Keto Apple Cake is moist, easy to make, and incredibly delicious. Perfect for all the parties and gatherings you have planned. Tangy Granny Smith apples, fluffy cake, the ideal amount of cinnamon and no refined sugar added, this almond flour apple cake is going to be a hit. It’s gluten-free, grain-free, low carb, and keto-friendly.
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This is one cake recipe that you may even want to eat for breakfast! I mean...it has apples in it, so why not? It’s certainly good enough to start the day with. I can’t help it; this soft, fluffy almond flour apple cake calls my name.
Now that I am sharing this sugar free apple cake recipe with you, I am confident you will enjoy making it every once in a while. If you miss eating apples since going keto, trust me, many people can relate. I think most of us think that once you start a low carb lifestyle that you will never get to enjoy the flavor of apples again. Thank goodness that isn’t true.
You simply need to be careful and smart with how you go about making it. This recipe calls for 2 cups of apples and makes 18 large servings. So basically, this means each piece is going to be 4.3 Net Carbs. As you can see it’s not going to completely ruin your carbs for the day! As a matter of fact, it’s pretty easy to incorporate a gluten free keto apple cake or my apple cider donut cake into your diet from time to time.
Ingredients Needed
When you bite into this sugar free apple cake, I am certain you’ll be so glad you made it. It’s pretty low-key, and there aren’t a ton of ingredients or directions.
Cake Ingredients:
- Almond Flour - Don’t use just fine almond flour; it’s best to combine it with coconut flour. Using the two flours together helps balance the oiliness of the almond flour. If you want a bit of a heartier texture you can use almond meal.
- Coconut Flour - You’ll just need ½ cup of coconut flour to get the best texture.
- Coconut Oil - Use refined coconut oil, so it doesn’t taste like coconut. Butter flavored coconut oil works well too.
- Sour Cream - Substitutions would be Greek yogurt or even cottage cheese.
- Joy Filled Eats Sweetener - I use a combination of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my low carb recipes. I find that this combination tastes the most like sugar while being economical because you use half the amount of most other sweeteners.
- Eggs - If you want to lighten this up a bit you can use all egg whites.
- Vanilla - Vanilla extract is a must when baking to highlight the other flavors.
- Baking Powder - A leavening agent to help the cake rise. Look for aluminum-free baking powder.
- Salt - A pinch of salt enhances the other flavors of the keto apple cake.
Apple Cinnamon Filling:
- Granny Smith Apples - Using fresh Granny Smith apples gives you a tart and delicious flavor. They are my favorite to bake with, especially for this sugar free cake. Or you can sub in jicama using this method.
- Brown Sugar Sweetener - You can use commercially packed brown sugar sweetener, or you can make your own by mixing 1 teaspoon of molasses into 1 cup of sweetener.
- Butter - It will need to be melted for the best results.
- Almond Flour - I add a little bit into the filling to balance some of the moisture
- Cinnamon - A must for any apple recipe!
How To Make Sugar Free Keto Apple Cake
There are only 4 steps to make this low carb keto apple cake, and they are all super simple. This reminds me of an apple cider cake or a decadent apple coffee cake to serve for brunch!
Step One: Warm the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare a baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray.
Step Two: Combine the flour, coconut oil, sour cream, sweetener, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Spread evenly in the 9x13 inch casserole dish or cake pan.
Expert Tip: The batter is going to be super thick, and that is normal.
Step Three: Mix together the apples, brown sugar sweetener, melted butter, almond flour, and cinnamon.
Spread the sugar free apple mixture on top of the cake batter.
Step Four: Bake the almond flour apple cake for 40 minutes or until it’s firm to the touch. You can insert a toothpick in the center to test doneness. It should come out dry when done.
Can I Use Different Apples in Keto Apple Cake?
Yes, you sure can. I am a fan of Granny Smith in general for baking because they hold their shape, so that’s usually what I reach for. They are also one of the lowest carb apples. There isn't too much difference in the amount of carb in an apple so you can really just use the ones you prefer.
However, there are many other varieties of apples that would work well in a low carb apple cake. The biggest thing you need to consider is choosing something that won’t just turn to mush as it bakes. Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Honey Gold, and Gala are all great choices too.
Can I Leave The Peels On The Apples?
No, the peel won't soften enough and will leave the cake with an odd texture so it’s a good idea to remove the skin. It only takes a few extra minutes and will give you a much better low carb grain free cake in the end.
How Many Carbs in an Apple?
There are 25 carbs in an apple and 4.4 grams of fiber.
This brings us to the next question...
Are Apples Keto?
