Baking The Perfect Thin Keto Cake: Quick Tips

Baking a thin layer keto cake is a great way to make a delicious and healthy dessert. The key to achieving a flat cake is to use cake strips or a sheet pan to ensure even baking. Additionally, measuring the batter and reducing the baking temperature can help create a uniform cake. For a keto cake, almond flour, cocoa powder, and a sweetener like erythritol are used instead of traditional flour and sugar. The cake is then baked at a lower temperature of 325°F for around 14 minutes. It is important to note that the baking time may vary depending on the oven and the thickness of the cake layer.

How to bake a flat keto cake

Baking a flat keto cake is not as hard as it seems. Here are some tips and tricks to help you bake a flat keto cake.

Ingredients

First, let's talk about the ingredients. You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp dutch cocoa or additional regular cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water or milk of choice
• 3 eggs (including the vegan option listed earlier in the post)
• 1/3 cup granulated erythritol or regular sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Baking the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper. Stir all the ingredients together very well, then spread the batter into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment to smooth it down.

Bake the cake on the center rack for 14 minutes. Some ovens may require more baking time, so continue cooking until the cake is firm if needed.

Let the cake cool completely before frosting it.

Tips for a Flat Cake

• Use cake strips: Cake strips are a great way to ensure your cake bakes evenly and comes out flat. Simply dampen the strips and wrap them around the bottom of your cake pan before placing it in the oven. This will help keep the sides of the pan cooler, preventing the cake from doming.
• Use a lower temperature: Bake your cake at a lower temperature, around 325°F (160°C). This will help the cake bake more evenly and prevent doming.
• Don't thin out the batter: Keto cake batter tends to be thicker and grainier than traditional cake batter. Don't be tempted to add more liquid to thin it out, as this will prevent the cake from firming up properly.
• Use room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients is important to ensure your batter mixes together smoothly and bakes evenly. Take your eggs and butter out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking.
• Weigh your pans: To ensure your cake layers are the same height, you can weigh your pans before adding the batter. This will help you distribute the batter evenly and avoid lopsided cakes.

How to make a thin layer keto cake without cake strips

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp dutch cocoa or additional regular
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water or milk of choice
• 3 eggs (including the vegan option listed earlier in the post)
• 1/3 cup granulated erythritol or regular sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan, and line with parchment.
• Stir all ingredients together very well, then spread into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment to smooth down.
• Bake for 14 minutes on the center rack (some ovens require more baking time, so continue cooking until firm if needed).
• Let cool completely before frosting.

Tips

If you want to make a double layer cake, simply double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans.

Frosting ideas

• Feel free to use your favorite vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting, homemade or store-bought.
• Or change up the flavor by topping the cake with cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, whipped cream, ice cream, sliced strawberries, or coconut frosting.
• For a vegan keto cake, while flourless chocolate cake recipes usually call for eggs, making a vegan version was surprisingly easy. I simply mixed three tbsp Bob’s egg replacer with 150g water (half cup plus two tablespoons), let it sit for a few minutes to thicken, and then used that as my three eggs in the recipe.
• For a paleo or gluten-free cake, for a paleo cake, sweeten with either the erythritol option listed in the recipe or use 1/2 cup date or coconut sugar instead. The low-carb cake recipe is naturally gluten-free, no substitutions necessary. It’s made with almond flour, which is simply ground-up almond meal.

How to bake a thin layer keto cake without a cake leveler

How to bake a thin-layer keto cake without a cake leveler

Baking a thin-layer keto cake without a cake leveler is a fun and rewarding process. Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving a delicious and aesthetically pleasing cake:

Preparation

Before you start mixing your ingredients, it is important to prepare your cake pans. Line your pans with greased parchment paper to ensure the cakes release seamlessly without breaking. This step is crucial for thin cake layers, as they are more fragile than thicker cakes. If you have fewer than three 9-inch cake pans, simply bake in batches until all the layers are baked.

