This Low-Carb Keto Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting is ultra-soft, moist, and tender with all the warm fall and ginger spices without being overpowering. No one will ever guess it's gluten-free & low-carb.
This Low-Carb Keto Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting is sure to impress and is a fun spin on my Classic Keto Vanilla Cake.
It has an ultra-soft and tender crumb with the warm spices of fall and ginger without being overpowering.
If you're having guests or taking dessert to a party, this cake is gorgeous, feeds many people, and is sure to impress!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Keto Gingerbread Cake Recipe: 1) Classic Cake Flavor with the warm spices of fall and ginger. 2) Light and tender crumb. 3) Perfect for special occasions 4) Is gluten-free with only four net carbs per serving and can be made paleo!
Or, if you're looking for more desserts, I think you'll love these keto pumpkin cookies with cream cheese, sugar-free chocolate cake, keto fruit dip with cream cheese, and keto carrot cake cupcakes or cake recipes!
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients most low-carb pantries have on hand:
- Blanched Almond Flour - Low-carb flour.
- Coconut Flour - Another low-carb flour. It is very absorbent and makes the low-carb cake extra soft!
- Sea Salt - Enhances the flavor.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder - I like baking soda and baking powder when making cakes. This is because baking powder gives added leavening and helps keep the cake from falling after an initial rise in the oven. Also, using only baking powder can sometimes lend a bitter aftertaste. Using both, we can use less baking powder to ensure no aftertaste.
- Ginger, Cloves, and Cinnamon - Warm spices of fall and ginger!
- Butter - Be sure the butter is at room temperature.
- Erythritol-Based Brown Sweetener - Brown Swerve and Lakanto Brown Sweetener are good options.
- Eggs & Egg Whites - Eggs are required when baking with coconut flour. The added egg whites give it a lighter texture. Be sure they are room temperature so they mix well.
- Unsweetened, Non-Dairy Milk - Be sure to use non-dairy, as cow's milk has quite a few carbs.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Or White Vinegar - Adds tenderness and lightness. It also reacts with baking soda to help the cake rise. But don't worry, you can't taste it!
- Pure Vanilla - If possible, use pure vanilla, not the imitation variety.
- Keto Cream Cheese Frosting - A perfectly sweetened cream cheese frosting with NO aftertaste!
Easy instructions
Step #1: Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Step #2: Then, cream together some room-temperature butter and sweetener until well incorporated, soft, and fluffy.
Tip: I love this tutorial on How To Soften Butter Quickly from Sally’s Baking Addiction to get the butter to room temperature. I prefer to use grass-fed butter, but non-dairy butter will also work.
Step #3: Beat in the eggs.
It may seem like a lot of eggs, but that’s the nature of coconut flour – it requires lots of eggs. The eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness. And the three extra egg whites make the cake extra light and airy.
Step #4: Once the eggs are well incorporated, beat in non-dairy milk, vinegar, and pure vanilla.
💭Tip: Be sure to use unsweetened, non-dairy milk because traditional milk is a bit high in carbs.
Step #5: Beat the wet ingredients into the dry. The batter will be slightly thick and lumpy, but this is fine.
Step #6: Bake in two parchment-lined pans, then cool them completely before frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
Frost the low-carb gingerbread cake with Keto Cream Cheese Frosting.
If you need a little help with the frosting, check out my easy, step-by-step tutorial on how to frost a naked or semi-naked cake!
It's a gorgeous rustic and chic style that looks difficult, but the tutorial will make even the most cake-decorating-challenged person able to master it!
Storage instructions
- Store: This sugar-free gingerbread cake recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- Freeze: Place the cake on a sheet pan, uncovered, and freeze until solid. Then, wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap and foil and freeze for 2 to 3 months.
- Thaw: Unwrap the cake and thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Substitutions
- Paleo And Dairy-Free: To make a paleo gingerbread cake, replace the sugar-free sweetener with coconut palm sugar and use non-dairy butter or ghee.
- Unfortunately, almond flour and coconut flour cannot be substituted, as they are both very unique.
- While regular milk can be used, I recommend unsweetened almond milk to keep the carbs low.
Top tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. If the ingredients are cold, it can prevent the flour from mixing correctly and can interfere with how the cake rises.
- Line the pans with parchment paper. If you skip the parchment paper, you will have trouble with the cakes sticking, so don’t skip it!
