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Keto & Paleo Chocolate Cake

★★★★★★★★★★
4.7 stars, average of 23 ratings

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This low-carb cake is for all chocolate lovers! It's easy to prepare, made from real food ingredients, and suitable for the ketogenic diet. It was created by Tina Turbin, the mastermind behind PaleOmazing.com, just in time for Valentine's Day!

I absolutely adore chocolate, and if I can eat a chocolate dessert that doesn’t result in my blood sugar crashing and is still delicious to eat, then I’m sold. This is why my keto chocolate cake is so absolutely rewarding and I offer a delicious chocolate frosting recipe below as well. It’s 100% paleo and keto friendly and it doesn’t skimp one bit on flavor or texture. For those of you with New Year’s resolutions to improve your diet or lose weight you can feel good about having a hefty slice of this cake, OK? And who am I? I am Tina Turbin of PaleOmazing.com and I love recipe developing!

Let me share a little history about this recipe. It’s actually a popular keto recipe that was handed down to me from my mom many years ago from her days of living in Puerto Rico. She created this recipe and then supplied it to various restaurants for several years – they loved it! I made some slight tweaks to adapt it for my low-carb and healthy-fat needs, and of course no flavor loss was at the top of my list of needs as well. I hope you enjoy the aroma, the deep, creamy and varied flavors. Be sure and share this with your family and friends. Many more recipes of mine can be found on my site.

The original recipe was made with date sugar. Thanks to Blondies Paleo Journey who made my cake with erythritol alteration!

Hands-on Overall

Serving size slice

Allergy information for Keto & Paleo Chocolate Cake

✔  Gluten free
✔  Dairy free
✔  Nut free
✔  Nightshade free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free
Pescatarian
Vegetarian

Nutritional values (per slice)

Net carbs5.7 grams
Protein5.8 grams
Fat29.3 grams
Calories311 kcal
Calories from carbs 7%, protein 7%, fat 86%
Total carbs9.2 gramsFiber3.5 gramsSugars2.6 gramsSaturated fat19.5 gramsSodium48 mg(2% RDA)Magnesium59 mg(15% RDA)Potassium332 mg(17% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 12 slices)

Chocolate cake:
  • 5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (142 g) - nutrition facts counted with 85% dark chocolate
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (85 g)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (113 g/ 4 oz) OR virgin coconut oil (this alternative wasn't tested)
  • 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup Erythritol and 1/3 cup powdered stevia or just use 2/3 cup Erythritol, OR 2/3 cup date or maple sugar ground super fine, or use organic cane sugar (not suitable for keto)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1 1/2 tbsp instant coffee
  • Pinch of salt
Chocolate frosting:
  • 1/2 cup chocolate or cacao powder (43 g/ 1.5 oz)
  • 6-7 heaping tbsp coconut oil (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
  • 3 tbsp lucuma powder (15 g/ 0.5 oz)
  • Sweetener options: use stevia to taste for keto, OR coconut sugar, maple sugar (not suitable for keto)
  • Optional: whipped coconut cream and berries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F degrees. Butter sides and bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan, or multiple mini spring formed pans. Line the bottom(s) with a round cut-out of parchment or wax paper, then butter the paper. Set aside.
  2. For the cake, melt the chocolates and butter together in a saucepan set over low heat, stirring to blend well. Add sugar and stir until sugar is JUST melted/blended. Set aside to cool (must get cool).
  3. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the yolks. Fold in one third of the egg whites (no more). Fold in remaining whites until no streaks of white remain.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake large pan in the center of the oven for 35–45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on the mini ones and place them in the oven two at a time or spaced well in a large oven rack. The cake will rise a great during baking and reduce in cooling, creating a dense rich cake.
  5. Cool cake in pan for at least 10 minutes, and then remove sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack and remove the bottom, but do not remove the parchment.
  6. Let cake cool completely; it will fall (reduce in height) considerably. Remove parchment before frosting.
  7. Mix all frosting ingredients.
    Note: Add 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or maple sugar for those with a sweet tooth. For a NO CARBOHYDRATE sweetener option: simply add 2-4 drops stevia glycerine and see if that does it for you. Add 1 drop at a time to taste!
  8. Serve with fresh berries or complement it with a side of my coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!

