Keto Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Published October 27, 2019 • Updated March 1, 2026
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A six-spice blend with cardamom and cloves (not just cinnamon) makes this low carb spice cake something I come back to every fall. The cream cheese frosting is the finish it deserves.
Most spice cakes lean on cinnamon and call it a day. I wanted something with more depth, so I built a six-spice blend: cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. The cardamom and cloves together are what give this cake its warmth without tasting like a candle. One thing I learned the hard way: cardamom loses its punch faster than the other spices. I replace mine a couple times a year just for this recipe, and the difference between a fresh jar and one that’s been sitting there six months is night and day.
The technique matters here too. I brown the butter first, then bloom the spice blend right in that hot butter for about 15 seconds. That step pulls out the oils in the spices and layers flavor through every bite. It takes an extra two minutes and it’s not optional.
For the cake itself, I use a mix of almond flour and coconut flour. The almond flour keeps things moist and tender while the coconut flour absorbs just enough liquid to give the crumb structure. If you’ve tried my keto gingerbread muffins or my keto pumpkin roll, you know I like this flour combo for anything with warm spices. The molasses extract rounds out the sweetener blend and gives the batter that classic spice cake flavor. If you can’t find it (and it is genuinely hard to source these days), 1-2 tablespoons of real molasses works. I’ve done it both ways.
One thing that surprised me: this cake tastes better the next day. Fresh out of the oven the crumb is a little delicate, almost crumbly. Wrap it and refrigerate overnight, and the texture tightens up completely. That overnight rest is the difference between slices that hold together and ones that fall apart on you. Reader Candace figured this out with cupcakes too. She got about 15 from one batch, baked them around 18 minutes, and said the overnight fridge rest was what made them work.
The cream cheese frosting is straightforward: butter, cream cheese, powdered sweetener, vanilla, and a half teaspoon of the reserved spice blend folded in. I frost it thick. If you like other keto cakes with cream cheese frosting, try my keto pumpkin cupcakes or my keto vanilla cake for a different flavor profile with the same frosting base. For this one, the spice blend in the frosting is what ties the whole thing together.
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Spice Cake Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon -
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
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1/2 teaspoon allspice
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1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
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1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
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1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1 3/4 cup almond flour
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1/2 cup coconut flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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2 eggs
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3 egg yolks
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
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1 cup erythritol
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1/2 cup golden monk fruit or Swerve
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1/2 teaspoon molasses extract
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1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
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5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
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1 1/4 cup powdered erythritol
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8 ounces cream cheese, softened
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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1/2 teaspoon of reserved spice mixture
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 6 inch cake pans and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix the spice blend
Mix together cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves nutmeg and ginger. Set aside. Reserve 1/2 teaspoon of spice mixture for the frosting.
Melt butter
In a skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook until the butter starts to brown and has a nutty aroma. Add the spice mixture and cook while stirring for about 15 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk it
Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients
In a large bowl, add butter, erythritol, golden monk fruit, and molasses extract. Mix together until combined. Add buttery spice mixture and egg mixture and mix until combined.
Mix in flour
Mix in flour mixture, little by little. Add in buttermilk or yogurt and mix until combined.
Transfer & bake
Transfer batter into prepared pans, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Lightly tap the pan against the counter to disodge any air bubbles. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until ready to frost.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular molasses instead of molasses extract?
I've done this myself when I couldn't find the extract. Use 1-2 tablespoons of regular molasses. It adds a few carbs, but the flavor is close enough that I reach for it without thinking twice. Start with one tablespoon and taste the batter.
Can I make this as cupcakes?
I've made these as cupcakes and so have several readers. You'll get about 15 from one batch. I bake them around 18 minutes, checking at 15. The big tip: refrigerate overnight before eating. Fresh cupcakes crumble, but after a night in the fridge the crumb holds together completely. Reader Candace figured this out too.
What sweeteners can I substitute for erythritol?
I've tested a few options. For the cake, any granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar works. I usually reach for Lakanto or Truvia Sweet Complete. For the frosting, use a powdered sweetener (I like confectioner's Swerve or Lakanto baking sweetener in the purple bag). The golden monk fruit in the recipe is Lakanto Golden, their brown sugar substitute. Brown Swerve works the same way. If you're using pure monk fruit, start with half the amount and taste. It gets strong fast.
Why does my cake crumble and how do I fix it?
I noticed this too with my first batch. The almond and coconut flour crumb is more delicate than wheat, and fresh out of the oven it can fall apart. The fix is simple: refrigerate overnight. The crumb tightens up significantly after a night in the fridge. I always bake this a day ahead now. If you're also seeing a flat or dense result, check your cardamom. I replace mine a couple times a year because it loses its punch faster than the other spices, and stale cardamom is the most common reason a batch tastes flat.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've swapped the butter for coconut oil in the cake and it works. Use a 1:1 replacement. For the buttermilk, I use coconut milk yogurt or make a non-dairy buttermilk (a cup of almond milk plus a tablespoon of lemon juice, let it sit 5 minutes). The frosting is trickier. Dairy-free cream cheese brands vary a lot in texture. I've had the best results with Kite Hill for frosting because it whips without getting grainy. If you love fall baking, try my keto pumpkin cheesecake for another warm-spice recipe that handles dairy-free swaps well.
What pan size works for a single-layer cake?
The recipe fills three 6-inch pans. For a single layer, I'd use a 9-inch round. Pour all the batter in and expect a longer bake time. I'd start checking around 30 minutes and go from there. The center should spring back when you press it lightly. If you want something smaller and faster, my keto pumpkin mug cake scratches a similar itch in about two minutes.
Can I cut the frosting sweetener to let the spices come through more?