Not really. And definitely not in large quantities. BUT I believe that small amounts of fruit can be eaten in moderation. This recipe uses 2 cups of apples which is about 2-2.5 apples divided between 18 pieces. That means that each piece has approximately ⅛th of an apple. This is enough to get that apple flavor and texture with minimal carbs. I use the same logic with my keto apple muffins.
If you would like an even lower carb option you can make this keto apple cake with jicama instead by using the method I use in my Keto Apple Crisp.
Can I use a Bundt Pan?
I haven't tried this recipe in a bundt pan but I don't see why it wouldn't work provided you grease the pan really well. I would put ⅓ of the batter, then the filling, and then the rest of the batter and gently swirl it a bit. A low carb apple bundt will take longer to bake. My guess is 45-50 minutes at 350.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup refined coconut oil melted
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Apple Cinnamon Filling
- 2 cups granny smith apples peeled and chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar sweetener
- 6 oz butter melted (1.5 sticks)
- 2 tablespoon almond flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Mix together all the cake ingredients. Spread in the prepared pan. This is a VERY thick batter.
- Mix together the filling ingredients. Spread on top of the cake batter.
- Bake at 350 for 40 min or until the cake is firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with a few moist crumbs when it is done.
Notes
Nutrition
Christina says
Can you sub apple sauce instead of the sour cream or yogurt for me it’s the dairy that why I ask??
Taryn says
I think that would work. I normally recommend coconut cream as a sub since it is closer to sour cream in fat content.
Lisalia says
So excited to have a perfect autumn dessert that has apples AND fits into my keto plan. So moist and yummy. Thanks for this excellent recipe. And if people are concerned about their carbs... they can have a smaller piece - or opt to make any of your other delicious desserts! Thanks Taryn!!
Gina says
Loved the combo of almond and coconut flour in this cake. Very nutty, hearty and moist!
Steph says
This turned out excellent! Thank you! Im trying to keep the desserts low carb so the whole family finds it tasty & the rest of the time I’m the only one on keto to keep healthy blood glucose levels & less medicine. The only changes I made was using low-fat cottage cheese because I was out of sour cream and I used Splenda brown sugar that is half brown sugar and half sugar substitute. Family loved it and it really tasted great! I’m a very direct & to the point type person & I always get mistaken for being rude. Don’t take it personal as everyone reads thing differently.
Susan Stroud says
You could use zucchini to replace apples in this recipe, cut the carbs but not the flavour
Michelle says
Hello Taryn. I wanted to let you know that my family LOVES this cake.
One day while we were eating a piece I commented that it reminds me pineapple and that got my wheels turning.
I bought pineapple flavoring for the next cake I made and it was great. I thought I would share that idea and thank you for all the wonderful recipes you make.
Kind regards
Diane says
Hi Taryn
I’m looking forward to trying this. I am not familiar with the brown sugar sweetner. Do you make your own?
Thank you for all the great recipes!
Taryn says
You can make your own by mixing 1/2 tsp of molasses into 1/2 cup of a granulated sweetener. I normally buy lakanto or swerve brown sweetener.
Ellen says
This was a great recipe, I made it exactly as written with the molasses in the sweetener blend. I make my own blend of erythritol and stevia because I find the “cooling” affect of pure erythritol a bit too much sometimes. I never realized that you could make brown sweetener by adding molasses, that was a great tip!
Thanks for the free recipes you create for us and the detail that you add!
Ellen
Wendy says
Delicious!
Barba says
Could you make this in a bundt pan?
Taryn says
My only concern is sticking. It would be gorgeous with the apples in first and then flipped upside down, as long as they don't stick. I would recommend greasing it really well and sprinkling it with a thin layer of almond flour right before adding the batter.
Helen Geiger says
The taste is outstanding - but my cake turned out a little dry and VERY crumbly. And tho I sprayed the pan very well, I had a hard time getting the pieces out because it fell apart.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Taryn says
Did you make any substitutions? This has been very moist any time I have made it.
Linda Dunda says
I made this recipe last night. I don't eat sugar because I have been healed of diabetes by following a low carb/no sugar way of eating. So I opted to try something and see if I could make it work and it did. I replaced the apples with a mixture of chopped zucchini and yellow squash. I did deviate a little from the recipe as I put all the filling mixture in a saucepan because I knew the zucchini/squash would give off a lot of water that I didn't want on the cake so I cooked the squashes for a few minutes and added 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to thicken it up. Then I topped the cake batter with the "apple" topping and finished the recipe. It was delicious. No one knew it wasn't apples. I was proud that I pulled it off...lol
Venancia says
OMG I loved this recipe! Thank you so much for the detailed information on what to use as far as sweetner and brown sugar. I also loved that you gave substitutions and explained that this is dirty keto and gave options for those who are strict keto. I appreciate the attention to detail! Your extra mile helps us who have to guess on what to put on our end. Thanks again! I will be making this for a family gather!
