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This is best keto low carb chocolate cake recipe ever! Shredded zucchini makes it moist and nutritious. The kids will never know you are sneaking in a vegetable.
If you’re looking for a keto chocolate cake recipe, this is for you. There are lots of recipes for low carb and keto desserts out there, but this one is a hidden gem.
It doesn’t need a ton of ingredients, you can prep it and bake it in less than an hour, and everyone will love it (even those who aren’t low carb fans).
If you’ve tried this German Chocolate Zucchini Cake, you know what I’m talking about! But if the idea of zucchini and chocolate are new to you, you’re in for a treat.
With this updated adaptation of that reader favorite, you can bake a decadent chocolate layer cake using two 9-inch round cake pans, make a 9×13-inch sheet cake, or even serve up 24 cupcakes.
This recipe is a healthy, low carb treat that tastes better than any boxed cake mix you’ve tried (and even many of the recipes from scratch!). You could even make the cupcakes without frosting and call them a keto breakfast muffin.
Ingredients For The Best Low Carb Chocolate Cake
This recipe is really the best option for a gluten free, sugar free birthday cake because the texture is so traditional none of your guests will realize it’s a “diet” cake. And if you’ve been eating low carb for a while, you probably have everything you need on hand.
So what ingredients do you need to make this delicious dessert?
- Coconut flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Low carb sugar substitute
- Stevia concentrated powder
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Coconut oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Zucchini
- Optional: Sugar free chocolate chips
While many low carb cakes use a blend of flours such as almond and coconut, this one uses only coconut flour.
That’s perfect for gluten free and keto baking recipes with which you are using very wet ingredients, as it’s quite dry. And since there’s no milk or whipping cream or butter, this is also a dairy free cake if you need one (just use a dairy free frosting).
The #1 Tip For Moist Low Carb Cake
Do you know the best way to get a moist cake when you’re following a keto diet and need to keep gluten at bay? Add zucchini!
If you’ve never baked with it before, you are in for a treat. This adds the moistness that all good cakes have…plus it tastes ah-mazing.
The key is shredding it finely. You can use a box grater or food processor, whichever you prefer.
It takes about one large or two small zucchini to get 4 cups shredded. There’s no need to be exact, so just get close.
And you don’t have to drain it very much, unlike other zucchini recipes, as you want the cake to be moist. In fact, you shouldn’t.
Coconut flour is such a thirsty gluten free flour that the added moisture in the zucchini is important. It’s so easy!
Baking The Best Keto Chocolate Cake
The shredded zucchini is going to add a lot of moisture and that light texture that’s often missing in low carb cakes. But there are also a few other factors that will make a big difference.
Making Your Cake Extra Fudgy
Now, this next part is completely optional, but if you’re looking for an extra chocolatey cake with just the right amount of decadent fudgy feel to you, you’re going to want to include those optional chocolate chips.
Personally, you can never have too much chocolate and why not? I say go for it!
You can use homemade chocolate, cut up a low carb chocolate bar, or use sugar free chip like Lily’s.
Pick The Right Frosting
Topping your cake with the best low carb frosting is also important. That’s because you’ll want one that is creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. But you also don’t want that notorious cooling sensation.
You really can’t go wrong with buttercream frosting. Chocolate goes well if you want a super rich experience.
For a celebration cake that you are going to decorate, a traditional vanilla sugar free buttercream like this one is a great option.
Make It Ahead Of Time
Did you know that making your low carb baked goods a day early helps with the taste? It’s true.
When you let them sit, any cooling flavor from the low carb sweeteners disappears. While this cake’s combo of sweeteners and other ingredients will make that barely noticeable, if you’ve got sensitive taste buds enjoying it just make it one day early.
This is a general rule that will apply to nearly all your low carb baked goods. If this has been something you’ve noticed in the past, this simple tip will be game changing for you!
Storing And Freezing Your Chocolate Cake
This low carb chocolate cake actually freezes well and you can make up the layers ahead of time and have them ready to thaw and frost before use.
This is actually a great way to do it if you’ll be focusing on the decorating, too, since it will keep the cake from crumbling if you frost it when it’s only about ¾ thawed.
You can also make the batter up as cupcakes ahead of time, flash freeze them, and then store them until it’s time to bring them to room temperature and spread or pipe some frosting on top.
If you’re looking to store already frosted leftovers, you can use the freezer or simply store in the fridge in an airtight container for several days.
The Best Low Carb Chocolate Cake Recipe
This is the most requested cake from those in my family who avoid sugar and gluten, and I’m sure your family will enjoy it, too.
