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Keto Strawberry Shortcake

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

17 ratings

Every summer my family requests this low carb strawberry shortcake: light, tender almond flour cake, real whipped cream, and fresh strawberries, just 2.6g net carbs per serving. I've been making it for years.
  • 2.6gnet carbs
  • 3.4gprotein
  • 30minutes
  • 8servings
Keto strawberry shortcake layered with whipped cream and strawberries on a white cake stand.
a slice of sugar-free strawberry shortcake with layers of shortbread
sliced strawberries and keto whipped cream
strawberry shortcake sitting in front of a white background with fresh strawberries and whipped cream squeezing out
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I tested this recipe more times than I want to admit before I got the texture right. Most almond flour cakes come out dense and flat, and for a while mine did too. The fix turned out to be the eggs. You have to whip them with the sweetener until they're thick and pale, not just "mixed together." That 3-5 minutes of whipping is what gives the cake its lift. Skip it or rush it, and you'll end up with a pancake instead of a shortcake.

Once I figured that out, everything clicked. The cake comes out light enough to absorb the strawberry juices without falling apart, but sturdy enough to hold up under layers of whipped cream. I use two 6-inch pans so each layer is thick enough to slice cleanly, but an 8-inch pan works too (you'll just need to cut it in half horizontally once it cools).

The strawberry layer is simple on purpose. Fresh strawberries, a tablespoon of monkfruit sweetener, and lemon zest. I let them sit while the cake bakes so they release their juices. That natural syrup soaks into the cake layers and gives you flavor without adding any sugar. If you love strawberry desserts, my keto strawberry cake uses a similar approach, and strawberry shortcake kebabs are a fun way to serve this at parties without the slicing.

For the whipped cream, I keep it plain with just heavy cream and vanilla. No sweetener needed because the strawberries bring enough. I whip to stiff peaks so the layers hold their shape when you stack them. If you've made my keto chocolate trifle, you know I take my whipped cream layers seriously.

One thing I learned the hard way: store the components separately. Cake in one container, whipped cream in another, strawberries in a third. Assembled, it gets soggy by day two. Stored apart, everything keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge, and you just layer it fresh when you're ready to eat. This also works great if you're prepping for a gathering.

Reader Joe has made this four times using a muffin top pan and says it turns out great every time. I love that approach because you skip the cake-slicing step entirely. If you want more keto cake options, my keto vanilla cake uses a similar almond flour base with the same whipping technique.

slice of low carb strawberry shortcake on a small plate with a whole cake on a cake stand in the background

A slice of the finished shortcake, layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Two Ingredient Swaps

Here are the swaps I use when I need them:

  • Sunflower seed flour works one to one in place of the almond flour.
  • Any low carb sweetener that measures cup for cup like sugar can stand in for the monkfruit sweetener.
fluffy homemade keto whipped cream spread on top shortcake with a strawberry on top

Whip the cream and vanilla until it stands up and does not flop over when you lift out the beaters.

two layers of keto shortcake with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream on a white plate

You can also serve the cake, strawberries, and whipped cream separately and let everyone pile on as much as they want.

How to Make Keto Shortcake That's Actually Light

The single most important step in this recipe is whipping the eggs. I mean it. Beat the eggs and sweetener for a full 3-5 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and ribbons when you lift the beater. This is what gives the cake its rise since we're not using regular flour. I've had readers tell me their cake came out dense, and every time it traces back to not whipping long enough.

Once your eggs are properly whipped, fold the dry ingredients in gently. Don't stir, don't beat. You'll deflate all that air you just built up. Same with the cream and melted butter. Gentle folds until just combined.

If you want to skip the layered cake format, you can bake this in a muffin tin at the same 350 degrees and check at 15 minutes. Reader Joe uses a 6-section muffin top pan with great results. Add the whipped cream and strawberries right before serving so they stay fresh. My mini keto cheesecakes work the same way if you like individual portions.

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The recipe

Keto Strawberry Shortcake

Print Pin
Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Total 30 min Serves 8

Ingredients

Servings 8

Strawberry Layer Ingredients

Shortcake Layer Ingredients

Whipped Cream Layer Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Preheat

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom of two 6-inch cake pans with greased parchment paper cut into circles to fit the bottom of the pan. Can use one 8-inch cake pan for this recipe as well.

    Oven preheated to 350 degrees

  2. Get a bowl

    In a medium bowl, mix together strawberries, 1 tablespoon monkfruit sweetener and lemon zest. Set aside.

    a red led light temp gauge on an oven heated to 350 degrees

  3. Mix dry ingredients

    In a small bowl, sift together almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

    sliced strawberries

  4. Whip the eggs

    In a large bowl, whip together eggs and egg white until foamy. Then add 1/2 cup monkfruit and beat until mixture has thickened and is pale in color (about 3-5 minutes).

    monkfruit and lemon zest in a clear bowl

  5. Add dry mixture to eggs

    Gently fold in dry ingredients, followed by heavy whipping cream, melted butter and vanilla extract.