I've played with this. The frosting is intentionally sweet to balance the cardamom and cloves, but if you want those spices more forward, try cutting the powdered sweetener to about 1/4 cup instead of the full amount. I still get a creamy, spreadable frosting at that level, just less sweet. Reader Rob had the same instinct and suggested about a 20% cut. Either way, taste the frosting before you spread it so you can dial it where you want. If you like a lighter frosting, my keto strawberry cake has a version worth trying.
This is my favorite keto dessert for Fall. Serve it for Thanksgiving or make it just because you love that first cold snap, crunchy leaves, and curling up with a blanket by the fire. A cold Fall day is the perfect time to open those jars of warm spices and get baking.
I use cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. All five together give this cake that warm, spiced aroma.
Top it with the cream cheese frosting and serve with a 
Most spice cakes call for three spices. This one uses five for maximum flavor.
To develop the flavor, I add the spices to a skillet with melted brown butter. When butter browns it gives off a nutty smell that also reminds me of Fall. Heating the spices in that butter brings out their aroma.
Remember to save 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture for the frosting! A little bit of spice in the cream cheese frosting works like a secret ingredient!
I like making tiered cakes rather than one large sheet cake. For this recipe, I used 
Making this frosting is simple: add all the ingredients to a bowl and beat until fluffy. Don’t forget to add 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture from the cake for extra depth!
My daughter made a face at cardamom on the ingredient list. Now it's her April birthday request, so I'm making it again, uneven layers and all.
Birthday request is the highest compliment. And the cream cheese frosting covers everything anyway.
My grandmother made spice cake every October and I'd given up trying to recreate that flavor after going keto. The cardamom is what does it. That specific note I kept missing in every other version. Made this last weekend and just sat with it for a minute. That's the one.
Cardamom was the whole reason I kept reworking this. Most spice cakes skip it or bury it under cinnamon. Glad yours finally tasted like hers.
Brought this to a birthday dinner last weekend and I was honestly a little nervous since I'm not much of a baker. Set it out without mentioning it was keto, and my friend's mom (who bakes constantly and would absolutely notice) asked which bakery it came from. When I told her I made it from scratch, she wanted to know what was in the frosting and why it tasted different from regular spice cake. Pretty sure it's the cardamom, because this doesn't taste like just cinnamon, there's more going on. Four stars only because the layers were kind of small and I really should have doubled it for the group, but I'm making this again.
The bakery thing made my day. And yeah, double it next time - those three 6-inch layers go fast at a party. Scales straight up.
Fresh cardamom makes a real difference. My first batch was flat, and it turned out my jar had been sitting there too long. Grabbed a new one and the spice blend actually came through.
Cardamom loses its punch faster than anything else in that blend. I replace mine a couple times a year just for this cake.
Really solid cake. The spice blend is well-calibrated (cardamom and cloves together, not just cinnamon) and the crumb is genuinely tender. My one note: the frosting is quite sweet -- I'd cut the sweetener by about 20% next time to let the spices come through. But that's a personal preference. Worth making.
Yeah, the frosting is pretty sweet to balance out the cardamom and cloves - if you want those spices up front, cutting back makes sense. I'd try 1/4 cup instead of 1/3, still creamy but more balanced!
If I want to make 1 cake only with this recipe, how many inches should my cake oan be? 18 inches? Lookin so frwd. to malin it for a Canadian Thanksgiving holiday!
You can pour it in any size cake pan but it the baking time will change. It may take longer to bake.
Is xylitol the same as erythritol and can I use that to replace the latter and all the sweetners mentioned in this recipe?
I think xylitol substitutes 1:1 with sugar but check the bag and see. Then use that conversion if needed.
Hi,
I'm new to Keto cooking, so please bear with me as I have some questions about the recipe. The cake recipe calls for "erythritol" and the frosting recipe calls for "powdered erythritol". Is it powdered for the cake recipe as well? Is the golden monk fruit a sugar substitute and is it in powdered form as well? Lastly, is it better to use buttermilk or plain yogurt?
Thank you............................ : )
Hi! You can use any sugar free sweetener that measures cup for cup with sugar. Right now I like to use Lakanto or Truvia Sweet Complete. For the "erythritol" in the cake recipe, just use a granulated sugar free sweetener. The "powdered erythritol" in the frosting, just use a powdered type of sweetener. I usually use confectioner's Swerve but I also like Lakanto baking sweetener (purple bag) for my frostings. The golden monk fruit is referring to Lakanto Golden sweetener - it's their brown sugar substitute. But lately, I use brown Swerve. You can use either buttermilk or plain yogurt. You just want something tangy/acidic. I usually use buttermilk.
Love it!!!
Low Carb'rs and Keto folks are now eating as well as the regular folks!!! Yaaasssssss!!! Awesome!!
Six spices in one cake will do that. The cardamom especially.
I used about half of called for pure monk fruit sweetener and a few small packets of stevia and it turned out great. I made cupcakes and this made about 15, for about 18 minutes or so. Very crumbley at first but refrigerated overnight and they held together a lot better. Moist and delicious. Will make again!
The overnight fridge trick is real with these. The crumb tightens up so much. And that sweetener combo sounds like it hit the right level (monk fruit can get strong quick).
I'm not having any luck locating molasses extract. Could you please point me towards a source? Thanks.
It doesn't look like anyone makes it anymore. You can either omit it or use real molasses in it's place.
Hi, Was wondering if I could use regular molasses in place of the extract and if so how much. Looking forward to making this cake.
Yes, you could. I would use 1-2 tablespoons of molasses
Hi! Thanks, I love the cake. Can i use the recipe for cupacakes?
Yes, You will have to adjust the cooking time. They won't take quite as long. I would check them after 15 minutes.