Mini keto ghost bundt cakes with rich sugar-free white chocolate melted into the vanilla batter, drizzled with more on top, and finished with candy eyes — 3.3g net carbs each. This has been my go-to Halloween dessert for years.
Every October I used to get the same request from my kids: "Can we bake something spooky?"
And every year I tried to come up with something festive that wouldn't turn Halloween night into a sugar-fueled disaster before trick-or-treating even started. My kids are older now, but these little ghost cakes were born out of that exact challenge, and I still make them because they're one of those recipes that just works.
They're mini vanilla cakes baked in a bundt pan, drizzled with a sugar-free white chocolate glaze, and finished with candy eyes so they actually look like little ghosts. If you've tried my Berry Keto Bundt Cake, you already know the format. Same pan, completely different flavor. These are lighter, vanilla-forward, and the white chocolate dripping down the ridges is what sells the whole ghost look (no fondant, no piping bags, no decorating talent required).
The thing I figured out after multiple Halloweens of testing is that the white chocolate needs to go into the batter itself, not just on top. When I first made these, I only used it as a glaze. The cakes looked great but dried out within a couple of hours on the counter. Once I started melting the white chocolate into the batter, the crumb stayed soft and tender even after sitting out all evening while the kids ran around the neighborhood. That's the real difference between this recipe and the ones I've tried from other sites.
The batter is straightforward: almond flour and coconut flour for structure, butter and sour cream for richness, and eggs to bind everything since there's no gluten doing that job. I've tweaked these ratios enough times that the cakes now release cleanly, hold their shape, and taste like actual cake, not a keto experiment. About 3-4g net carbs per cake depending on your sweetener and white chocolate brand.
For the full Halloween table, I like serving these alongside Keto Ghost Meringue Cookies and a Sugar Free Chocolate Graveyard Cake. The ghosts, the meringues, and the graveyard together make a solid low carb spread for a party, and everything can be made ahead.
What each ingredient actually does
Keto baking doesn’t work like regular baking. I can’t just swap almond flour for all-purpose and hope for the best. Each ingredient in this batter has a specific job:
Almond flour gives richness and base structure
Coconut flour absorbs excess moisture so the cakes aren’t soggy
Eggs do the heavy lifting for binding and lift (no gluten here to help)
Butter and sour cream keep the crumb soft even after the cakes cool completely
White chocolate melted into the batter adds fat and flavor that prevents drying out
I’ve used a similar ratio in my keto vanilla birthday cake, and it works because the fats compensate for what you lose without sugar and gluten. Traditional cakes rely on those two things for moisture retention. When you remove them, you have to rebuild the system differently, and this combination does that without tasting like diet food (which was my non-negotiable from the start).
Common problems and how to avoid them
Cakes sticking to the pan
Mini bundt pans need aggressive greasing. I use a pastry brush to work softened butter into every groove, and I mean every groove. Spraying leaves air pockets in the ridges, so the grease never reaches the deepest crevices. Brush it in manually and you won’t lose a single cake. If you want extra insurance, dust the greased pan lightly with coconut flour before adding the batter.
Dense or gummy texture
Almost always too much coconut flour. I measure mine with the spoon-and-level method because coconut flour compacts easily in the measuring cup. Overbaking also causes this. Pull the cakes as soon as the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Mine usually need about 23-25 minutes at 325, not the full time listed.
Cakes collapsing after cooling
They were either underbaked or removed from the pan too quickly. I let mine rest in the pan for a full 10 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack. If you pull them out right away, the structure hasn’t set and the centers sink. Patience here saves the whole batch.
Glaze sliding off
The cakes are still warm. I’ve made this mistake more than once, rushing to decorate before the kids got home. If there’s any residual warmth, the white chocolate melts right in instead of sitting on the surface. Let them cool completely on a wire rack (I give mine at least 30 minutes after unmolding) before drizzling.
Make ahead, storage & freezing tips
I’ve tested every timing scenario with these because Halloween is already chaotic enough without last-minute baking.
