Looking for a dessert that is soft, buttery, and melts in your mouth? This easy Keto Butter Cake is a homerun! It’s got an incredible crumb, is moist, and leaves a lasting impression on anyone who tastes its sweet goodness. Not only is my gooey butter cake keto, but it’s also low carb, gluten-free, and grain-free too.
One of my favorite desserts of all time is a gooey butter cake. Obviously, I love it because it tastes so good, and the texture is incredible. Soon after I first got married I bought the Cake Mix Doctor cookbook and tried dozens and dozens of the recipes in that book. After cleaning up my diet and no longer using cake mix I've had the pleasure of converting those old favorites to low carb recipes.
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I really enjoy making this gluten free keto butter cake recipe because everyone else loves it too. Even my husband who is normally not a dessert guy. It feels good to serve a treat and have everyone rave about how delicious it is.
If you have a new family move into your neighborhood or want something special to serve for Mother’s Day, this butter cake recipe will save the day! Seriously, any reason you can think of it’s a great idea to make this low carb version of a classic gooey butter cake, so time to head in the kitchen and get busy.
What You’ll Need For a Keto Gooey Butter Cake
This is based on my low carb Keto Butter Cookies with just a few tweaks. Take a look at what you need:
- Butter - You’ll need softened butter for the cake itself and some melted butter for the topping. It needs to be salted for the best results.
- Cream Cheese - To get the decadent and unique flavor out of this cake, you need cream cheese. There is no substitute. Just make sure it’s softened before you begin.
- Sweetener - My sweetener is the perfect combination and gives the keto cake the ideal amount of sweetness. I do leave a few alternatives in the notes in case you want to use something different.
- Eggs - They are the binder for the ingredients. I like to use room temperature eggs when baking, but it’s not required.
- Vanilla - Vanilla extract really highlights the other flavors in the keto butter cake and makes all the difference.
- Almond Flour - To get the soft and rich texture, using almond flour is a must. There aren’t any substitutions that I have used that gave the same results.
- Powdered Erythritol - It’s needed for both the cake and the topping.
- Baking Powder - Using baking powder gives the butter cake the ideal texture.
How To Make Keto Butter Cake
Okay, let’s get busy with these step-by-step directions so you can whip up your own gooey butter cake.
Step One: Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease your pan.
Step Two: Combine the butter, sweetener, and cream cheese using a mixer. (Either a handheld or stand mixer work).
Mix in the eggs and vanilla and combine well.
Step Three: Mix in the flour and powdered erythritol until incorporated.
Step Four: Spread the cake batter into the baking dish.
Then drizzle with melted butter and add the powdered sweetener.
Step Five: Bake the cake for 30-32 minutes or until it’s golden brown and doesn’t look wet on top.
Expert Tip: Never overbake this cake, or it won’t be gooey, and the texture will be off.
Which Keto Flour Is Best For Baking?
This recipe really needs almond flour. There really isn’t’ anything else that is going to compare and give you gooey butter cake. I don’t really recommend anything else, but if you do have luck, be sure to let us know so we can try it too. But, my hunch is that coconut flour will not work in this.
Do I Need To Refrigerate Keto Butter Cake?
It’s not required to keep this low carb gluten free cake in the fridge, and it will last about 2 days at room temperature. However, it will last even longer if you do store it in the fridge. For the best results, be sure to warm it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving. When you chill the cake, it will last more like 3-4 days. No matter how you store the cake, be sure to keep it airtight.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Of course, you can double pretty much any recipe without too many problems. You will need to use two pans, so they bake properly. Or if you have an extra-large cake pan, that would work too. You just need to make sure that the top of the cake doesn’t cook too fast and the middle cooks evenly.
Is It Okay To Freeze Keto Butter Cake?
Yep! It freezes great and is terrific to have on hand. I like to wrap each piece up with tin foil or plastic wrap. Then put the pieces inside of a freezer bag. Then you can grab out a piece or two as needed. Or if you want to freeze the entire cake, that’s fine too. I still recommend covering it with aluminum foil to help protect it. It lasts in the freezer for 3-6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then microwave before serving.
And, I love this cake so much I also turned it into a Keto Peach Cobbler!
Ingredients
- 4 oz salted butter softened (not melted)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2.5 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup powdered sweetener
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Topping:
- 4 oz salted butter melted
- ¼ cup powdered sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan.
- Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sweetener with an electric mixer. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix. Add in the rest of the dough ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Spread in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the melted butter over the cake and sprinkle with the powdered sweetener.
- Bake for 30-32 minutes until the cake is barely golden and no longer look wet on top. Do not over bake or you will lose the gooey butter cake texture.
- Store at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, the cake can go in the refrigerator but pieces need to be warmed before serving for the right texture.
Notes
Nutrition
Tania Center says
This is delicious. I made some substitutions and read your comments after it was in the oven. I was preparing to make this recipe and noticed I only had 1 cup of almond flour and the rest coconut flour. So I used 1 cup almond and 1 1/2 cups coconut flour. When mixing the batter became thick so as stated on coconut bag recipe, I added milk to thin it out about 1 cup. I accidentally left the powdered sugar out of the batter. I didn’t feel that it was cooked throughout at 30 minutes. I left it in the oven for an hour. It is still moist and gooey. It is delicious. It is moist and sweet. The addition of the powdered sugar that I left off would’ve been perfect. My husband and mother n law like it!
Teresa says
turned out perfectly tasty!
Barbara says
I used Lankanto monk fruit sweetener for the granuale part and Swerve confectioners. This cake is so good. I've make a lot of keto desserts and I'd give this a 4.5. I will make it again. Delish!
Katrina says
Can you just use the gluten free flour?
Taryn says
Maybe. I haven't tested it. If you do please let me know how it turns out.
Amber P says
Best keto dessert recipe I have yet to make.
Penny says
Had to have more than one piece. Very easy to make. Spring form pans leaked so would use a regular glass baking dish
Whitney says
Using monk fruit lakanto brand and following the authors recommendation, this was just… terrible. What worsened the taste was the waste of resources, which are expensive.
If you are thinking of making this I would suggest JUST USING the authors ingredients. The idea that you can sub using her recommendations is not worth the risk to your pantry.
Taryn says
I'm sorry it didn't come out with monk fruit. There are so many sweetener options out there and I can't test them all. Normally substitutions do work.
By terrible do you mean it was too sweet? Had an aftertaste? Or something else?
If it was too sweet one tip to save any baked good is to crumble, mix it with cream cheese, and make cheesecake balls. That will cut the sweetness.
Barbara says
I used Lakanto monk fruit and it worked fine. Thanks for the recipe.
Wendy says
Mine had a bitter taste. Don’t understand.
Taryn says
Hi Wendy, which sweeteners did you use? I've never heard of this having a bitter taste before.
Denise says
How about I add some blueberries?
Taryn says
Sure! I use this as base for my cobbler recipes: Blackberry Cobbler and Peach Cobbler
Marci says
This recipe is dangerous!!! SO GOOD I had to cut it up and freeze it in pieces lest I eat the whole thing!!!