Stained Glass Cake
Published July 6, 2025 • Updated July 10, 2025
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This stained glass cake is nearly zero-carb and zero-sugar dessert that looks like a slice of art. Made with agar instead of gelatin, it’s a colorful, no-bake retro-style treat—like broken glass suspended in a creamy white cloud.
This stained glass cake is like a Jello cake—but we didn’t use Jello here. Save that for my Jello whip recipe. Instead, I used agar agar powder, which gives that same gelatin-like texture without the sugar, carbs, or animal products. If you’ve made my raindrop cakes before, this is a similar concept, just with a bit more flair and color.
The colored cubes are made using water, agar and a low-carb sweetener. Once those are set and cut into cubes, they get layered over a creamy, sweet vanilla base layer—also made with agar and heavy cream—to create the “stained glass” effect. The colored gelatin cubes are sealed together with a clear agar mixture to make it look like broken glass or little prisms.
The whole thing is no-bake, sugar-free, zero carb, and basically zero calorie. It’s light, slightly sweet, and perfect for warm weather when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen from using your oven. Plus, it makes a showstopper presentation for parties or gatherings.
You can slice it into squares or wedges and each piece looks totally different depending on where the color cubes landed. It’s one of those desserts that feels nostalgic and playful, but still fits perfectly into a low-carb or keto lifestyle.
Explore 679+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Ingredients
4 ⅓ cups water, divided -
4 teaspoons agar agar powder, divided
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3/4 cup powdered sugar-free sweetener, divided
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1 ⅓ cup nut milk or heavy cream
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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food coloring
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6-inch springform pan
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Make agar solution
Combine 2/3 cup water, 1 ¼ teaspoons agar powder and 1/4 cup powdered sugar-free sweetener into a small saucepan. Heat over medium high heat until boiling. Remove from heat.
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 ¼ teaspoons agar powder
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar-free sweetener
Cream base
Stir in nut milk or heavy cream into the agar mixture. Pour into a parchment lined 6 inch springform pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
- 1 ⅓ cup nut milk or heavy cream
Make more agar solution
In a clean saucepan, combine 1 ⅓ cup water, 2 ½ teaspoons agar powder and 1/2 cup powdered sugar-free sweetener. Heat over medium high heat until boiling. Remove from heat.
- 1 ⅓ cup water
- 2 ½ teaspoons agar powder
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar-free sweetener
Make the stained glass
Stir in vanilla extract and 1 ⅓ cup water. Separate mixture equally into three bowls. Add two different colors of food coloring to only two bowls and mix to combine. Pour each bowl into a small baking dish or plastic container. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup water
Layering the stained glass
Once hardened, cut the three colored mixtures into small squares and place on top of the cream layer, alternating the colors as you cover the entire surface.
Seal the cake
To create an even cake and to help seal the layers together, prepare one final mixture of agar solution. Heat 1/3 cup water and 1 ¼ teaspoon agar powder in a saucepan until boiling. Remove from heat, add in 1 cup water. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Pour agar mixture over the cake until it covers the entire cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 ¼ teaspoon agar powder
- 1 cup water
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.
I never imagined a dessert could be this beautiful and still fit my low carb goals. The use of agar gave it such a unique texture that’s super satisfying. This is going to impress everyone at my next gathering!