Sugar Free Chocolate Graveyard Cake
Published October 11, 2020 • Updated March 15, 2026
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I built this sugar free chocolate graveyard cake for Halloween because my kids wanted a project, not just dessert. The almond and coconut flour base bakes up rich and fudgy with only 2.4g net carbs per slice.
Every October my kids start asking about this cake. Not because I tell them it’s sugar free (they don’t care about that), but because they get to build a graveyard on top of it. Tombstones, gummy worms crawling out of chocolate dirt, the whole scene. It’s the one keto baking project where the decorating is half the fun.
The base is a rich chocolate cake made with almond flour and coconut flour together. I’ve made plenty of keto chocolate cakes with almond flour alone, and they tend to go flat and dense. Adding coconut flour changes the crumb completely. You get something more substantial, closer to a traditional cake texture, with that deep cocoa flavor running through every bite. If you want a simpler everyday version, my easy keto chocolate cake uses a similar base without the Halloween theatrics.
The frosting is a sugar free chocolate buttercream that I strongly recommend doubling. I know that sounds excessive, but once you start building the graveyard scene you’ll use more than you think, and a thick layer of frosting is what makes the “dirt” topping stick. For the dirt effect, I crush keto rice krispie treats or sugar free chocolate cookies into fine crumbs and press them into the frosting. It looks like freshly turned earth and tastes like chocolate crunch.
The tombstones are the part my kids fight over. I use keto rice krispie treat tombstones cut into rectangles and write “RIP” with melted sugar free chocolate. You can also use thin pieces of low carb chocolate bark if you want something faster. Scatter some sugar free candy corn around the edges and it looks like a legitimate Halloween display.
I brought this to a neighborhood Halloween party last year and the adults were more into it than the kids. One friend who always has something to say about “healthy” desserts went quiet after the first slice. That cocoa base is rich enough that nobody’s thinking about what’s not in it. The cake holds up well too. I’ve had it sitting on the counter for three days and the crumb stays moist, which means you can build it a day or two before your party without worrying about it drying out.
If you’re looking for more keto Halloween ideas, my keto ghost bundt cakes are another crowd favorite that’s fun to make with kids.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Graveyard Cake
Pan size matters here. I use a 9×13 baking dish, which gives you the most surface area for decorating. An 8×8 works too but the cake will be thicker and you’ll need to add 5-7 minutes to the bake time. I don’t recommend a round pan for this one because you lose graveyard real estate.
Bake time varies more than you’d expect. I start checking at 28 minutes because my oven runs a little hot. The recipe says 27-30, but some ovens need a full 32 minutes to get the center set. Insert a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out with wet batter, give it another 2-3 minutes. A few moist crumbs are fine.
Double the frosting. I’m not suggesting it, I’m telling you. The graveyard decorations eat up frosting fast, and a thin layer underneath won’t hold the crumb topping. My keto chocolate cake uses a similar buttercream if you want to compare ratios. Let the cake cool completely before frosting or the buttercream will slide right off.
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Keto Chocolate Cake Ingredients
1 cup almond flour -
1/4 cup 100% unsweetened cocoa powder
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1/4 cup coconut flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup butter, softened
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1/4 cup monk fruit blend sweetener
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4 eggs
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1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Keto Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
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1 cup butter, softened
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1 1/2 cups confectioners Swerve or use sweetener of choice
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1/4 cup 100% unsweetened cocoa powder
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1/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips, melted
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3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Graveyard Decorations Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Mix the butter & sweetener
Cream together butter and sweetener until fluffy (2-3 minutes) in a large bowl then mix in eggs and heavy cream.
Add the dry ingredients
Slowly add in the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
Pour the batter
Pour chocolate cake batter into baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 27 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting the cake.
Make the buttercream frosting
To make the sugar-free chocolate buttercream frosting, whip the butter until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes) in a medium bowl. Add in remaining ingredients and continue to whip until creamy and smooth.
Apply the frosting
Spread chocolate frosting on the cake. Decorate with sugar-free chocolates and gummy worms.
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
How do I make the tombstone decorations?
I make mine from keto rice krispie treats cut into small rectangles (about 2x3 inches). Once they're firm, I pipe "RIP" on the front with melted sugar free chocolate using a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off. My kids do this part and it keeps them busy for a solid 20 minutes. You can also use thin slabs of sugar free chocolate bark if you want something quicker. Press the tombstones into the frosting at a slight angle so they look like they're sinking into the ground.
Can I make this graveyard cake ahead of time?
I've made this a full two days before a party and it held up perfectly. The almond and coconut flour combination keeps the crumb moist in a way that almond-only cakes don't. One of my readers confirmed hers stayed moist for three days on the counter. I'd frost and decorate the day before your event, then store it covered at room temperature. The tombstones hold their shape overnight.
How do I store leftover sugar free graveyard cake?
I cover mine tightly with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that I move it to the fridge, where it lasts another 3-4 days. The frosting firms up in the fridge but softens again in about 15 minutes at room temp. I actually prefer the texture slightly chilled because the chocolate buttercream gets almost truffle-like.
Can I freeze this keto chocolate cake?
I freeze the cake layers without frosting all the time. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and they'll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting. I wouldn't freeze it fully assembled because the decorations (tombstones, gummy worms) get soggy when they thaw. My move is to bake the cake ahead, freeze it, then frost and decorate the day of.
What size baking pan should I use?
I use a 9x13 pan because it gives you the most flat surface for building your graveyard scene. An 8x8 square pan works if you're making a smaller version, but the cake will be thicker and I've needed an extra 5-7 minutes of bake time with that size. I wouldn't use a round pan for this recipe because you lose too much decorating space.
