This gorgeous paleo & keto chocolate cake recipe has a rich chocolate flavor and is soft, ultra-moist, decadent, and super easy to make!
If you have any kind of special occasion coming up (or even if you don't) this layered sugar-free & keto chocolate cake is a show-stopper!
It has such a super moist and decadent crumb with a rich chocolate flavor that no one will ever believe it's keto, low-carb, & gluten-free! Plus it can be made dairy-free and it's CRAZY easy to make!
Watch the YouTube video!
See how easy this recipe is to make on my YouTube channel! Watch the full video here: Chocolate Cake YouTube Video
Frequently asked questions
Actually, I don't recommend it. Layered cakes are best frosted after they've been refrigerated. However, refrigeration slightly dries out the cake. Because of this, I developed this recipe to bake up overly soft so the texture and crumb will be perfect after refrigeration. So if you bake this recipe as cupcakes, the batter may be too wet and fall. If you want to make cupcakes, I recommend my Keto Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes, which is what this recipe is based upon.
Yes! Natural cocoa powder is acidic and reacts with baking soda, while dutch processed cocoa powder is neutral and will not react with baking soda. For this recipe, I use natural, unsweetened cocoa powder with baking soda for proper leavening. The dutch processed variety will not produce the same results.
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to give the cake added rise. But I promise, you can't taste it in the final product!
The baking soda reacts with the vinegar and natural cocoa to initially leaven the cake. The baking powder gives added leavening to help keep the cake from falling after an initial rise in the oven.
The sweetener
For the sweetener, I recommend an erythritol-based keto sweetener. I like to use a Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend, but any erythritol-based blend will work!
For paleo, use coconut palm sugar.
Easy instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine finely ground blanched almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Next, add the butter (or non-dairy butter) and the sweetener to a medium-sized pot and heat over low heat until butter is melted and most of the sweetener has dissolved.
Then, add the non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, brewed coffee, and pure vanilla.
The brewed coffee will not make the cake taste like coffee! It just enhances the chocolate flavor.
If you would rather, though, you can replace the coffee with additional non-dairy milk.
*Note- Even if you're not dairy-free, I recommend non-dairy milk. This is because cow's milk is fairly high in carbs.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry then add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
Divide the batter into 2 parchment-lined and greased 8-inch baking pans. Please don't skip the parchment paper! If you skip the parchment paper you will have trouble with the cake sticking.
Bake at 350 degrees for around 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Frosting
For the frosting, my favorite with this cake is Keto Chocolate Frosting. But this Vanilla Buttercream or Cream Cheese Frosting both work well too!
And if you need a little help with how to frost a cake, be sure to check out my tutorial on How To Frost A Semi-Naked Cake. Or take this cake to next level with coconut pecan frosting to make a German Chocolate Cake!
Or check out this recipe on How To Make Strawberry Sauce For Cheesecake from Low-Carb Yum and this Low-Carb Peanut Butter Mousse from Simply So Healthy.
I think both recipes would be SO DELICIOUS as a filling between the cake layers with chocolate buttercream on the sides and top of the cake. Oh. My. Goodness. So Yummy!!!!
Top tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold ingredients prevent the flours from mixing properly and can interfere with how the cake rises.
- Not all brands of coconut flour are the same - some are much more absorbent than others! I only recommend Bob's Red Mill, Besti, or Arrowhead Mills. These are 3 brands that I know will work. If you use a different brand I can't guarantee the results.
- While oil can be used, I recommend using grass-fed butter. Grass-fed butter has many health benefits and produces the best texture because oil is a bit heavier. Non-dairy butter can be substituted.
- 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.
- Refrigerate cake after frosting. After the cake is frosted, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This allows time for the cake and frosting to re-set, as it were. It will also ensure clean slices without crumbs.
- Don't skip cooling and refrigerating the cake before frosting! Layered cakes are best frosted after they've been refrigerated. However, refrigeration slightly dries out the cake. Because of this, I developed this recipe to bake up overly soft so the texture and crumb will be perfect after refrigeration. Also, the cakes will be much too soft and delicate to frost if they haven't been refrigerated first.
If you've tried this Layered Sugar-Free Keto Chocolate Cake please let me know in the comment below!
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📖 Recipe
Keto Chocolate Cake Recipe {Paleo & Gluten-Free}
Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ Cups Blanched Almond Flour
- ¾ Cup Besti Coconut Flour - Arrowhead Mills or Bob's Red Mill also work
- 1 Cup Natural, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- ½ tsp. Sea Salt
- 2 Cups Erythritol-Based Granulated Sweetener - see notes below, use coconut palm sugar for Paleo (can reduce to 1 ½ cups if you prefer your cakes less-sweet)
- ¾ Cup Grass-Fed Butter - can use non-dairy
- ¼ Cup Brewed Coffee - or additional non-dairy milk
- 1 Cup Unsweetened, Non-Dairy Milk
- 2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar - or white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Pure Vanilla
- 8 Large Eggs
- Keto Chocolate Frosting - doubled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom of two 8 inch baking pans with parchment paper and grease the edges. Set aside.
- Set the non-dairy milk out to come to room temperature and place the eggs in a bowl of warm water. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- In a medium-sized pot, add the butter and sweetener. Heat over low heat until the butter is melted and the sweetener is mostly dissolved. Then, stir in the non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, brewed coffee, and vanilla.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one until completely incorporated. Evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Since all ovens are different, however, check after 35 minutes to ensure that it's not baking faster and doesn't dry out!
- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack (removing the parchment paper) to cool completely. Then, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for at least one hour up to overnight.
- Frost as desired. If you need help with how to frost a cake, see my tutorial on How To Frost A Semi-Nake Cake. Or take this cake to next level with coconut pecan frosting to make a German Chocolate Cake!
Video
Notes
- See how easy this recipe is to make on my YouTube channel! Watch the full video here: Chocolate Cake YouTube Video
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold ingredients prevent the flours from mixing properly and can interfere with how the cake rises.
- Not all brands of coconut flour are the same - some are much more absorbent than others! I only recommend Bob's Red Mill, Besti, or Arrowhead Mills. These are 3 brands that I know will work. If you use a different brand I can't guarantee the results.
- While oil can be used, I recommend using grass-fed butter. Grass-fed butter has many health benefits and produces the best texture because oil is a bit heavier. Non-dairy butter can be substituted.
- For the sweetener, I recommend an erythritol-based keto sweetener. I prefer a Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend. For paleo, use coconut palm sugar.
- 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.
- Don't skip cooling and refrigerating the cake before frosting! Layered cakes are best frosted after they've been refrigerated. However, refrigeration slightly dries out the cake. Because of this, I developed this recipe to bake up overly soft so the texture and crumb will be perfect after refrigeration. Also, the cakes will be much too soft and delicate to frost if they haven't been refrigerated first.
- Refrigerate cake after frosting. After the cake is frosted, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This allows time for the cake and frosting to re-set, as it were. It will also ensure clean slices without crumbs.
- I don't recommend using this batter to make cupcakes, otherwise, they may fall. If you want to make cupcakes, I recommend my Keto Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes,
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out these resources:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!