Mixing the Ingredients

For a level cake, consider using the reverse creaming method. Combine the dry ingredients (flour and sugar) first, then add butter, followed by liquid ingredients (eggs and extracts). This method reduces air incorporation into the batter, resulting in a more level cake with less rise and fall during baking.

Distributing the Batter

Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Use a little less than one cup of batter per pan to achieve thin layers. You can bake three pans at a time, and they should be done in less than 40 minutes. Baking multiple thinner cakes instead of thicker cakes ensures even baking and reduces the risk of the centres sinking.

Baking

Place the pans in the oven, preheated to 350°F. The thin cake layers should take around 12 minutes to bake. To check if they are done, insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Allow the cakes to cool for a couple of minutes before carefully inverting them onto a counter or wire rack.

Assembling the Cake

Carefully place one layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread or spoon about a quarter of a cup of icing on top, then repeat with the remaining layers and icing. The icing will likely drip down the sides, creating an elegant and appealing look.

Storage

This cake can be stored at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you want to make it ahead of time, the cake layers can be baked, cooled, and tightly covered at room temperature overnight, and the icing can be prepared and refrigerated. Bring the icing to room temperature before using it to assemble the cake.

Tips for Success

• Weigh the pans to ensure an even distribution of batter and avoid eyeballing it.
• Tap the pans gently on the counter a few times before putting them in the oven to remove excess air bubbles and level the batter.
• If you don't have a cake leveler, use a serrated bread knife to level the cake layers.
• To avoid a messy and uneven cut, start slicing the cake from the edge of the dome, not the side of the cake.
• Use a crumb coat to achieve a perfect finish, as the exposed crumbs from cutting the cake can make the final product look rough.

How to bake a thin layer keto cake without a kitchen scale

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp dutch cocoa or additional regular
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water or milk of choice
• 3 eggs (including the vegan option listed earlier in the post)
• 1/3 cup granulated erythritol or regular sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Optional: Double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans for a double-layer cake.

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan and line with parchment paper.
• Stir all the ingredients together very well, then spread into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment paper to smooth down.
• Bake for 14 minutes on the center rack. Some ovens require more baking time, so continue cooking until firm if needed.
• Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Tips

• If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can use measuring cups and spoons to measure your ingredients.
• Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before starting. This will ensure that they mix together evenly and help the cake rise properly.
• Use a toothpick to test if your cake is done. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and if it comes out mostly clean, your cake is ready.
• If you want to make a double-layer cake, simply double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans.
• You can use either water or milk for this recipe. If using milk, you can choose from a variety of options such as almond milk, cashew milk, or any other milk of your choice.
• For a vegan cake, use a vegan egg replacer or flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
• If you don't have Dutch cocoa, you can use additional regular cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa has a deeper flavor and will give the cake a brownie-like taste.
• You can use either granulated erythritol or regular sugar for this recipe. Erythritol is a sugar substitute that has zero calories and zero net carbs, making it a great option for keto diets.

How to bake a thin layer keto cake without a turntable

Baking a cake without a turntable is easy! Here is a step-by-step guide on how to bake a thin-layer keto cake without a turntable.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp dutch cocoa or additional regular
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water or milk of choice
• 3 eggs (including the vegan option listed earlier in the post)
• 1/3 cup granulated erythritol or regular sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
• Stir all the ingredients together very well, then spread the batter into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment paper to smooth it down.
• Bake for 14 minutes on the center rack. Some ovens may require more baking time, so continue cooking until the cake is firm.
• Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Tips

If you want to make a double-layer cake, simply double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans.

Frosting ideas

• Feel free to use your favorite vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting, homemade or store-bought.
• For a vegan keto cake, use a vegan frosting option such as coconut whipped cream, or a dairy-free buttercream.
• You can also top the cake with cream cheese frosting, peanut butter frosting, whipped cream, ice cream, sliced strawberries, or coconut frosting.

Frequently asked questions