- Completely cool cake layers before frosting. If you try to assemble or frost the cake, even if it’s the slightest bit warm, it will be a disaster! To ensure the cakes are completely cool after they come to room temperature, I cover mine in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. It can be refrigerated for up to one day before frosting.
- Refrigerate the cake after frosting. After the cake is frosted, place it in the fridge for 1 hour. This allows time for the cake and frosting to re-set. It will also ensure clean slices without crumbs.
- To check the size of your cake pan, cake pans are measured across the top, not the bottom. Do not measure from the outside edges, as you do not want to include the pan's thickness. Adjust baking times accordingly if you are not using an 8-inch cake pan.
- A word of caution: not all coconut flours are the same! Some brands are much more absorbent than others. Because of this, I only recommend using Bob's Red Mill, Besti, or Arrowhead Mills. These are the two brands I know will work.
- To get the butter room temperature, I love this tutorial on How To Soften Butter Quickly from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
- If you need some help with the frosting, check out my easy, step-by-step tutorial on frosting a naked or semi-naked cake!
If you’ve tried this Low-Carb Keto Gingerbread Cake or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Low-Carb Keto Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Blanched Almond Flour - finely ground
- ⅔ Cup Besti Coconut Flour - Bob's Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills will also work
- ¾ tsp. Sea Salt
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder*
- ½ tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 Tbsp. Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp. Ground Cloves
- 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- ¾ Cup Grass-Fed Butter (or non-dairy butter) - softened
- 1 ½ Cups Brown Lakanto Sweetener - or any brown sweetener
- 7 Large Eggs
- 3 Large Egg Whites
- 1 ¼ Cup Unsweetened, Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Pure Vanilla
Frosting:
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper and grease with oil.
- Set out butter to bring to room temperature. See the link below for a quick way to bring to room temperature. Then, cover the 10 eggs with warm water and set aside so they come to room temperature.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Break up any clumps with your fingers.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and brown sweetener until light and fluffy. It may seem crumbly at first but keep beating until smooth, up to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula if needed.
- Beat in the eggs and egg whites one at a time, then the non-dairy milk, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Turn mixer to low and beat in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 28 to 34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and top is lightly golden. Since all ovens are different, check after 25 minutes to make sure it's not baking faster to ensure it doesn't dry out.
- Cool completely, then frost with Keto Cream Cheese Frosting.
Add Your Own Notes
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. If the ingredients are cold it can prevent the flours from mixing properly and can interfere with how the cake rises.
- Line the pans with parchment paper. If you skip the parchment paper you will have trouble with the cakes sticking to the pans so don’t skip it! To line the pans with parchment paper: 1) Place the pans on a large sheet of parchment paper. 2) Trace the bottom of the pans with a pencil. 3) Cut the parchment paper using the lines you traced. 4) Grease the pan, place the parchment paper in the pan, then grease the parchment paper. This will ensure easy removal and the cakes will slide right out.
- Completely cool cake layers before frosting. If you try to assemble or frost the cake even if it’s the slightest bit warm, it will be a disaster! To ensure the cakes are completely cool after they come to room temperature I cover mine in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. It can be refrigerated up to one day before frosting.
- Refrigerate cake after frosting. After the cake is frosted, place it in the fridge for 1 hour. This allows time for the cake and frosting to re-set, as it were. It will also ensure clean slices without crumbs.
- To check the size of your cake pan, cake pans are measured across the top, not the bottom. Do not measure from the outside edges, as you do not want to include the thickness of the pan. If you are not using an 8-inch cake pan, adjust baking times accordingly.
- A word of caution: not all coconut flours are the same! Some brands are much more absorbent than others. Because of this, I only recommend using Bob's Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills. These are the 2 brands I know will work. If you need to use another brand, I can't guarantee the results, but look for one that is soft and fluffy, not gritty.
- I love this tutorial on How To Soften Butter Quickly from Sally’s Baking Addiction to get the butter room temperature.
- If you need a little help with the frosting, check out my easy, step-by-step tutorial on how to frost a naked cake or a semi-naked cake! It's a gorgeous rustic and chic style that looks difficult, but the tutorial will make even the most cake decorating challenged person able to master it!
- As a special gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI to give you guys 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVEABLE" at checkout.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber - Allulose - Xylitol
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols, xylitol, and allulose are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
Trudy Simpson says
I have made this recipe several times. The first time came out amazing. I made a lemon curd (paleo), and put between the layers. However, the next time I tried, when I mixed in the eggs, it separated and looked curdled. Had to toss it. I tried again and everything worked out. $th time, curdled again. I didn't change anything, except the times it curdled, I used fresh eggs. Have you ever had this problem?