    whisking dry ingredients in a bowl

  6. Pour batter

    Pour shortcake batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes if using two 6 inch cake pans or 20-25 minutes if using one 8 inch cake pan. Remove from oven. Let cool for several minutes until you can handle the sides of the pan before loosening the cake from the sides of the pan. Flip cake over onto a wire rack to cool completely. If making one large cake, slice cake in half horizontally once it has cooled.

    frothy egg mixture on a spoon over a bowl

  7. Whip the cream

    To prepare the whipped cream layer, add heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract to a medium bowl. Whip until stiff peaks form.

    keto cake batter in a bowl with a pink spatula with hearts on it

  8. Assemble the shortcake

    Once the shortcake has cooled completely, assemble the strawberry shortcake. Place one shortcake on a serving plate. Followed by a layer of 1/2 the strawberries. Top with 1/3 the whipped cream. Repeat layers. Do a final topping of whipped cream on top.

    keto cake flipped over on top a wire rack

Nutrition

Per serving: 1/8 of recipe

Calories
184
Fat
17.8g
Protein
3.4g
Total carbs
3.4g
Net carbs
2.6g

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

Frequently Asked Questions

My cake came out thin even after whipping the eggs. Can I add oat fiber?

Yes. I've tested adding 2 tablespoons of oat fiber to the batter and it gives the crumb more structure without changing the flavor, which helps when your layers come out thinner than you'd like. Whipping the eggs properly is still the bigger factor, so double-check that step in the how-to section above before changing anything else.

Can I use granulated sweetener or will it be grainy with the strawberries?

I've used both. Granulated works fine in the cake batter since it dissolves during baking. For the strawberry topping, I prefer powdered sweetener because it melts into the juices better. If all you have is granulated, just let the strawberries sit a few extra minutes and the texture evens out.

Can I leave out the lemon zest?

You can, but I made this without it a few times and something always felt flat, so it stayed in my final version. The tablespoon of zest brightens the strawberries while they sit with the sweetener and release their juices, and that brightness is what keeps the dessert from tasting one-note.

Are strawberries okay on keto?

Yes, in the amounts I use here. This recipe splits 8 oz of sliced strawberries across 8 servings, and a full slice with cake and whipped cream comes to 2.6g net carbs and 3.4g total carbs. The strawberry layer gets just 1 tablespoon of monkfruit sweetener and lemon zest, so there is no added sugar anywhere in the dessert.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, with three swaps. I've swapped the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream in the whipped layer and it works. Refrigerate the coconut cream overnight so it separates, then whip just the solid part. For the 2 tablespoons of cream in the cake batter, I use coconut cream there too. The 2 tablespoons of melted butter in the batter are dairy as well, so use the same amount of melted coconut oil in its place. If you're exploring other keto desserts without dairy, my keto chocolate cake adapts well to the same swap.

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

I've done this in the winter when fresh strawberries aren't worth buying. Thaw them completely and drain off the liquid first, otherwise the cake layers get waterlogged. I actually save that drained juice and drizzle a little over the cake before adding the whipped cream. Good flavor, no sogginess.

What can I make ahead of time?

I bake the cake layers a day early and keep them wrapped in the fridge. They actually slice cleaner once they have fully cooled overnight. The strawberry mixture can sit in the fridge overnight too. I whip the cream last, right before I layer, and I keep everything separate until then using the storage rule in the post above. If you want something fully make ahead, my birthday mug cake comes together in minutes with no advance prep needed.

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Reviews

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4.8 from 17 ratings, 10 written

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Replying to Annie Lampella

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Peg

Hi Annie, first time commenting but I have made so many things off this site! Quick question before I try this one, do I have to use the lemon zest or can I leave it out? I’m not a huge lemon person!!

Reply

Emily

At about 25 minutes the strawberry juice and monkfruit builds into something closer to a light syrup. That’s what soaks into the cake layers instead of sitting on top, and it changes how the whole thing holds together when you slice it. Figured that out around batch five, after a few versions that slid apart at the plate. I’d been adjusting the cream ratio when the real issue was maceration and assembly timing. Also started chilling the cake 20 minutes before adding the cream so it doesn’t soften into the crumb, then another 15 after assembly. Layers hold clean at that point, cream stays distinct. Seven batches in and I’m still tweaking the maceration window depending on how sweet the berries are.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Seven batches and still iterating. That syrup thing at 25 minutes, I noticed it too, just never had a name for it. The pre-chill is real, I skip it when I’m impatient and the layers never hold as clean. Curious what maceration window you land on with sweeter berries, Emily.

Reply

Brittany

Still tacky in the middle? Wait. I rushed assembly once and the cream slid right off. 45 minutes on the rack, Annie, don’t skip it.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Cream on a warm cake is a one-time lesson. I’ve done 30 minutes thinking I was close enough, and no.

Reply

Jordan Garcia

actual shortcake texture on an almond flour cake, not a crumble situation

Reply

Annie Lampella

Getting shortcake texture from almond flour is really about the egg whip. I go a full 4 minutes until it’s pale and thick and ribbons off the beater. Rush it and you’re back in crumble territory.