What can I use instead of sugar-free gummy worms?
If you can't find sugar free gummy worms, I've used chopped keto Halloween cookies crumbled on top, or small pieces of sugar free chocolate shaped like bones. My kids also like adding crushed keto cereal for extra crunch in the "dirt" layer. The worms are fun but the cake looks just as creepy without them.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've tested the cake layer with coconut oil instead of butter and it works well. The crumb is slightly denser but still good. For the frosting, I use refined coconut oil (no coconut taste) and swap heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream. The texture is a little different but it pipes and spreads fine. If you go this route, keep the assembled cake in the fridge because coconut oil frosting softens faster at room temperature. It's a solid low carb option for anyone avoiding dairy.
Looking for a spooktacular treat for Halloween but want to keep it keto? Try this sugar free chocolate graveyard cake recipe! You can bury those chocolate cravings with this decadent, fluffy cake and rich and creamy buttercream frosting. Top your creation with creepy eyes, chocolates and gummy worms.
This cake will be the highlight of any Halloween party! Plus, it’s a fun Halloween recipe to make with your kids!
I used 
I've been wanting to try keto baking for a while and this is where I'm starting, mostly because it promises fudgy results and I'm really picky about dry chocolate cake. The part I keep rereading is the flour situation. It calls for one cup of almond flour plus a quarter cup of coconut flour, and I don't get what each one is doing or why you need both. I only have almond flour right now, and coconut flour means a separate grocery run. Would using more almond flour to compensate hold up, or would something go wrong with the bake? I'd really rather figure this out before I start.
Coconut flour absorbs way more liquid than almond flour, which is what keeps this one fudgy instead of greasy. Without it you'd also need to pull back on the heavy cream or the batter goes too wet. I'd just grab the coconut flour - you'll use it again.
Fudgy like promised, and the almond and coconut flour combo holds up better than I expected without going gummy. Only thing I'd flag is the sweetener feels a little short for how strong the cocoa is. Bumped mine by a tablespoon and it landed where I wanted it.
Cocoa intensity varies a lot by brand. Some are way more bitter and the 1/4 cup sweetener doesn't keep up. Good fix.
My son grabbed a fork and just started eating before I even plated it. He turns down every keto thing I make, so watching him go through a slice of this almond flour chocolate cake without one complaint was kind of freaking shocking.
My son kept asking why it tasted 'like real cake' and I had no idea how to explain almond and coconut flour to an eight-year-old. Told him it was a special recipe. He bought it.
Never baked with almond flour before and I was nervous the whole time. The batter came together faster than I thought, and it actually came out fudgy and rich. First keto dessert I've made that I'm genuinely proud of.
That fudgy texture means you got the moisture balance right. Overbaking is where most first-timers fall apart with almond flour.
I've probably tested six or seven keto chocolate cake recipes over the past two years, and the thing that always gets me is either the texture reads as rubbery or there's that bitter almond flour finish that won't quit. This one doesn't have either problem. The almond and coconut flour combo does something to the crumb that feels closer to actual fudgy cake than anything I've made (used Lakanto monk fruit blend, zero cooling aftertaste). The cocoa hit is real, not muted. I pulled mine at 28 minutes and the center was still slightly soft when warm, which set up perfectly once it cooled. Not making another keto chocolate cake recipe. This is it.
Lakanto was a good call. That cooling aftertaste some sweeteners leave fights the cocoa hard, and I notice it more in chocolate cakes than anything else.
I've tried two other keto chocolate cakes and both came out gummy in the middle, which I kept blaming on myself until now. This one bakes up actually fudgy, not gummy. Big difference. I think it's the coconut flour doing something the all-almond-flour versions don't. Was skeptical when I saw both flours in the same batter but the texture really is different. Might be the first keto dessert I'd serve without having to explain what's in it.
That's the actual test. Something about the almond and coconut flour together makes it just taste like chocolate cake. My kids never ask what's in it.
Made a batch Sunday to have something sweet ready for the week and by Wednesday I was already plotting when I could justify making another one. Did not expect the almond flour base to stay that moist three days in but it absolutely did.
Coconut flour is what does it. Almond-only cakes dry out by day two, that combo holds way longer.
Never baked with coconut flour before and I kept waiting for something to go wrong. It didn't. The cake came out dense and fudgy in a way I wasn't expecting from something with 2.4g net carbs.
First coconut flour bake is always the hardest to trust. That 1/4 cup is what gives it the fudgy density without drying out.
Brought this to a dinner party last weekend. The friend who always has something to say about 'healthy' desserts went quiet after the first bite.
Ha. The quiet ones are always the best reviews. That cocoa base is rich enough that nobody's thinking about what's not in it.
We made this on a snow day last week because my kids wanted chocolate cake and I needed a project. My youngest has strong opinions about texture, refuses anything he calls "gummy," and when he came back into the kitchen asking where the rest went, I knew the crumb had worked. The almond and coconut flour combination gives it something more substantial than most keto cakes I've made -- closer to a real crumb than the flat density you sometimes get with almond-only recipes. My husband, who usually clocks the slightly-off quality that keto baking can carry, specifically asked whether we had more of the chocolate frosting left over. I did have to bake mine closer to 32 minutes to get the center set, so I'd watch it past the 27-minute mark. Planning to double the frosting next time.
Coming back asking where the rest went, that's it. I check at 28 because it varies by oven. Double the frosting, yes.