Make ahead: I bake the cakes up to 2 days before Halloween and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freeze: The unfrosted cakes freeze well for up to 2 months. I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before glazing.
After glazing: Once decorated with the white chocolate and candy eyes, store in a single layer in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing them after adding the glaze. The texture of the white chocolate changes once thawed, and low carb chocolate is especially finicky after freezing. If you want to get ahead, bake and freeze the naked cakes, then glaze them the day of. I usually pair these with Keto Halloween Cookies and Keto Peanut Butter Cup Cookies for a full Halloween dessert spread.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a mini bundt cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2
Combine dry ingredients
Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
For this step
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3
Cream butter and sweetener
In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add sugar-free sweetener and mix until smooth and fluffy.
For this step
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar free sweetener
4
Add remaining ingredients
Add melted white chocolate, eggs, sour cream and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
For this step
1/2 cup sugar free white chocolate chips
4 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
5
Bake
Using a spoon, add batter into the mini bundt cavities. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and let cook for a few minutes before removing the bundt cakes from the mold.
6
Make them spooky
Decorate each cake by drizzling melted white chocolate over the top and add two candy eyes to make them ghosts.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 bundt cake
Calories
338
Fat
30g
Protein
6.5g
Total carbs
11.6g
Fiber
8.3g
Net carbs
3.3g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these in a regular muffin pan if I don't have a mini bundt pan?
I've done this when my mini bundt pan was already in use. A standard 12-cup muffin tin works fine, but you lose the ridged shape that makes the glaze drip look like ghost robes. Fill each cup about two-thirds full and reduce the bake time to 18-20 minutes (I check at 18). They come out more like cupcake ghosts at that point, which is honestly still fun. If you go the cupcake route, my Keto Hostess Cupcakes use the same muffin tin and might give you decoration ideas.
What sugar-free white chocolate chips work best for the glaze?
I use ChocZero sugar-free white chocolate chips for both the batter and the glaze. They melt smoothly and don't seize up like some brands I've tried. Lily's white chocolate chips also work, though I find them slightly sweeter. Whatever you pick, make sure it's a real white chocolate with cocoa butter, not a vanilla-flavored coating. The cocoa butter matters for how the glaze sets and drapes over the ridges.
Can I make these dairy-free?
I haven't tested a fully dairy-free version, so I can't promise exact results. That said, coconut oil works as a butter replacement (same amount, melted and cooled), and full-fat coconut cream can stand in for sour cream. The tricky part is the white chocolate. Most sugar-free white chocolate contains milk solids, and I haven't found a dairy-free low carb white chocolate that melts well enough for both the batter and the drizzle. If you find one that works, I'd genuinely like to know.
How many net carbs are in each ghost cake?
Each cake comes in at about 3-4g net carbs, which is typical for keto baking with almond flour. My count is based on ChocZero white chocolate chips and allulose as the sweetener. If you use a different brand or sweetener, your numbers will vary slightly. The bulk of the carbs come from the almond flour and the white chocolate.
Can I use a regular-size bundt pan instead of mini?
I've done it once when I couldn't find my mini pan. Pour all the batter into a well-greased full-size bundt pan and increase the bake time to 40-45 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick at 40. You get one big ghost instead of individual little ones, which honestly looks pretty dramatic with the glaze dripping down all those ridges. Just plan on longer cooling time before you unmold. My Keto Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake uses a full-size pan, so the approach is similar.
Why are my bundt cakes sticking to the pan?
This drove me crazy the first couple of years. I was using cooking spray like every recipe suggested, and I lost at least one or two cakes every batch. The fix was simple: switch to a pastry brush and manually work softened butter into every groove. Spraying leaves air pockets in the crevices, so grease never actually reaches the deepest ridges. Once I started brushing, zero sticking. I also let the cakes rest in the pan for a full 10 minutes before flipping, which helps the structure set.
Can I skip the white chocolate in the batter and just use it for the glaze?