Reply

Diane

Rubbed the lemon zest into the monkfruit sweetener before mixing it with the strawberries and the flavor was noticeably brighter, worth the extra thirty seconds.

Reply

Melissa

I am not someone who bakes. I avoid it because I overthink every step and spiral when things don’t look like the pictures. But strawberry shortcake is my summer thing and I’ve been missing it since going keto, so I finally just tried. I wasn’t sure the almond flour would hold together as an actual cake layer and not just crumble when I unmolded it, but it came out of the pan clean and looked like real cake. The lemon zest in the strawberries was the step I almost skipped (I had to dig one out of the back of the fridge), and I’m glad I didn’t because it makes the whole thing taste way fresher than I expected. I ate my slice, then just kind of stared at it for a minute. This is going in my summer rotation.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That ‘stared at it for a minute’ part is the reaction I was working toward with this one. Summer rotation is exactly right.

Reply

Dana S.

My 10-year-old declared this better than the boxed strawberry shortcake we used to make every summer, which honestly surprised me. The almond flour cakes came out light enough that he couldn’t tell any difference, and the lemon zest in the strawberries is what sold him.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha, the 10-year-old vote is the one I actually stress about. The lemon zest was a late addition too, made it without a few times and something always felt flat.

Reply

April

I gave up strawberry shortcake when I started keto three years ago. Not the strawberries, not the whipped cream, but that soft cake underneath that makes the whole thing work. Made this Sunday with the first decent strawberries of the season and the almond flour cake came out lighter than I expected. The lemon zest in the strawberries got me. Brightened everything and made it taste like a real dessert, not a keto approximation. I’ve been doing this long enough to know the difference. This one is just good.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Three years in and you know the difference. ‘Just good’ is what I was going for.

Reply

Heather

Almond flour cakes have burned me more than once, so I had low expectations going in. The texture completely changed my mind. This bakes up with a real tender crumb, not the gummy, heavy thing I have gotten from other keto cake recipes. It holds up under the whipped cream and strawberries without going soggy, which I was not expecting. The lemon zest in the strawberry layer almost got skipped (seemed fussy) but it actually makes the whole dessert taste brighter. I am already planning this for Easter and I think peak-season strawberries in another few weeks are going to make it even better.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The lemon zest almost got cut from my final version too. Last-minute decision to keep it. Peak strawberries in a few weeks are going to make this even better.

Reply

Luz

The almond flour layers are genuinely light, which I didn’t expect. My one note: macerate the strawberries longer than the recipe calls for. Mine needed closer to 45 minutes before they released enough juice to really work with the whipped cream.

Reply

Annie Lampella

45 minutes tracks, especially if the berries aren’t peak ripe. I’ve pulled them early before and the layers just sat there dry. The juice is what makes it.

Reply

Travis

My wife is dairy-free and she’s been asking me to make this for weeks. I can handle the whipped topping swap, but I’m not sure about the heavy cream in the batter. Does coconut cream hold up in an almond flour cake or will it mess with the texture?

Reply

Annie Lampella

Coconut cream in the batter works fine. It’s only 2 tablespoons so the texture difference is minimal. Use the thick part from a chilled can, not the liquid at the bottom.

Reply

Casey

My mom used to make strawberry shortcake every June when the berries came in from her garden, and I’d convinced myself that one was just gone on keto. The lemon zest in the strawberries here is what got me (that was her trick too). Made it twice already this spring.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That lemon zest note got to me. Your mom knew what she was doing.

Reply

alice conole

It says to sift together flours, but I only see almond flour listed in the ingredients.

I have made it with just the almond flour, but it does not come out as fluffy as pictured. It is too thin to slice horizontally, so I think I must be missing another type of flour?

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

The plural on the flours was a typo. It’s only almond flour. I updated the directions. You can try adding 2 tablespoons of oat fiber to help with texture. It the cake comes out dense, maybe the eggs weren’t whipped enough?

Reply

Jennifer Lowery

I would like the cupcake baking instructions for all of your “cake” type options.
I’m wanting to do a church bazaar in November and do cupcakes only. Can you help with the cupcake instructions please??? Thanks!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Muffin tin works. Same temp, check at 15 minutes. Add the whipped cream and strawberries right before serving. The timing varies recipe to recipe so you’d have to test the others.

Reply

Selene

Can you microwave the bread like with the mug cake? If so for how long? Thanks!

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

I haven’t tried this yet. If I were to do it, I would microwave it for 6-8 minutes then check and see if it is set on top.

Reply

Pat

It looks like your using granulated sweetener. I’m concerned that it might have a grainy texture w the strawberries. Would powdered sweetener be a better choice?

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

You can use powdered sweetener if you prefer.

Reply

Nancy

How long do you cook in muffin pan?

Reply

Joe

I have made this 4 times now, I use a 6 section muffin top pan, they always turn out great, thanks, it’s a wonderful keto treat!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Four times, nice. The muffin top pan is a smart choice for this one, you get way more surface for the whipped cream and strawberries.

Reply

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