Loretta Stringfellow says
I made this yesterday and it is delicious! My husband who is on no diet plan loves it too. Thank for your awesome recipes.
Jen says
Do you think King Arthur Keto Flour would work instead of the almond/coconut flour combo? I can’t use either of those due to a food allergy in the family.
I also won’t be able to use the coconut oil, but I will use avocado oil or butter instead.
Taryn says
I'm sorry but I can't say. I haven't tried that flour yet so I don't know how to convert to it. If you do want to try it you could half or even quarter the recipe to make a small cake in case it doesn't work.
Jen says
Ok! Thank you!
Joni says
I have not made this yet, but I am definitely going to. I have made several of your recipes and have loved everyone of them. I am a big fan and your site is my very favorite out of at least 20+ that I have searched for finding Keto, low-carb recipes. You have such a great variety, especially your sweets! Keep up the great work!
Deb says
Hi Taryn,
Could butter be used instead of coconut oil? BTW I love your recipes <3
Taryn says
Sure! I've found that coconut oil makes the cake a little fluffier but butter works too.
Rhonda Brougher says
Is there a general rule of thumb for substituting THM baking blend for the almond flour in your recipes? Do you have any experience with that?
Taryn says
I just recommend using a bit less. The oat fiber in baking blend makes it dried than almond flour.
Laurie says
Apples are not keto.
Taryn says
Did you read this? I talk extensively about this and give the option to use jicama instead.
Roberta says
Astonished by your totally sconcerning reply... I mean: I know (because, before receiving an aggressive acid response, yes: I have read the entire page start to finish) that you explained your point of view about the minimal amount of apple required by your recipe in the contest of the portion size etc., and also yourself admitted that "apple are not keto", but in the end, aside the fact that everyone reacts his own way and has a certain carb-tolerance with a treshold that may vary depending on a lot of things, the uncontestable point remains that apples are not considered a good option for keto: so who needs to apply a label "keto" on this recipe? Simply call it "low carb, sugar-free, THM, grain-free", tehn everyone will be conscious of other details and make his/her own choiche, no need to force something to pass for something that it actually isn't. And this without under-rate the value of the recipe. Anyway, there are lots of more "keto" "apple pie without apples", you indeed suggested yourself an alternative in this direction, and I permit myself to add the various versions with zucchini instead of apples, with or without adding few drops of apple flavor or extract to obtain also an aromatic profile that combined to the similar consistence given by properly cooked and mixed zucchini guarantee pretty decent results. Ok, I think that the point (an humble point of view, legit and not aggressive at all in my case...) is clear enought, so I really hope you haven't misunderstand my intention that was simply to find some balance in more acceptance and less polemic or aggressive reaction from you to a simple -yet, I can agree- not so relevant by itself- statement. Thanks for the space given to my thoughts.
Taryn says
I'm sorry if I came across the wrong way. The comment was not relevant and was already addressed in the post. I get hundreds of comments daily. The fact is that in my opinion apples can be used in a keto diet and people are searching for 'keto apple cake' on google and looking for recipes. So I made one that I think can fit into a keto diet.
Matt says
Laurie,
There are no right or wrong foods in keto. Ketosis is a metabolic state. As long as you know how your body reacts and you can stay in that state you can eat certain foods in moderation. One apple might be too many carbs but 1/8 of an apple is not going to throw you out of ketosis. It may not work for you but for some it can.
Helen says
Laurie, you go on and on about Taryn's reply being scoring, yet my impression of your comment was that you were rude and the comment was uncalled for. Taryn explained thoroughly and reasonably why she considers apples Keto and gave an option. So all anyone who doesn't think apples work in Keto and doesn't want to try the jicama option can just close the post and go on with their life. If you absolutely must comment, why not say, "I read your explanation why you think apples can work in Keto, but I feel that apples should not be used because ....." My thought reading the post was that it would help me when I feel deprived to have a once in a while treat, and so make it easier to stay on Keto. I made my husband an apple pie last autumn and gave in and had a piece. If I had this recipe then I could have made both and had something that sounds delicious for me to eat instead of the sugar laden. pie.
So I thank you, Taryn, for wanting to make our lives easier and have more variety. I will be making this today!
Helen says
I am sorry, my reply was supposed to be on Roberta's comment. I apologize to Laurie!
Susan says
Oh good grief, keep scrolling if this doesn't appeal to you, Do you honestly think you know more than the rest of us? Many people can eat small amounts of apples and stay in ketosis. No diet police needed here.
Jennifer says
I have coconut sugar. Do you think that would work well in this recipe? Thanks
Taryn says
Yes, I think so.