You may also enjoy this fabulous keto carrot cake; it’s also made with grated zucchini to give it a moist and authentic texture.
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Best Low Carb Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cup low carb sugar substitute 1:1 sugar replacement
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia concentrated powder see note for alternative
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 8 large eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups zucchini shredded
Optional:
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, combine coconut flour, cocoa, granular low carb sweetener, stevia, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Mix in eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla until well combined.
- Stir in zucchini (and optional chocolate chips if using).
- Spread out into greased 9×13-inch pan (or two round 9-inch pans).
- Bake at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. NOTE: smaller pans, such as 9-inch round pans should be checked around the 15 minute mark.
- Cool on wire rack. Once cool, frost with chocolate buttercream frosting if desired.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
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Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Lisa MarcAurele has been creating keto friendly recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
Linda hughes says
I am going to make this today for the swerve for cake do i use powder or Granular
Lisa MarcAurele says
Either type of sweetener should be fine to use.
mjs says
Just made this and I was AMAZED at how delicious it came out! After becoming diabetic, I was craving a chocolate cupcake and didn’t think I could ever have one again. I think the zucchini definitely helped make this taste like a real cake… so moist.
Yun says
This recipe is so awesome!!
Anita says
This is an amazing cake and I will be making it again… thank you…
Lana says
I made this cake and it was a big flop. I followed the recipe exactly, the texture was like eating oatmeal. The frosting was ok. Don’t think I will try again, ingredients are too expensive.
Lisa MarcAurele says
There was definitely something off in your ingredients or method. The texture is like cake, not oatmeal.
Susan says
This cake turned out delicious , even without icing 😋 Why does it have to be frozen or refrigerated?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Sugar is a preservative and since there’s no sugar in it, the potential is there for it to spoil after a day or two at room temperature. But it’s fine to leave out if it will be eaten in a few days.
Jeanette says
My mom has recently started eating LCHF and for her 81st birthday I wanted a cake that wouldn’t derail her efforts. I made this recipe today and it was absolutely delicious! The whole family loved it even without icing (we used whipped cream instead for those who wanted some). My sister and daughter both asked for the recipe.
I made sure to squeeze as much moisture as possible from the grated zucchini and I baked two cakes in slightly smaller pans as I did have a 9 X 13. They took slightly longer to cook than the recipe suggested, but came out light, moist and evenly cooked. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you😋
Katherine Cirasuolo says
Hello, looks delicious! I cant wait to try . Question, how much monk fruit powder did you use for this recipe?
Lisa MarcAurele says
The monk fruit amount needed varies by brand and sweetness preference. I’ve been low carb for over a decade so I don’t use as much sweetener as someone just getting started. I used 1/8 teaspoon of NuNaturals Monk Fruit Extract Powder.
Tricia L. says
I plan on making this cake next week for Thanksgiving. I have dutch-process sugar free Ghirardelli cocoa. Is it okay if I use that or do you recommend me buying regular sugar free Ghirardellli cocoa? I also plan on using 2 circular pans and layering it with my own keto chocolate mousse recipe rather than frosting. Thank you for your response, in advanced
Lisa MarcAurele says
I use the regular unsweetened cocoa powder in the recipe.
James says
Followed the recipe to the tee but my cake has a bitter after taste. Any idea why? Really want to perfect this cake as i would like to make this a perm treat for my family.
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s either the cocoa used or the sweetener. You may want to try adjusting the sweetener. I also find that adding the chocolate chips improves the taste.
Penny says
I honestly don’t know what happened, as there were so many positive reviews on this recipe. I followed it to a tee as I didn’t want to mess it up. It was completley flavourless except for a burnt aftertaste So disappointing.
Lisa MarcAurele says
The flavor is much better if you add the optional chocolate chips (I always add those). However, some cocoa is better than others and people tend to have varying degrees of preference for sweetness. I’m not sure what cocoa powder you used, I used Ghirardelli.
MJ says
I love this recipe! Thank you! This is my go-to chocolate cake recipe for quite some time now. My hubby loves it and he isn’t even keto, as I am. I usually make a chocolate cream cheese frosting and it is really yummy!.
Crystal says
I hate to be this person but have you ever tried almond flour instead of coconut flour I really dislike coconut and I hear the coconut flour has a similar taste to coconut .I wouldLove to try this recipe
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’ve made almond flour cakes and the texture wasn’t as good. The chocolate really covers up any coconut taste. I’ve served it to people who don’t care for coconut and no one noticed.
Dorothy says
Hi, just want to thank you for the recipe, l made it this week and the whole family loved it. Thank you .
