Lemon Cake

This keto lemon cake is a moist and fluffy cake that is made in one bowl and full of lemon flavor! No grains and no sugar needed, it’s the PERFECT low carb cake sure to impress! 2 grams net carbs per slice. 

Keto Lemon Cake

When it comes to keto desserts to impress others with, I love making a chocolate cheesecake, peanut butter pie, and this easy lemon cake. 

Whenever I go to my mom’s place, she ALWAYS has a bag of fresh lemons from our lemon tree. I definitely took it for granted that having lemons were stock standard in every household, especially when I moved out of the family home. I remember the shock at seeing the cost of lemons in my supermarket (hello $2 PER LEMON). As such, I’m always trying to use lemons in my desserts, and recently, I’ve been loving adding them to my cakes!

I first tried a fabulous lemon cake at a friend’s birthday a few weeks ago. There was lemon flavor in the cake AND also in the frosting, but without taking over all the cake. I knew after trying it that I had to try it out.

Now, this lemon cake might look incredibly fancy but I promise you it is SO easy to make. It takes less than 25 minutes and is made with just 7 ingredients.

No sugar, no grains, and no butter are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture of the cake is moist and fluffy and with a tender crumb. The cake is sweet and with a subtle lemon flavor, without being overpowering. 

For those of you who are skeptical about lemon desserts, you will LOVE this cake. The lemon isn’t overpowering and it balances the sweetness perfectly.

Ingredients to make a low carb lemon cake

This isn’t your average lemon cake, so the ‘typical’ ingredients will be a little different. Instead of using lemon juice and lemon zest in the cake, we are using a lemon extract. You get all the lemon flavor, without having to change the other ingredients. While you can omit the frosting (the cake tastes fab on its own), it definitely takes the cake up a notch AND gives you an excuse to add extra lemon flavor. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

For the cake

• Blanched Almond Flour– Also known as superfine almond flour, the blanched variety has the skins removed and a powder-like texture. Do not use almond meal or course blends of almond flour, or you risk your cake being gritty. 
• Baking powder– Gives some slight fluffiness to the cake. Unlike traditional cakes, the baking powder will not really work in helping this cake rise much. 
• Coconut oil– Measured in its melted state. Use refined coconut oil, to avoid any potential coconut flavor. 
• Eggs– Room temperature eggs. 
• Granulated sweetener of choice– Either erythritol or monk fruit sweetener can be used. 
• Lemon Extract– We are using lemon extract instead of lemon juice. Please do not substitute the two, as lemon juice can dry out the cake, as there is no milk or water in this recipe. 
• Yellow food coloring– Optional, but gives the cake the vibrant yellow color. 

For the frosting

• Cream cheese– Full fat cream cheese, and softened. You can also use dairy free cream cheese if you prefer to.
• Lemon juice– Adds some extra lemon flavor, without being overpowering. 
• Sugar Free powdered sugar– Also known as keto powdered sugar. 

How do you make a sugar free lemon cake?

Start by mixing together your dry ingredients and set that aside. In another mixing bowl, whisk together your coconut oil, eggs, sweetener, and lemon extract, until combined. If using yellow food coloring, add it at the end. Transfer the cake batter into a greased 9-inch cake pan. Bake the cake for around 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Let the cake cool in the pan completely.

Now, while the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, combine all your frosting ingredients and beat together until thick and creamy. Once the cake has cooled, frost it all over. 

Can I make this cake without eggs? 

I tried this recipe using several egg substitutes including flax eggs and formulated egg replacements. Unfortunately, it did not turn out as I had hoped.

If you’d like to make an eggless cake, make a vegan lemon cake. 

Tips to make the best lemon cake

• The ingredients provided make a single cake with frosting. If you’d like to make a 2 layer cake, double the ingredients. If you’d like a triple layer cake, triple the ingredients. 
• Do not overbake the cake, as it continues to cook as it is cooling down. When a skewer comes out mostly clean, it is ready to be removed from the oven.
• If you own springform pans, use them instead of a traditional cake pan. 

How to store this cake

• To store: As the cake isn’t made with traditional wheat-based flour, and has a frosting, it’s best stored in the refrigerator. Keep the cake covered (in a sealed container or on a plate covered in plastic wrap) and can be refrigerated for up to 7 days. 
• To freeze: Place slices of the cake in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be careful that there are no air pockets and it is completely sealed. 

More keto cake recipes to try

• Red Velvet Cake
• Chocolate Zucchini Cake
• Vanilla Birthday Cake
• Chocolate Cake
• Blueberry Cake