This classic yellow birthday cake resembles what my mom used to make, thanks to Pillsbury or Betty Crocker. My keto birthday cake is just as delicious but contains more nutrients! It's decked out with a rich chocolate frosting, moist yellow cake, and it's ready in one hour! This easy cake recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Happy birthday to me! I'm 35 today and making my own keto birthday cake. I'm sure I will eventually regret disclosing how old I am publicly but I'm not there yet. Also, happy 8th birthday to my oldest daughter!
This post needed a bit of an update so I thought it appropriate to republish today, on my 40th birthday, five years after it was first shared! Happy birthday to me again. And my daughter is now 13!
That's right, I share a birthday with one of my babies. When I found out I was due with my second child near my birthday I really hoped I wouldn't have her on the same day. I wanted her to have her own day.
It turned out that it didn't really matter because it has basically become her day anyway. If my husband and I go out to celebrate my birthday we always celebrate before or after because I don't think it would be fair to leave her with a babysitter on her birthday. I'm looking forward to celebrating with her someday with a girls' lunch out and shopping at the mall but we aren't quite there yet.
The classic yellow birthday cake with chocolate icing.
My birth with my birthday baby was long. My water broke on a Friday night and she wasn't born until Sunday afternoon. After having her I was starving but by the time we transferred to the postpartum room the cafeteria was mostly closed. I remembered that there was a piece of hospital chocolate cake on my lunch tray that I didn't eat because, ya know, I was too busy having a baby.
I asked my husband for my cake. He looked at me wide-eyed and admitted he threw it out when he brought my stuff to the new room. I had just given birth, after many, many hours, on my birthday, and he threw out my pathetic piece of hospital birthday cake. It's funny now but I may have cried then.
Can you guess what flavor that was? Yup. Yellow cake with chocolate icing.
Keto Birthday Cake Ingredients
Almond Flour - Almond flour gives a tender crumb in cakes, cookies, and biscuits.
Coconut Flour - Coconut flour helps to balance the oiliness of almond flour since it is naturally drier and absorbs more liquid than other alternative flours. Just a little bit of coconut flour goes a long way.
Sugar-Free Sweetener - I like to use a blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my recipes. By using a combination of sugar alcohols and stevia you can use half the amount required of regular sugar. Since these sweeteners can be more expensive this helps with my food budget. You can purchase this pre-mixed from the Trim Healthy Mama website or mix your own according to my recipe.
Baking Powder - Typical cake ingredient used to help the cake rise.
Vanilla - With the price of vanilla rising I now use Mexican vanilla extract and have been happy with the results.
Butter - I don't think this one needs an intro. I always use salted butter and normally just buy the regular kind from Wal-Mart or Costco.
Eggs - Another typical ingredient used as a binding agent and to help the cake rise.
Yogurt - I used Organic Whole Milk Yogurt when making my birthday cake this year. My husband is a good cook but doesn't bake much so I tend to just make my own desserts. Including my birthday cake. Yogurt makes a cake moist the same way sour cream does. If you prefer you can use sour cream in this.
How to make a keto birthday cake?
It's not any harder to make a low carb birthday cake than a traditional flour and sugar cake. You mix up the batter with a combination of wet and dry ingredients, add some eggs and liquid, pour into baking pans and bake.
The difference is the ingredients that are used.
Step One: Beat together the butter and sweetener in a bowl with an electric hand mixer. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla. Beat in the eggs next, continuing until everything is well mixed.
Step Two: Add the flours, baking powder, and salt, beating until combined.
Step Three: Divide the cake batter evenly among 4 round cake pans lined with parchment paper and cooking oil spray. Spread the batter out evenly.
Step Four: Bake at a temperature of 350°F for 20 to 22 minutes until the surface is golden when lightly pressed with your finger. Cool thoroughly.
Ingredients for Sugar-free Chocolate Frosting:
Butter - I use regular store brand salted butter
Powdered sweetener - a store-bought powdered sweetener works best for icings. It is hard to grind your own sweetener to a fine enough consistency.
Cocoa powder - any brand is fine, choose one that isn't bitter when possible.
Half and half or heavy cream - half and half is half cream and half milk
Whole milk yogurt or sour cream
Sugar-free chocolate chips or chocolate shavings, to garnish, if desired
Expert Tip: Making chocolate shavings is very easy! Simply run a vegetable peeler along the edge of a chocolate bar.
How to make Keto Chocolate Frosting:
This is a basic buttercream-based recipe that has butter combined with powdered sweetener. Adding in cocoa powder makes it chocolate and adding a little yogurt or sour cream balances out the sweetness. It just takes a few minutes and an electric mixer.
Variations
Icing: More varieties of icing to try include Caramel Icing, Keto Cream Cheese Frosting, Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Sprinkles: I get sugar free sprinkles from Etsy. They are made by hand in the US.
Common Questions
Tips for Making a Yellow Cake
Yellow cakes get their color from the yolks of the eggs paired with the butter so make sure to use real butter and whole eggs for this recipe. Alternatively, white cakes like my keto vanilla cake use just the egg whites and coconut oil for a whiter color.
Can I make this with 2 layers? Or 3 layers?
There is something special about layer cakes. And the more layers the better in my opinion. A three-layer keto cake just seems fancier than a two-layer cake. And a four-layer cake beats them all. Since I have four round cake pans I decided to go fancy and make myself and my daughter a four-layer keto birthday cake. If you prefer you can make this a two or three-layer cake, just adjust the baking time accordingly.
How About Cupcakes?
Yes, this batter can also be used for cupcakes!
And if a big cake is just too much check out my adorable birthday themed Keto Mini Cheesecakes!
I hope you love this Keto Birthday Cake!