Cassidy Stauffer says
Oh no, I'm so sorry!! No, I usually use fresh eggs too but have never had this problem!! Are your eggs room temperature and are you beating the mixture after adding each one??
DavetteB says
We have always eaten gingerbread with lemon sauce. Do yo think your lemon curd would work or do you have a lemon sauce recipe?
thanks
Cassidy Stauffer says
Hi DavetteB! I'm excited you want to make my gingerbread cake, but sadly, I don't have a lemon sauce recipe that I think would work 🙁 Keto lemon curd is definitely on my list of things to make though!
Sorry again!
-Cassidy
Jamie L Jensen says
Hi, I recently found out I need to eat Gf, dairy free and egg free. Do you know if I could use an egg substitute like flax eggs or chia? What would you recommend? Thank you and these look great!
Cassidy Stauffer says
Hi Jamie! I'm sorry, but due to the number of eggs, I just don't think an egg replacement would work. Sorry!
-Cassidy
Jen says
Just made this today while searching for something delicious to make on this snow day. It was amazing!! thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Stephanie says
Just wanted to say that I made this and it were perfect! I know your comments say that the icing is best on the first day, but I put the icing on and stored in the fridge and enjoyed for 3-4 days until it was gone. I would let them set at room temp for a few minutes so the frosting could soften just a tad. This was the first time I've had "cream cheese" frosting in a long time and it was such a treat. Thanks for sharing!!!
Cassidy says
Thanks for the nice comment Stephanie and the feedback about the cream cheese frosting staying good in the fridge!
I'm so happy you liked them 🙂
-Cassidy
Jennifer at Purposeful Nutrition says
These look great. I plan to share on FB today. They are also a featured post at Healing With Food Fridays for this coming week. The new link is open so please come back and share some more. We are glad to have you.
Cassidy says
Thanks for sharing and featuring my recipe! ...I'll be back 🙂
-Cassidy
Linda says
This looks amazingly good! It's gotten quite a bit of attention on my Facebook page this week!
Cassidy says
Thanks Linda! I was wondering where all of that traffic was coming from! Thanks for sharing my recipe 🙂
xo,
Cassidy
Huda says
Hi Cassidy
Just followed the link from a facebook friend and this looks yummy! But I'm allergic to almonds - could I replace the almond flour with something else? what would you suggest?
Thanks
Cassidy says
Hi Huda,
I'm sorry about your almond allergy, almond flour is hard to replace. The only replacement I know of is sunflower seed flour, but haven't tried it myself. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
-Cassidy
Sherrie says
Was wondering if you could use coconut flour instead of almond flour, we do not do nuts either in our house. Makes it very challenging.
Cassidy says
Hi Sherrie!
Sorry, but coconut flour is completely different than almond flour and it cannot be substituted 🙁 The only substitution I know of would be sunflower seed flour, but haven't tried it myself. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
-Cassidy
Ronnie says
Could you replace the almond/cashew butter with organic peanut butter in the Paleo frosting?
Cassidy says
Hi Ronnie!
Yeah, you can replace it with peanut butter but it will lend a slight peanut butter taste even though it's a small amount 🙂 If you don't want to use almond, cashew, or peanut butter you can just omit that ingredient. The nut butter adds creaminess and depth of flavor but isn't crucial to the recipe.
Happy baking!
Cassidy
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Those bars look simply amazing, Cassidy! I've got a roundup on gingerbread desserts coming up on All Gluten-Free Desserts soon. Can't wait to include these!
Thanks and happy weekend!
Shirley
Cassidy says
Awe, thanks Shirley! I can't wait for your gingerbread roundup, this is the only gingerbread recipe I have!
..LOVED the cookie roundup! Thanks for including my grain free no-bake cookies 🙂
xo,
Cassidy
sabrina says
Oh this looks like a unique and yummy dessert! Thanks for sharing!
Do you think I could replace the shortening with coconut butter for the Paleo frosting?
Cassidy says
Hi Sabrina, I just can't say for sure if you could sub the shortening for coconut butter without trying it. If you try it, you would have to soften it without melting it and it would probably lend a slight coconut taste. But if you give it a go let me know how it turns out!
-Cassidy