered cakes, like mine pictured, just double or triple the mix.
All my recipe temperatures are based on a fan-forced oven unless otherwise stated.
I always line my springform tins so the cake can easily be removed.
Allow to cool completely before attempting to ice with buttercream.
How to create the “naked” frosting look
You can frost the cake however you please with it just added thickly on top or a little bit fancier. I have gone for a very trendy keto naked cake look. There are just a few tips for frosting this way.
If doing a layered keto naked cake look first start with cutting the top off the cake to completely level each cake. The excess cake tops can be used for some very tasty Cake Bliss Ball recipes.
Once level, pipe a thick circle of frosting around the edge of cake and one in the middle. Using an angle cake spatula smooth out the layer between the cakes but leave the thick outer circle as is.
Top with next layer and repeat. (If doing more than 2 layers keep repeating as needed).
Pipe remaining frosting on top of cake. Using angled spatula smooth over top and spread frosting over sides of cake.
Once the sides are covered, gently scrape back with angled spatula or cake scraper until you unveil the outer edge of the cake with just a thin scraping of frosting.
Any excess frosting can be added to the top or used in another recipe.
(Video below is demonstrating the piping on a carrot cake – so you get the idea)
More Low Carb Cake Recipes
- Paleo/Keto Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Jaffa Keto Mousse Cake
- Baked Mascarpone Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Cup Keto Cheesecake
- Keto Vanilla Mug Cake So Light and Fluffy
CONNECT WITH MAD CREATIONS
Join our fabulous keto community on multiple channels and get support from others following the keto lifestyle.
Find the best in recipes, great keto planners, get started with keto or use our Macro Calculator to start your keto diet with all the tools you need.
Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | 365 |
Keto Vanilla Cake
This is a simple but fantastic keto vanilla cake, that I'm sure will become your go-to recipe!
Calories: 214kcal
Add to Collections
Servings: 16 slices
Tap or hover over number to scale ingredientsIngredients
KETO VANILLA CAKE
- 50 g light tasting olive oil
- 50 g sweetener
- 200 g almond meal
- 4 large eggs
- 50 g sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
LEMON BUTTERCREAM
- 150 g powdered sweetener I use Sukrin Melis
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 200 g butter cubed
- 340 g cream cheese softened, and cubed
- 1 tbsp cream
Instructions
CONVENTIONAL METHOD
- Preheat oven to 160℃. Line a 20 cm springform tin.
- Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer until combined.
- Spoon mix into prepared springform tin.
- Bake 30 minutes or until cooked through. Cool on wire tray until cool.
THERMOMIX® METHOD
- Preheat oven to 160℃. Line a 20 cm springform tin.
- Place all ingredients into mixing bowl. Mix 1 minute/speed 3. Follow from Step 3 above.
LEMON BUTTERCREAM
CONVENTIONAL METHOD
- Mix all buttercream ingredients in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Pipe thickly onto edge of bottom cake. Place second cake on top (if doing double) and pipe buttercream on top of cake.
- Using an angled icing spatula, generously spread buttercream over sides and top of cake.
- Once completely covered if you want to achieve the "naked" look, gently scrape back the icing using the angled spatula or cake scraper. Be careful to only take the icing back to the edge of the cake, and not to remove the crumb of the cake. Decorate the cake how you prefer.
THERMOMIX® METHOD
- Mix all ingredients 1 minute/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl. Mix for further 1 minute/speed 5, or until smooth and fluffy. Follow from Step 2 above.
Video
Notes
- My recipes are baked in a fan-forced oven. If you are baking in a conventional oven, you can increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees, and monitor the cake to make sure it isn’t browning too quickly. Cover the top with foil if you see this happening, and continue to bake until cooked in the centre.
- For layered cakes, like mine pictured, it is safe to double or triple the recipe in both a stand mixer and the Thermomix®.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Your Own Notes
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 2mg | Net Carbs: 3g
Tried this recipe?Mention @meganellam or tag #madcreations!
Want more recipes for the keto diet? Check out our store packed full of keto cookbooks. Check out our cookbooks.
Related recipes
July 30th, 2022
14 Comments
July 28th, 2022
38 Comments
July 24th, 2022
64 Comments
July 6th, 2022
72 Comments
June 14th, 2022
99 Comments
Weekly Keto Meal Plans
Simplify your life with the very best recipes to help you lose weight, gain inner-health, and feel AMAZING every day!
Find Out More
Buy Keto Cookbooks
Choose from 35 separate cookbooks in-store. Find family-friendly recipes that you can enjoy every day and help you on your keto journey.
Find Out More
Mad Creations Hub is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
78 Comments
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 🙂
Thanks Sally. Yes this cake is quite tasty for sure.
What a pretty cake! And low carb is a huge plus. I am looking forward to trying this. 🙂
Thanks so much Andrea 💕
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
It is just for the one cake as per the recipe Mary.
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.
Hi Cassie, they do include the buttercream. Check your sweetener. I use zero calorie zero carb Sukrin products.
Hi! Can you use coconut oil instead?
You could use a liquid coconut oil Nadine, preferably not one with a strong coconut flavour.
Oh my goodness! This looks so delicious!
Thanks Raia. It is!
Vanilla cake is such a classic! This is a great keto friendly version and so perfect for getting that sweet tooth fix!
Thanks for the review Tisha
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!
Me too Catherine! How good is it.
This is so moist and delicious! My family loved and I don’t feel guilty eating it! Win-win!
So glad it was a hit Beth.
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!!
You are welcome Sara