Name: scrumptious low carb chocolate cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12-16
Ingredients: 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup sour cream (or vegan sour cream); 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 1/4 cup almond flour; 1/4 cup coconut flour; 1/4 cup tapioca flour; 1/2 cup powdered monkfruit or erythritol sweetener (I used Lakanto baking sweetener) (substitutes below); 1/2 cup cocoa powder; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 3/4 cup brewed strong coffee or hot water* (you can use decaf); 1 can (13.5 oz) of full-fat coconut milk; 4-6 tablespoons powdered erythritol or monk fruit sweetener; 12 ounces dark chocolate chips (I use Lilys); milk of choice (to thin out if frosting is too thick)

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This low carb chocolate cake will reassure you that you do NOT have to sacrifice taste when you eat a healthier version of something.

Surprise and delight anyone who tries this cake, especially if they’re used to a “typical” chocolate cake (loaded with white flour, sugar, butter). Instead this chocolate cake is low-carb, with no sugar (or dairy) and they won’t even realize!

The cake has a rich, chocolate flavor and is tender and moist as a cake should be. And then there’s the frosting…
OMG – the frosting!
It’s silky smooth, creamy, pure chocolately goodness!

is it possible not to binge on chocolate cake?

I made another cake over the weekend for my BIL’s birthday, a proven recipe that I know everyone always loves (marble fudge cake). The cake is over the top phenomenal but there’s one problem, I lose total control around it.

I don’t even wait for the finished product. While I make the marble fudge cake, I’m constantly sneaking licks, to the point of feeling sick. I feel so out of control but yet I keep doing it!

When I’m in binge mode, it’s near impossible to see past the sweet treat in front of me. I don’t like getting this way so I try to keep situations like this minimal.

On the flip side, this low carb chocolate cake, made with an alternative flour & sweetener instead of excess flour and sugar, can sit on my counter without the constant need to sneak a bite.

That’s not a testament to the taste. It tastes like a decadent treat (ok, not AS decadent as marble fudge but pretty darn close!) without the overpowering urge to consume it until you want to throw up!

When I start feeling like sweets are taking over, I love to reset by doing a 30- day program to break the sugar addiction.

Nutrition is about trying to stay on track and if you feel like you’re heading off the rails, get back on as soon as you acknowledge you’re losing control. This makes it MUCH easier to maintain!

If you have trouble binging on sweets, leave a comment and let me know how it goes with this cake! I’d love to hear from you!

how to make low carb chocolate cake

There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with an almond flour cake. First, you have to follow the recipe. I offer some substitutes but with baking, it’s always best to follow a recipe because of the science behind the ingredients.

can I make this low carb chocolate cake dairy free?

Yes, in fact the version I made was dairy free. This recipe calls for sour cream and I substituted with vegan sour cream. This recipe uses coconut oil instead of butter.

For the ganache frosting, I use coconut milk instead of heavy cream (and you’ll NEVER know, shhhhh).

can I make this chocolate cake paleo?

Yes, substitute coconut sugar for the low carb sweetener and use a dairy-free sour cream. For the chocolate ganache, use paleo chocolate chips and omit the sweetener.

does low carb chocolate cake taste different?

The short answer is NO. If a low carb cake is made correctly—follows a reliable recipe and uses a proven gluten free flour blend you trust—then you won’t be able to tell the difference.

key ingredients for low carb chocolate cake

Flour blend
This cake uses a blend of almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour. The coconut and tapioca flours help to lighten the cake because almond flour, by itself, could create a more dense cake.
Powdered monk-fruit sweetener
I LOVE Lakanto baking sweetener for cakes. It’s fairly new on the market so I haven’t seen it in many stores but your can buy it on their website or Amazon. You can also use other powdered sweeteners like Lakanto powdered or Swerve confectioners or your favorite confectioners’ style sweetener.
Coffee
The coffee in this recipe deepens the rich, chocolate flavor. You could use decaf or even omit the coffee and substitute with hot water.

whipped chocolate ganache frosting

This chocolate ganache frosting is so decadent! Of course, you could substitue with a chocolate buttercream or frosting of your choice.

This recipe uses full-fat coconut milk which you simmer in a pot for about 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of sweetener in the beginning. Once it’s thickened after approx. 20 minutes, let it cool for a couple of minutes before pouring over chocolate chips (you want it warm but not piping hot).

Let it sit for a couple of minutes to melt the chips and then stir until it’s smooth. Cool on the counter and then place the bowl in the fridge for about 20 minutes (until it begins to set).

Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip the frosting until it’s light in color. Add 2-4 more tablespoons of sweetener, based on your preference. Also, if it’s too thick, pour in a little bit of milk of choice.

assembling the chocolate cake

Make sure the cake is cool before you start frosting. You can even make the cake a couple of days early and freeze it until you’re ready to frost!

You may want to do a double batch of frosting so you can do a crumb coat to lock in those cake crumbs and then frost it with a good thick layer of creamy, dreamy chocolate frosting. You’ll probably even have a little bit extra for piping if you want to really jazz things up.

other keto or low-carb desserts you’ll love:

If you try this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how you liked it!

scrumptious low carb chocolate cake

Author: Karen
Prep Time: 20 mins.
Cook Time: 20 mins.
Total Time: 40 mins. (plus time to cool & frost)
Yield: 12–16 1x

Description

Enjoy this scrumptious low carb chocolate cake with a rich, tender cake and decadent whipped chocolate ganache frosting. Paleo & dairy free variations included.

Scale

Ingredients

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (or vegan sour cream)
1/4 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup powdered monkfruit or erythritol sweetener (I used Lakanto baking sweetener) (substitutes below)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup brewed strong coffee or hot water* (you can use decaf)

Chocolate ganache frosting

1 can (13.5 oz) of full-fat coconut milk
4–6 tablespoons powdered erythritol or monk fruit sweetener
12 ounces dark chocolate chips (I use Lilys)
milk of choice (to thin out if frosting is too thick)

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & line 3 8-inch baking pans with parchment rounds*
In a large bowl, stir together flours, sweetener, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you have a flour sifter, sift all dry ingredients.
In mixing bowl, beat oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla for 1 minute. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in hot coffee or water and mix together. The batter will be liquidy but that’s a good thing — it will create a moist cake.
Bake for 16-18 minutes. Place toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cakes to check if it comes out clean.
Let cool before frosting.

To make the chocolate ganache frosting:

Place chocolate chips in a bowl and put aside.
In a sauce pot, add the coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of sweetener. Simmer for about 15 minutes until mixture has thickened slightly. Let cool off the burner for a couple of minutes before you pour on the chocolate chips (should be warm, not too hot).
Pour the warm coconut milk mixture of the chips and let sit for a minute. Stir until smooth.
Allow it sit until no longer warm to the touch, and then place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until beginning to set. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the frosting until lighter in color and relatively fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add 2-4 tablespoons more of sweetener to taste. If frosting is dry, add a splash of milk (of choice).
Frost the cakes as desired, and then slice and serve.

Notes

*Tip: Parchment rounds make things so much easier! Place your pan over the parchment paper, outline a circle and then cut.

*Lakanto Baking sweetener is my first choice for this recipe – it’s a little better with baking. You can use other powdered sweeteners like Swerve confectioners or Lakanto powdered (or your favorite confectioners’ style sweetener)

Keywords: chocolate cake, healthy chocolate cake,