Keto Coffee Cake
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My one-bowl keto coffee cake recipe yields a moist, fluffy cake topped with a brown sugar streusel and cinnamon swirl. It’s better than any bakery! 3 grams of net carbs per slice.
When I’m watching my carbs, I suddenly find myself craving sweets at every meal. Ironic? Maybe, but thankfully, I don’t have to deny myself these small luxuries.
Que, my low-carb coffee cake recipe. Like my classic coffee cake, I simply needed to swap a few ingredients with sugar-free staples, and voila! A light and moist coffee cake with the perfect crumb and addictive brown sugar crumble.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- It’s moist and fluffy. I consider myself a coffee cake connoisseur, and I’ve noticed many are quite dry and crumbly. My recipe is the opposite.
- Layers of brown ‘sugar’ and cinnamon. We’re layering the crumb topping between the cake, AND on top, so you get heaps of brown sugar and cinnamon in every bite.
- Enjoy it for breakfast. Pair a slice with a warm mug of keto coffee, and you have the breakfast of champions.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into my low carb coffee cake, along with kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
- Almond flour. I opted for blanched almond flour over almond meal, as almond meal makes for a dense, gritty-textured cake.
- Coconut flour. I used both flours, as coconut flour adds a pleasant cakey texture and delicate crumb.
- Baking powder. Helps the cake rise.
- Salt. Balances out the other flavors.
- Melted butter. Preferably unsalted, since we’re already adding a pinch of salt.
- Granulated sweetener. I used a homemade keto brown sugar made with allulose and monk fruit, but recently retested it with standard allulose, which worked just as well. Swerve will also work.
- Eggs. Use room-temperature eggs, as they’ll blend smoothly into the cake batter.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake!
- Crumbly topping. A delicious mix of almond flour, butter, keto brown sugar (or more allulose), cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
How to make keto coffee cake
Step 1- Mix. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Use a hand mixer to mix the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients until smooth.
Step 2- Crumb topping. In a third bowl, combine the crumb topping ingredients.
Step 3- Assemble. Pour half of the coffee cake batter into the dish, followed by half of the topping. Pour in the remaining cake batter and sprinkle the remaining crumb topping on top.
Step 4- Bake. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out nearly clean. Let the cake cool briefly in the pan before serving.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Bake on the middle rack. Depending on how hot your oven runs, the crumb topping may brown too quickly. I always bake my cake on the middle rack, and if it looks like it’s starting to burn after 25 minutes, I’ll cover the cake with aluminum foil (very loosely).
- Add mix-ins. Fold in some nuts (like walnuts or pecans) or mix some into the crumb topping for added crunch.
- Make keto coffee cake muffins! Pour and layer the batter in a greased muffin tin and bake for 20-23 minutes. I recommend checking at the 20-minute mark and every minute after until they bounce back slightly.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover coffee cake should be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
To freeze: Freeze individual cake slices in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let the cake slices thaw overnight.
Frequently asked questions
The combination of almond flour AND coconut flour is essential for creating the perfect cake. If you want to use one or the other, you may prefer to make my almond flour coffee cake.
Always bake your coffee cake on the middle rack to prevent the tops from burning. If it does look like it is browning too fast, cover the top of the cake with tin oil.
I’ve received this question multiple times, so I thought I’d address it here. Classic coffee cake isn’t supposed to contain coffee. Instead, the cake is supposed to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
“This low carb coffee cake is a great gluten-free and sugar-free dessert that keeps blood sugar levels steady and sneaks in some extra fiber, too.” – Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Keto Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar substitute or allulose
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crumb topping
- 3 ounces butter cold
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar substitute or allulose
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9 x 11-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar substitute until creamy. Add the eggs in, one at a time. Add the vanilla extract, then mix through the dry ingredients until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the crumb topping ingredients until combined.
- Add half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan, then spread half of the crumble mixture on top. Add the last half of the cake batter mixture to cover the middle layer crumble. Then, top with the remaining half of the crumble mixture.
- Bake the coffee cake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Let the cake cool in the pan completely before slicing and serving. If desired, drizzle with a keto powdered sugar glaze.
Notes
- Tips: See my recipe tips for making the best low carb coffee cake.
- Powdered sugar glaze: 1/4 cup of keto powdered sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
- Leftovers: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerated for 1 week. You can also freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
What could I use instead of coconut flour?
Hi Melissa- unfortunately the coconut is a must for this recipe, as it won’t turn out without it. I’ll experiment and see if there’s another option and shoot you an email 🙂
Hello,
Id like to buy a cookbook. Which one has the most sugar free recipes please.
Thank you,
Lulu
Hi Louise- my second cookbook, clean snacks, has plenty of sugar free recipes. I just released a third one, which is air fryer recipes and mostly savory!
There’s no coffee in it?
Nope 🙂 It’s a cake to have with coffee, not a coffee flavored cake.
Can I use flax egg?
Hi Kathy- no that will not work 🙂 This needs the eggs for structure, moisture, and binding. Flax eggs will not replicate that.