Anita says
This is simply Amazing!!! OMG! It tastes just like regular chocolate cake— maybe even better! I had been skeptical about using zucchini in baked foods, but not anymore! I also love how you don’t need to squeeze out the water from zucchini. I added some dark chocolate chips to make it more fudge in the center.
This is absolutely delicious! I used a 9×13 pan and freezes half of the cake. This will for sure be a staple low carb dessert in our house!
Holly says
I’m using a 12×18 sheet cake pan…would I do a full recipe and a1/2……or double the recipe.?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Either that or just have a shorter cake.
Stephanie says
This is hands down THE best low carb keto cake recipie I have made yet! Super moist. My husband couldn’t tell it was a keto cake. Thank you thank you thank you! I will serve with pride for my sons birthday party next month.
ruby says
love love love this cake. I was put on a low carb diet for health reasons and I was so worried how I was going to satisfy that sweet tooth! this is THE BEST chocolate cake – low carb or high carb I have ever eaten!. I did use only xylitol sugar and stevia sweetened cocoa powder as I did not have unsweetened and the cake was fab. It freezers beautifully and was perfect for that late night choc craving. even better with a wee bit of low carb vanilla ice-cream. Thank you
Jaclyn says
I don’t normally comment on blog recipes, but this cake was hands down fabulous!! I halved the recipe and made 12 cupcakes instead of one cake. I topped the cupcakes with a lower sugar vanilla buttercream frosting. The batter was so good, I probably ate an entire cupcake worth before I even got the pan into the oven! They were a bit on the sweet side for me, so next time I am going to cut about a third of the sweetener out. I appreciated not having to squeeze and drain the zucchini as well. Thank you
Mendy P says
I’ve been eating low carb for a couple of months now and made this cake last night for my birthday. While I’m an experienced baker, this is the first time I’ve ever tried sugar free/low carb baking. I used Swerve granular for the cake and Swerve powdered for the buttercream icing that you linked in the cake recipe. I didn’t add stevia to the cake or the glycerite to the icing simply because I didn’t have either. Both the cake and icing turned out amazing! Both my sugar substitutes hating husband and picky kid loved it too!
I’m so happy to have a “go to” cake now for birthdays and celebrations. Thank you !
Cheryl says
I haven’t tried the recipe, yet, but it looks awesome. If I wanted to use one of those 24-count mini-cupcake/muffin pans, what would be the bake time? I don’t want to overcook them.
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’d start checking/testing them at 10-15 minutes.
CARMEN says
I’m a DIABETIC. CARBOHYDRATE AND ANS SUGAR RAISES THE GLUCOSE READING.
Lisa MarcAurele says
That is true which is why this cake is made with low carb ingredients and no added sugar.
Marie says
Can I substitute Liquid Stevia extract for the Stevia extract powder? From your chart, it looks like it would take about 1/3 tsp (however I measure THAT but I’ll figure it out 🙂 Since it’s only a small amount, I hate to buy another product.
Lisa MarcAurele says
They sell measuring spoon sets with 1/3 teaspoon measure. That’s how I do it.
Alanna says
I followed the instructions to a T, the cake has no flavour and it gave everyone indigestion.. I actually really liked the icing but I only had granulated erythritol so it was like chewing on sand.. I wasted so much time baking this and had to throw it all out 🙁 it’s a no from me, sorry
Lisa MarcAurele says
Granulated sweeteners are not recommended for frosting. Either liquid or finely powdered sweeteners need to be used. I have made this cake many times and having a proper frosting makes it a hit even with those not on low carb. And if others got indigestion, it was likely the sweetener you used. That’s why I try to limit the amount of erythritol as it can cause digestive issues in larger amounts.
Kim says
You can easily make powdered erythritol by putting the granular kind into a blender on high. Just let it settle before opening the lid. However, erythritol does tend to crystallize in the frig.
Barb C says
Made these yesterday as cupcakes and they turned out fantastic!! I also used your sf chocolate frosting to top them and they were a huge hit. I have a teenager who doesn’t like most of my low carb desserts using erythritol, but she gobbled these up! thanks for another great recipe!
Debbie P says
We don’t eat a lot of desserts, but we were having guests for dinner and I wanted to have something. I also didn’t want to bust my low-carb diet. I had always been intrigued by this recipe, so I decided to give it a go. I did make a couple of swaps. First, I only made a half batch. Second, I used 1/3 cup of Coconut Flour & 1/3 cup of Peanut Flour (I find too much coconut flour makes things too sweet). Third, I used just a little less than 1/2 cup of Splenda (I don’t care for Stevia), and Fourth, I didn’t have coconut oil so I used Vegetable oil. I am happy to report that it was a huge hit. In fact one of my guests that doesn’t cook asked if she could take some home. I will definitely make this again.