Paleo Chocolate Cake
Step by Step

★★★★★★★★★★
4.7 stars, average of 23 ratings
Paleo Chocolate Cake
Chocoholics beware. This Keto and Paleo Chocolate Cake is a classic you'll want to bookmark. It's moist, decadant and sugar free. Need another excuse?
Hands on15m
Overall1h
Servings12
Calories311 kcal

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (142 g) - nutrition facts counted with 85% dark chocolate
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (85 g)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (113 g/ 4 oz) OR virgin coconut oil (this alternative wasn't tested)
  • 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup Erythritol and 1/3 cup powdered stevia or just use 2/3 cup Erythritol, OR 2/3 cup date or maple sugar ground super fine, or use organic cane sugar (not suitable for keto)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1 1/2 tbsp instant coffee
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate or cacao powder (43 g/ 1.5 oz)
  • 6-7 heaping tbsp coconut oil (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
  • 3 tbsp lucuma powder (15 g/ 0.5 oz)
  • Sweetener options: use stevia to taste for keto, OR coconut sugar, maple sugar (not suitable for keto)
  • Optional: whipped coconut cream and berries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F degrees. Butter sides and bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan, or multiple mini spring formed pans. Line the bottom(s) with a round cut-out of parchment or wax paper, then butter the paper. Set aside.
  2. For the cake, melt the chocolates and butter together in a saucepan set over low heat, stirring to blend well. Add sugar and stir until sugar is JUST melted/blended. Set aside to cool (must get cool).
  3. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the yolks. Fold in one third of the egg whites (no more). Fold in remaining whites until no streaks of white remain.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake large pan in the center of the oven for 35–45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on the mini ones and place them in the oven two at a time or spaced well in a large oven rack. The cake will rise a great during baking and reduce in cooling, creating a dense rich cake.
  5. Cool cake in pan for at least 10 minutes, and then remove sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack and remove the bottom, but do not remove the parchment.
  6. Let cake cool completely; it will fall (reduce in height) considerably. Remove parchment before frosting.
  7. Mix all frosting ingredients.
    Note: Add 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or maple sugar for those with a sweet tooth. For a NO CARBOHYDRATE sweetener option: simply add 2-4 drops stevia glycerine and see if that does it for you. Add 1 drop at a time to taste!
  8. Serve with fresh berries or complement it with a side of my coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!

Nutrition (per slice)

Calories311kcal
Net Carbs5.7g
Carbohydrates9.2g
Protein5.8g
Fat29.3g
Saturated Fat19.5g
Fiber3.5g
Sugar2.6g
Sodium48mg
Magnesium59mg
Potassium332mg

Detailed nutritional breakdown (per slice)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Total per slice
5.7 g5.8 g29.3 g311 kcal
Dark chocolate, 85% cocoa (cacao)
2.4 g1.3 g5.4 g63 kcal
Unsweetened chocolate (cacao paste / liquor)
0.8 g1 g3.8 g46 kcal
Butter, unsalted, grass-fed
0 g0.1 g7.6 g68 kcal
Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs)
0.2 g2.6 g2 g30 kcal
Erythritol (natural low-carb sweetener)
0.6 g0 g0 g2 kcal
Vanilla extract, sugar-free, alcohol-based
0 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Beverages, coffee, instant, regular, powder
0.3 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Cocoa powder, raw (cacao)
0.7 g0.7 g0.5 g8 kcal
Coconut oil, extra virgin
0 g0 g9.9 g89 kcal
Lucuma powder, organic
0.8 g0 g0 g4 kcal

Do you like this recipe? Share it with your friends! 