If you want to try a different low carb birthday cake recipe for your next celebration be sure to check these out:
Low Carb Cupcakes with Strawberries
If it's your birthday Happy Birthday from me!
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Keto Birthday Cake
Ingredients
Yellow Cake Ingredients:
- 4 oz salted butter softened
- ½ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 6 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup whole milk yogurt
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Icing Ingredients:
- 4 oz salted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sweetener
- ½ cup cocoa powder sifted
- 4 tablespoon half and half
- 2 tablespoon whole milk yogurt
- sugar free chocolate chips to garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sweetener until light and fluffy. Add the yogurt and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time mixing after each. Stir in the flours, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined. Divide batter between 4 round cake pans lined with parchment paper and cooking spray.
- Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and the edges are golden. Cool completely.
- Icing Instructions: Beat the butter and sweetener until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and half and half. Beat until smooth. Add the yogurt. Use to ice the cooled cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Published on January 18, 2017. Revised and Republished January 18, 2022.
Brooke says
Hi, I tried to sift through previous comments to ensure you haven't answered this yet and didn't see any similar conversation so here goes. Wondering if you've (or anyone else has) tried a different sweetener besides "Gentle Sweet," i.e. honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar?
Thanks!
Taryn says
I have not. Maybe someone else will chime in 🙂
Nicoleta Roata says
I used splenda and it was so good
Emily says
Can I divide the batter in half rather than in fourths since I only have 2 cake pans?
Taryn says
Yes, but you will need to increase the cooking time. By 5 to 10 minutes is my guess.
Elaine says
This cake looks fabulous!! What size pan do you recommend?
Taryn says
A standard 9 inch round cake pan.
Elaine says
Perfect, thank you!
Nicole says
My husband has a birthday in May and I am practicing keto birthday cakes and was failing miserably until I found your blog. I honestly was just going to make a regular high sugar/high carb cake because nothing tasted right. Your recipe was my practice cake number 7 and it gave me new hope and I just wanted to thank you. I did add an extra egg yoke, but otherwise I followed your directions exactly. Keto baking is tough, but finding resources like your blog makes it SO much simpler!
Diane says
I only use fat free Greek yogurt... Do think that would work? Looks delicious.. Thanks
Taryn says
That should be fine.
Vanessa says
It looks luscious. Did it taste as good as it looks? Scale of 1-10?
Thank you for the recipe. Saving for my June birthday!
Julia says
I hate to ask, but my husband is allergic to almonds so I can't use almond flour. Can you tell me if you think a baking blend would work? Thanks and I can't wait to try it.
Taryn says
I never mind questions but I don't always have an answer 😉 I think you can sub in a baking mix but I've only tried it with almond flour.
Michele says
This looks really good, I look forward to trying it! When I saw your email in my inbox, I immediately said "I like cake!" My hubby and I were getting ready to watch a movie, but I was like, "hold on, I gotta look at this cake!" Thanks for posting, and for all your recipes. Happy birthday!
Mindy Floyd says
Hi Taryn,
As a Trim Healthy Mama, I am truly amazed by you recipes! I love, love, LOVE them!.
I would like to try the yellow cake, but I am unable to get Nancy's products in my area. Do you know what I could use as a substitute for the yogurt?
Thanks
Taryn says
Hi Mindy, you can sub in another plain yogurt if you can't get Nancy's in your area. Thanks 🙂
Katrin says
A belated happy birthday, Taryn. Your cake looks amazing. I really hope you had a fantastic day!
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
Aww. Happy Birthday, friend. How nice that you have a mutual birthday with your daughter. I had a mutual birthday with my Dad's dad. It was always a day that made me think about him. I am sure you and your daughter will cherish this as a very special day as she gets older. This cake looks very good. I'm a sucker for a great yellow cake with chocolate frosting.
Stacey Crawford says
Wow, this is a big, beautiful, wicked good looking cake! I'll have to try this on my Birthday!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Can't go wrong with the classic yellow cake and chocolate frosting, the more layers the better! Happy birthday to you and your daughter!
Georgina says
My birthday's in August. Could I order one for delivery? 🙂
Hollie says
I have Greek yogurt in the fridge right now, do you think I could substitute that for the whole milk yogurt?? That would save me a trip to the store.
Taryn says
Yes, you can sub the Greek yogurt. But I recommend trying Nancy's when you can 🙂
AEK says
Hi,your new post looks great. But I have a question was wondering why I don't receive your new weekly newsletter anymore I have signed up a few times already. Just wondering. Thanks
Taryn says
It's become bi-weekly the last month with the holidays and just busyness of my own life 🙂 The last one was January 6th. Did you receive that one? I'll have a new one going out this weekend.
AEK says
No I didn't receive one since the middle of December . Thanks.
Keri B. says
Happy Birthday! This looks great and I bet it tasted amazing!
Winter says
Happy Birthday to both of you?This looks perfect! Can't wait to try. Last time I made a layer cake, I tripled the recipe I was using...Lol. We had chocolate cake in the freezer for weeks! Love the yellow cake/chocolate combo; always reminds me of Little Debbie's ?
Lana says
What size baking pans are you using? Would the batter get done if only using three?
Taryn says
Standard nine inch pans. Yes, you can just make three layers but you will need to increase the baking time. My guess would be by about five min.
Siobhn says
This looks fabulous!! I'm getting ready to make my own birthday cake tomorrow! I don't have any almond flour on hand. Have you had any success with using THM baking blend in this recipe?! Would you sub 2-1/2c? More? Less?
Blessings!
Taryn says
Hi Siobhn, I have not tried baking blend in this recipe. I try to eat grain free most of the time. I do know it is a little drier than almond flour. I would sub 2 cups and see how the batter feels. It was a typical slightly thick cake batter.
Siobhan says
Wonderful, thanks so much, and happy birthday!!!