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Keto Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

22 ratings

Every fall I come back to this keto spice cake, warm with cardamom and cloves in a six-spice blend (not just cinnamon), topped with the cream cheese frosting it deserves. 5.5g net carbs and 10.2g protein.
  • 5.5gnet carbs
  • 10.2gprotein
  • 50minutes
  • 8servings
slice of keto spice cake
keto spice cake on a plate next to a serving spatula
keto spice cake with cinnamon sticks and cloves
a slice of spice cake cut from the cake
spice cake topped with almond slices
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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.

whole keto spice cake on a plate

I like to serve a slice of this cake with a scoop of my keto vanilla ice cream.

spices mixed in brown butter

The spice blend blooms in the browned butter before it goes into the batter.

Baking It in a Different Pan

You can bake this batter in a rectangular baking dish, a larger round pan, or a cupcake pan instead of three 6 inch pans. Cupcakes bake faster. A larger pan takes longer, so lower the oven to 325 degrees. That way the center bakes through before the edges dry out.

frosted spice cake

The frosting goes on thick once the layers have cooled.

Storing and Making It Ahead

finished cake in a pan

Store the cake in an airtight container, in the refrigerator or at room temperature. To make it ahead, bake the layers first and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. You can make the frosting ahead too. Wait until the day you serve the cake to frost it.

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The recipe

Keto Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pin
Prep 15 min Cook 35 min Total 50 min Serves 8

Ingredients

Servings 8

Spice Cake Ingredients

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. 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.

    parchment lined cake pan

  2. 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.

    spices in a small bowl

  3. 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.

    spice mixture and butter heated in a skillet

  4. Whisk it

    Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

    dry ingredients in a small bowl

  5. Whisk the eggs

    In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla. Set aside.

    egg mixture in a small clear bowl

  6. 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.

    butter mixture with molasses extract

  7. Mix in flour

    Mix in flour mixture, little by little. Add in buttermilk or yogurt and mix until combined.

    finish spice cake batter in a bowl

  8. Transfer and bake

    Transfer batter into prepared pans, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Lightly tap the pan against the counter to dislodge any air bubbles. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until ready to frost.

    spice cake batter in a cake pan ready to bake

  9. Cream cheese frosting

    To make the cream cheese frosting, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth and fluffy. About 5 to 7 minutes. Frost cake once the cake is cooled.

    cream cheese frosting in bowl

Nutrition

Per serving: 1 slice

Calories
450
Fat
42.2g
Protein
10.2g
Total carbs
11.2g
Fiber
5.7g
Net carbs
5.5g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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?

The frosting is intentionally sweet to balance the cardamom and cloves, but if you want those spices more forward, cut the powdered sweetener by about 20 percent, to about 1 cup instead of the full 1 1/4 cups. Reader Rob landed on that same 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.

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Reviews

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4.7 from 22 ratings, 11 written

Made this recipe?

Replying to Dani

Your rating

Sarah

Doubling the ginger is the tweak that finally did it for me! The cake as written is good but a little mellow next to that much frosting, and a full teaspoon gives it a sharper warm edge. Fourth time making it and I’m not going back. Your spice blend takes the change really well, thank you!

Reply

Lauren

5.5 net carbs a slice made me think I could portion the whole thing out, so I cut all eight and froze six wrapped individually. They thaw on the counter in about an hour, and the spice is stronger on day three than the day I baked it, which I didn’t see coming. Frosting holds up fine through the freeze too.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The day three thing is real, I’ve noticed the cardamom and cloves keep blooming for a couple days after it comes out of the oven. Freezing all eight wrapped individually is smarter than what I do, which is half a cake in foil. Thank you for the freezer report, Lauren!

Reply

Lauren

That makes sense, I always figured spices would fade over a few days instead of getting stronger. Might just leave the next one whole for a couple days before I cut it up.

Reply

Camila T.

First keto cake and I went straight for the complicated one: six spices, brown butter, three pans. All of it worked. Almost dialed back the cardamom, which would’ve been a mistake. Four stars from me (layers stacked crooked, user error). Should the brown butter go past golden, or is just-golden the call?

Reply

Annie Lampella

Camila, past golden. The milk solids need to go amber and there’s a nutty smell right when you’re close. I pull mine the second I catch that smell or it tips bitter.

Reply

Lorraine

Picky about what I bring to other people’s tables, so this had to earn it. The frosting looks totally normal unless you’re counting carbs. Two guests spent a few minutes trying to place the clove, which is exactly what you want. Mine was a little denser than the photos, but nobody noticed.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That clove thing happens every time I serve this. People know something’s there but can’t name it, and then you tell them it’s a six-spice blend and they’re even more surprised. Sounds like the table approved, Lorraine.

Reply

Dani

toast the spice blend first, two minutes, completely different depth

Reply

Annie Lampella

Never done the full blend dry together. Two minutes, no oil?

Reply

Dani

Dry pan, no oil. Medium-low heat and don’t walk away, cardamom burns fast.

Reply

Quinn

Totally new to keto baking and I picked this one because I love cardamom and couldn’t find it in any other keto cake recipe. My layers came out a little uneven but the taste had me standing over the counter eating frosting straight off the spatula. Can I make this in a 9×9 pan instead of three 6-inch pans?

Reply

Annie Lampella

The 9×9 should work, about the same volume as a 9-inch round. I’d start checking at 30 minutes and press the center lightly. If it sinks, give it a few more minutes.

Reply

Wendy

Cardamom in a spice cake is underrated. Mine sank a bit in the middle (opened the oven too early, oops), but the cream cheese frosting covered it.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Yeah, that frosting covers a lot of sins. The cardamom is one of those things people taste but can’t name. Most people taste it and just say ‘warm spices’ without placing it and move on.

Reply

Gina

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.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Birthday request is the highest compliment. And the cream cheese frosting covers everything anyway.

Reply

Mike Martinez

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.

Reply

Annie Lampella

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.

Reply

Patrick

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.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Cardamom loses its punch faster than anything else in that blend. I replace mine a couple times a year just for this cake.

Reply

Rob C.

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.

Reply

Catia

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!

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

You can pour it in any size cake pan but it the baking time will change. It may take longer to bake.

Reply

Aileen McConville

Is xylitol the same as erythritol and can I use that to replace the latter and all the sweetners mentioned in this recipe?

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

I think xylitol substitutes 1:1 with sugar but check the bag and see. Then use that conversion if needed.

Reply

Trish

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………………………. : )

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

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.

Reply

Diane Elizabeth Butler

Love it!!!

Low Carb’rs and Keto folks are now eating as well as the regular folks!!! Yaaasssssss!!! Awesome!!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Six spices in one cake will do that. The cardamom especially.

Reply

Candace

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!

Reply

Annie Lampella

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).

Reply

Kate

I’m not having any luck locating molasses extract. Could you please point me towards a source? Thanks.

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

It doesn’t look like anyone makes it anymore. You can either omit it or use real molasses in it’s place.

Reply

KAT Young

Etsy sells molasses extract on Amazon. It’s about $5-8.

Reply

Becky

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.

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

Yes, you could. I would use 1-2 tablespoons of molasses

Reply

Raquel

Hi! Thanks, I love the cake. Can i use the recipe for cupacakes?

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

Yes, You will have to adjust the cooking time. They won’t take quite as long. I would check them after 15 minutes.

Reply

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