Tina Turbin
Creator of PaleOmazing.com

AUTHOR BIO TINA TURBIN

Tina Turbin’s award-winning site, PaleOmazing.com houses many of her recipes and researched articles. She supports and writes about the benefits of the Gluten-Free, Paleo-ish, Keto, and Lower Carb inclined diets, as well as optimum lifestyles, and key women's issues.

She also founded GlutenFreeHelp.info, voted #2 .info site in the world over 6.7 million other .info sites. Tina has released numerous award-winning eBooks, hundreds of articles, is a mother of three and also carries an additional title of award-winning children’s author of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy.

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Comments (21)

Just curious about the 85% dark chocolate... since there's sugar in there, could that potentially kick me out of ketosis? Just wondering if you've heard of any sugar-free 85% dark chocolates out there that might work in this case? I want to make this for my birthday in a couple weeks! Thank you!

Hi Erin, there is indeed sugar chocolates with less than 100% cocoa solids unless you can find chocolate sweetened with stevia or erythritol. If you want to reduce the carbs, I suggest you use 90% chocolate instead. There is a small amount of sugar but will be insignificant "per serving". I hope this helps!

I found Choczero that has 85% dark chocolate sweetened with monk fruit! Currently baking the cake with fingers crossed! I also used coconut oil instead of butter!

That's perfect - chocolate sweetened with stevia, monk fruit, Swerve or Erythritol are all great keto options! 😊

Hi, I am SO pleased to have found a Keto and Paleo Chocolate Cake!!! I was weighing out the ingredients in advance of making it this weekend and came unstuck with the Lucuma measurements. When I measured out 3 level tablespoons of Lucuma, the combined total weighed 30 grams. But in the recipe it says "3 tbsp lucuma powder (15 g/ 0.5 oz)". So I'm not sure whether to use 3 tbsp (which is a weight of 30grams) OR 15 grams (which is a measure of 1.5tbsp). I'd really appreciate some direction with this please. Thanks.  

Hi Lili, in that case it's better if you use the "gram" measures. Could it be that the tablespoon is bigger (e.g. Australian measures) or that the tablespoon is "heaped"?

Does this cake rise well? The photo makes it look very flat. Wondering if I should layer two together.

I made a similar cake and it is quite dense similar to brownies - not as light and fluffy as "regular" cakes.

Can substitute erythritol with xylithol? It's really hard to find erythritol at the place i live. I only found stevia and xylithol. Thanks.

Yes, you can. If you want to substitute it: 1/3 cup of erythritol will be as sweet as about 1/4 cup of xylitol.

The cake was quite good, although I could not find where you said to add the vanilla. The frosting was a disaster and I had to toss it. Used coconut oil, lucuma, and cocoa powder. Iit did not mix, just clumped. Not sure where I went wrong.

I haven't made this recipe yet but I think it may help if you use room temperature ingredients. It should be easier to mix them 😊 I would add vanilla in the third step - maybe Tina can confirm that?

This fudge cake is delicious! I will be making this often 🙂

Hi!
I have never heard of lucuma so I am curious.
When I follow the link to the lucuma the nutritional info says: 2 tsp = 4g carbs or 1tsp = 2 carb.  Since 9 tsp = 3 tbsp, shouldn't the nutritional info for the lucuma in the above recipe be 18g carbs not 15g?
Or is my calculation off somehow? or the info on product not accurate due to small amounts?  thanks!

You may be referring to the amount used? The 15 grams/ 1/2 ounce refer to total weight of the ingredient, not carbs.
And I think that the 2 tsp = 4 grams carbs is for total rather than net carbs. I hope this helps 😊

no flour at all?   Is it the eggs that thicken it then?

Yes, there is no flour used in this recipe - it's a dense/fudgy cake 😊

Does the lucuma taste like butterscotch?

I think it depends, some people say it's similar to butterscotch, I think there is something about it that tastes like apricots 😊

is there a substitute for lucuma?

I suppose you could skip it or use more stevia and/or erythritol. Lucuma adds a mild sweetness and has several health benefits.