I tested this early on, thinking the glaze alone would add enough richness. It doesn't. The cakes without white chocolate in the batter are noticeably drier, especially the next day. Melting the chocolate into the batter is what gives these a soft, moist crumb that holds up even after sitting on a plate for a couple of hours. I'd keep it in. The glaze is cosmetic. The batter chocolate is structural.
Donna, a standard 12-cup muffin tin works fine. I’ve done it when my mini bundt pan was already in use. Fill each cup about two-thirds full and start checking at 25 minutes. The only thing you lose is the ridged shape, so the glaze just pools on top instead of dripping down like little ghost robes.
I’ve been baking keto desserts for four years. This is the only vanilla cake that gets me back to my mother’s pound cake, which she made every Easter in a full-size bundt. She used to fold in white baking chocolate at the end and said it made the crumb softer. Never really believed her until I tried it here. One thing I learned on the second batch: let the melted chips cool to just warm before you add them to the butter mixture, not hot straight from the microwave. Too hot and the butter breaks, the batter goes glossy and grainy. This one has the same density she was going for, not cakey-light the way most almond flour bakes land. I sat with the first one for a few minutes before I drizzled it, trying to figure out why it finally tasted right.
Roberto, the chip temperature thing is the detail I always forget to mention. Too hot and the butter breaks exactly like you said, batter goes glossy. Your mother knew something.
Worked through a bunch of keto vanilla cake recipes and the crumb is always the problem. Here, the white chocolate goes into the batter, not drizzled on top, that changes how fat moves through it in a way butter alone can’t. Still holding together on day two, which is rare. 325 matters for almond flour, goes coarse at higher heat. Sour cream does the same job on moisture. Keeping this one.
Day two is the real test. Most keto vanilla cakes are fine fresh and crumbly by the next morning, the white chocolate in the batter is what holds this one. I landed on 325 after two batches at 350 that came out grainy.
Melted the white chocolate chips in a squeeze bottle set in hot water and it made the drizzle way easier to control. Stayed fluid longer and the ghost shapes actually looked like ghosts instead of a melted puddle.
My kids spotted these on the counter before I even had the candy eyes on and I honestly thought the bundt shape was going to confuse them (they’re 7 and 9 and have strong opinions about food that looks ‘different’). My younger one bit into the first one and immediately called out to her sister to come try it, which if you have kids you know means something real just happened. The sour cream makes them so moist inside, like genuinely bakery-moist, and I think that’s what got her. I made these on a random Sunday just because I wanted something sweet. First time I’ve ever successfully made bundt cakes of any kind and these came out perfect on the first try. Both kids asked me to put them on the regular list. As a beginner baker, I’ll take it.
When one of them calls the other over, that’s the only review that matters. The sour cream is why these don’t taste like keto baking. I use the full 1/3 cup specifically for that.
Tip I wish I had on batch one: spray every single groove in those mini bundt cavities or the ghost shape tears when you flip it. Once I figured that out, these came out so cute. Four stars, but would be five with that one heads-up.
Double boiler for the white chocolate makes a real difference in texture. I got a few seized bits microwaving my first batch, which left the crumb uneven. Switching to a bowl over simmering water fixed that. I also bumped the Lily’s chips to 3/4 cup instead of 1/2, and the white chocolate actually comes through now against the almond and coconut flour. Only thing I’d change is a bit more sweetener to stand up to that richness.
Lily’s chips seize faster than ChocZero, so the double boiler makes sense. And yeah, 3/4 cup is probably the right call against all that almond and coconut flour. I bump the sweetener too when I want more contrast.
First time using my mini bundt pan and I did not expect them to look this good (the white chocolate pools into the ridges and I kept staring at them). The sour cream gives the crumb this soft, almost bakery texture I wasn’t ready for.
Let them cool in the pan 5 minutes before inverting. Every ghost came out with perfect definition, not a single torn edge. Tried swapping 2 tablespoons of the sour cream for softened cream cheese and the texture went from good to freaking bakery-dense.
Two tablespoons of cream cheese and the whole texture shifts that much? Makes sense with the fat content. And yes on the 5-minute rest, I lost so many ghosts before I figured that out.
