Keto Red Velvet Cake
A tender, two-layer keto red velvet cake with tangy cream cheese frosting and just 4.2g net carbs per slice. Almond flour and monk fruit do the heavy lifting, so you get that classic cocoa-vanilla crumb without the sugar crash. Ready in about 1 hour 5 minutes.
Head of Nutrition · June 18, 2026
Nutrition per serving
Per serving · makes 12. Values are estimates; brands vary.
This keto red velvet cake delivers the soft cocoa crumb and tangy cream cheese frosting of the classic, using almond flour and monk fruit so every slice stays under 5g net carbs. It's an impressive make-ahead dessert for birthdays, holidays, or any time a low-carb celebration is in order.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup granulated monk fruit sweetener (erythritol blend)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon natural red food coloring (beet-based)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (for frosting)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 1/2 cup powdered monk fruit sweetener (for frosting)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and granulated monk fruit until no lumps remain.
- 3
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, melted butter, sour cream, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir just until a uniform batter forms; let it rest 3 minutes so the coconut flour hydrates.
- 4
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops. Bake 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back. Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
- 5
Make the frosting: beat the softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy, then beat in the powdered monk fruit until smooth and spreadable.
- 6
Once the layers are fully cool, spread frosting over the first layer, stack the second on top, and frost the top and sides. Chill 20 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces.
Tips & notes
- Cool the layers completely before frosting — warm almond-flour cake is fragile and will tear. Chilling the assembled cake makes it firmer and easier to slice cleanly.
- Beet-based natural coloring gives a muted brick-red; for a brighter red use a sugar-free gel food coloring and adjust to taste. The color does not affect the carb count.
- Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months. Bring slices to room temperature for the softest crumb.
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Frequently asked questions
- How many carbs are in keto red velvet cake?
- Each of the 12 slices has 4.2g net carbs (7.5g total carbs minus 3.3g fiber), along with 342 calories, 8g protein, and 32g fat. That keeps a generous slice comfortably within keto limits.
- Can I make this red velvet cake dairy-free?
- It's tricky because the frosting relies on cream cheese, but you can swap the butter and sour cream for coconut oil and coconut cream in the cake, and use a dairy-free cream cheese alternative for the frosting. Macros will shift slightly.
- Why does keto red velvet cake use vinegar?
- The vinegar reacts with the baking powder to give the crumb lift and adds the subtle tang that defines classic red velvet. It also brightens the cocoa flavor without adding any meaningful carbs.
