This incredibly rich and buttery keto pound cake is made with almond flour and flavored with vanilla and lemon zest. It keeps well for several days in the fridge and several months in the freezer.
This cake is dedicated to my beloved Oma (grandma in Dutch), who was an amazing baker. I miss her buttery baked goods, and I'm doing my best to develop low-carb versions - a tall order, for sure. Several of my baked goods, including these shortbread cookies, were inspired by Oma. But I especially like this keto pound cake because it's rich, buttery, and not too sweet - just like Oma's cakes used to be.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Eggs: Even though the ratio of eggs to the other ingredients is fairly high, the cake doesn't taste eggy.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled.
- Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite. You can use ½ to ¾ cups of granulated sweetener instead of stevia.
- Vanilla extract: You can replace the vanilla extract with pure lemon extract.
- Lemon zest: Please don't skip it. It greatly enhances the cake. You can replace the lemon zest with orange zest.
- Almond flour: I use superfine almond flour. I don't recommend using a coarse almond meal.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer the batter to a parchment-lined, small loaf pan.
Bake the cake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 30 minutes.
Slice and serve.
This is divine. We had an oven in our house, but we didn't really use it. With this recipe, my mom and I started baking. This was really great, and we'll 100% use more of your recipes in the future.
Rakin M.
Read more comments
This is divine. We had an oven in our house, but we didn't really use it. With this recipe, my mom and I started baking. This was really great, and we'll 100% use more of your recipes in the future.Recipe Tips
- Be sure to use a small loaf pan. A standard one (9 X 5 inches) will produce a flat cake.
- The lemon zest (or orange zest) is truly an important part of this recipe. The cake will taste good without it, but it will taste amazing with it.
- There's no need for frosting. This cake is very rich, and a frosting would make it too rich, in my opinion. The bonus: without frosting, I feel completely justified using it as a breakfast or snack cake, not just for dessert! Having said that, when I serve it for dessert, I sometimes splurge and top a slice with keto whipped cream (or chocolate whipped cream) and berries.
Recipe FAQs
It's relatively dense, as it's supposed to be, although it's fluffier than traditional pound cakes or the classic Dutch butter cake. Generally speaking, a pound cake is supposed to be rich and dense.
No. While I'm always open to trying substitutions, in this case, the eggs are an integral part of the recipe. I wouldn't try substituting them for other ingredients.
I only tested this recipe with butter. However, Judy says in the comments below that she successfully used butter-flavored coconut oil.
Once the cake is completely cool, line the bottom of an airtight container with wax paper, place the cake in the container, and store it in the fridge for up to five days. I like to gently warm each slice for about 10 seconds in the microwave.
You can also slice the entire cake and freeze the slices in freezer bags, separating layers with wax paper. If you'd like to freeze it whole, let it cool completely, wrap it in cling wrap and then in foil, and freeze it for up to three months.
Recipe Card
Keto Pound Cake
Video
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray - for the pan
- 5 large eggs
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
- 1 ½ teaspoon stevia glycerite - equals ½ cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest - or orange zest
- 2 cups superfine almond flour - 8 ounces
- Pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder - fresh; gluten-free if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a small loaf pan (8 x 4 inches) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang, as shown in the photo. Lightly spray the parchment paper with oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, sweetener, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the lemon zest, almond flour, kosher salt, and baking powder.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and tap the pan on the kitchen counter a few times to help spread the batter evenly.
- Bake the cake until puffed, golden, and fragrant, and a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack. Let it cool slightly until easier to handle, then use the parchment overhang to remove the cake from the pan. Carefully peel the parchment away and place the cake directly on the cooling rack. Cool for 30 more minutes.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
- I use Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour. One cup of this flour weighs 4 ounces, so two cups weigh 8 ounces (dry measurements are different from liquid measurements). It's best to measure almond flour by weight, not by volume.
- Dairy-free option: I only tested this recipe with butter. However, Judy says in the comments below that she successfully used butter-flavored coconut oil.
- It's important to use a small loaf pan. A standard loaf pan will result in a flat cake.
- The lemon or orange zest is truly an important part of this recipe. The cake will taste good without it, but it will taste amazing with it.
- You can use ½ to ¾ cups of granulated sweetener instead of stevia.
- You can replace the vanilla extract with pure lemon extract for a lemony flavor.
- Storage: Once the cake is completely cool, line the bottom of an airtight container with wax paper, place the cake in the container, and store it in the fridge for up to five days. I like to gently warm each slice for about 10 seconds in the microwave.
- You can also slice the entire cake and freeze the slices in freezer bags, separating layers with wax paper. If you'd like to freeze it whole, let it cool completely, wrap it in cling wrap and then in foil, and freeze it for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Bobt says
No rating, because I produced a disaster with the center caving in and middle not cooked that I am sure had nothing to do with the original recipe. I must say the ends and sides were very tasty but the middle was a gooey mess.
Pretty much followed the recipe, except using 5/8 cup(130g) granulated allulose/monkfruit blend and then I believe my problem was in my substitutes for the 1 Tbsp lemon zest that I did not have. Per my internet research, I used 1 tsp lemon extract + 2 Tbsp lemon juice.
I did cook at 350 for 30 minutes, but it was getting very brown and toothpick appeared to be clean, so I decided not to cook more. Big Mistake!
Any suggestion for having no zest?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hey Bob
It sounds like the cake had too much liquid because you added lemon extract and lemon juice.
It's better to skip the zest altogether than to add liquid.
But my best suggestion is to wait until your next grocery run and purchase a lemon or an orange. 🙂
--
Edited to add a general baking tip: When a cake needs more time in the oven but is already brown, you can loosely cover it with foil and continue baking.
Linda says
I don’t have unsalted butter. Can I just omit the salt and use salted butter?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Linda,
I don't think so. We're using a large amount of butter in this recipe. The pinch of salt is designed to highlight the other flavors. Using salted butter would result in the cake tasting slightly salty.
Judy M says
Excellent! We give it five stars. Hubby ate his with strawberry slices. I am going to make whipped cream for the next slice!!
I made it dairy free by using butter flavored coconut oil.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you and your husband liked this cake, Judy! Thanks for sharing your dairy-free tweak.
Sharon Miller says
Is there a substitute for butter in this recipe?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Sharon,
The butter is an important component of this recipe, but you could try using 6 tablespoons of melted ghee or oil. If the batter seems too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
Judy M says
I don’t know if you’ll ever check back here, but I made it really nicely with coconut oil instead of butter
Kathy says
I need to know how much stevia powder to use and will it be all right not to use the glycerite. Does the glycerin in this product help with the texture of the cake. Should I add some vegetable glycerin with the powdered stevia. Thanks.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Kathy,
Simply use powdered stevia to equal 1/2 cup of sugar (or 3/4 cup if you like your baked goods very sweet).
The glycerin in the product is a tiny amount and does not affect the cake's texture.
Rakin M. says
This is divine. We had an oven in our house, but we didn't really use it. With this recipe, my mom and I started baking.
Changes We Made:
We didn't have large eggs, so we used 7 small eggs.
We added keto dark chocolate chips at the end.
We used sucralose instead of stevia.
Overall, this was really great, and we'll 100% use more of your recipes in the future.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you and your mom liked this recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to review it and for sharing your substitutions.
Mandy says
Could you use Erythritol instead...maybe 1/2 cup?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Mandy,
Yes! That should work. Use 3/4 cup if you like your baked goods very sweet.