Keto Fruit Cake

Name: Keto Fruit Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: Avocado oil spray (for pan); 4 large eggs; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled); 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoons stevia glycerite (equals 1/2 cup of sugar); 1 tablespoon orange zest; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1½ cups superfine almond flour; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1 cup chopped walnuts

Jump to Recipe

This keto fruit cake tastes wonderfully nutty and rich without being cloyingly sweet. With a prep time of just 15 minutes, it's also very easy to make, and the leftovers are really good!

Keto fruit cake, sliced, is served on a white tray.

Fruit cakes can be dense, heavy, and filled with fake-colored dried fruit. But when made right, they are delightful. My version is moist, fluffy, and flavorful. The nuts get toasted as the cake bakes, and the dried cranberries melt into the sweet (but not overly so) batter. Much like this keto gingerbread, this cake makes the perfect low-carb breakfast!

Ingredients

Here's a look at the ingredients needed to make this cake. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Unsalted butter: I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will work.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite. You can use a granulated sweetener instead.
Orange zest: Adds great flavor, so please don't skip it.
Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Almond flour: I use superfine almond flour. I don't recommend using coarse almond meal.
Baking soda: Helps the cake rise and ensures it's nice and fluffy.
Dried cranberries: Just ½ cup to make sure the carb count stays relatively low.
Chopped walnuts: They add wonderful flavor and a lovely crunch.

Variations

Add a pinch of ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
Use brandy instead of vanilla extract.
Replace half the dried cranberries with raisins or any other dried fruit, diced.
Pecans make a good substitute for walnuts in this recipe.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this cake:

Whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla, stevia, orange zest, and kosher salt.

Add the almond flour and baking soda, then fold in the cranberries and walnuts.

Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and bake the cake for about 30 minutes in a 350°F oven.

Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack, then use the parchment “handles” to lift it out of the pan. Place the cake on the cooling rack, allow it to cool for 10 more minutes, then slice it into 14 thin slices and serve.

Expert Tip

This is a very rich cake, so you should cut it into thin slices - thinner than you normally would. I cut mine into 14 slices.

Recipe FAQs

What makes a good fruit cake?

A good fruit cake should not be dense, heavy, or overly sweet. It should definitely not be filled with fake-dyed "fruit." It should be moist, yet light and fluffy, gently flavored with vanilla and orange, and dotted with real, non-dyed dried fruit and toasted nuts.

How do you keep this cake low-carb?

I use dried fruit sparingly to keep this cake as low-carb as possible, and I use only cranberries as the dried fruit because they are so pretty and give me the most bang for my carb bucks.

How do you flavor this cake?

I use vanilla and orange zest. My cake does not contain cinnamon because I don't want it to overwhelm and mask the other flavors.

This cake does not contain alcohol, simply as a personal preference. But you can use brandy instead of vanilla extract if you wish.

Serving Suggestions

This cake is perfect as a breakfast (with coffee or iced coffee), snack, or dessert. It's great all by itself, but if you're serving it for dessert, you can top it with a dollop of keto whipped cream.

Storing Leftovers

Once completely cool, wrap the cake in cling wrap, and then in a layer of foil. Wrapped this way, it keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days. I cut a slice and warm it slightly in the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying it.

You can also freeze the whole wrapped cake or freeze individual slices in a freezer bag, separated with wax paper squares.