Joan T Shields says
This cake is delicious! This will be my new go to for zucchini cake.
Tom says
I made this as instructed, but The taste of coconut is not my favorite thing. Can I substitute almond flour instead and if so how much?
Lisa MarcAurele says
The recipe would need more tweaking as it’s not a one-for-one substitute.
Tom says
Replace every 1/4 cup (1 ounce) of coconut flour with at least 1 cup of almond flour.
Decrease the amount of liquid in the recipe by using one less egg for every 1/4 cup of coconut flour that the recipe initially called for.
Ana says
Quizás la traducción del inglés al español no sea a veces lo que queremos entender de cada una de tus recetas, sobre todo de tus prólogos que no dejo de leer ninguno, son muy amenos, pero específicamente en esta receta me salta la duda de ¿por qué utilizar bicarbonato de sodio y además levadura? he pensado siempre que uno sustituye al otro. O ¿no es así?
Gracias Lisa
Lisa MarcAurele says
It is true that usually either baking powder or baking soda is used. However, I decided to try a little of both in this recipe. I don’t think there is a rule that you much use one or the other. If using just baking soda, I may need to make sure there’s enough acid in the recipe to activate the soda.
Kasara says
Does it freeze well?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yes! I always freeze this cake and it still tastes amazing after thawing in the refrigerator.
Denise says
Excellent. This cake was/is delicious. This was my first time making the cake. It’s so moist and the addition of the chocolate buttercream frosting is sheer perfection. It certainly satisfied my craving for chocolate cake. I will definitely be making it again.
LouiseT says
It was good but we all thought we should cut back on sweetener next time in both cake and frosting:)
Sladana Redner says
This cake is incredible!!! I put the buttercream frosting, but wondering do I store this in the fridge?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yes. It’s best to put any leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh.
Laurie Ropp says
Would like to try this, would I use 1 1/2 cups of monk fruit,sounds like alot, thank you
Lisa MarcAurele says
It depends on the monk fruit product you are using. If it’s a one-for-one sugar alternative like Lakanto Classic, that is the correct amount. But feel free to reduce it to half if you don’t have much of a taste for sweetness (I usually cut sweetener in half in this recipe and add in sweetened chocolate chips)
Ali says
Absolutely delicious! I actually didn’t have baking soda and doubled up on the baking powder and it turned out nicely.
Debra says
Is the mock fruit sweetener the same as the mock fruit powder
Lisa MarcAurele says
There’s different types of monk fruit sweetener. There’s the granular one-for-one sugar replacement and the pure monk fruit powder which can be concentrated at different levels. I’d need to know what you are referring to. But generally “sweetener” refers to a granular sweetener usually blended with erythritol and the “powder” is the concentrated form.
Marnie says
My entire 7 member family loves this cake! We’ve gradually cut the sweetener down to half (so 3/4C) and still enjoy it. I forgot this time about the zucchini due to the fact that I haven’t made this cake since my zucchini bump crop last summer. But when I saw the picture I remembered it was well received and after having added all my other ingredients to the bowl I saw the zucchini and thought , damn, what now? I added 3 more big farm fresh eggs and it turned out no problem. I was also a tad short, maybe two TBSP of coconut flour, so topped up with almond flour again with no change to the taste. Lisa, you have created a wonderful, adaptable recipe here for all to enjoy. Thanks so much for taking the time.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for sharing that! Coconut flour just needs a lot of liquid ingredients or it will turn out too dry. Glad the extra eggs worked out.
Alisa says
Hi there ! Love this recipe ! Is a 45g serving equivalent to one cupcake ? Thanks Alisa
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yes. It’s one slice or a cupcake assuming the recipe is dividing into 24 equal portions.
Kathryn says
Hi! I have two questions:
Can almond flour be used in the place of coconut flour?
For the 1.5 cups of low carb sweetener, I’m going to use monk fruit sweetener (the link you provided). Since that’s a 1:1 sugar replacement, can I just add 1/4 teaspoon more in lieu of the stevia concentrated powder? The two ingredients seem redundant. Thanks!
Lisa MarcAurele says
You can use all monk fruit sweetener and omit the stevia. Almond flour isn’t a one for one sub but it can work with some other minor changes. Typically, you’ll need more almond flour and less liquid/eggs.
Georgie says
THIS IS AMAZING!! I have cooked gluten free as well as many vegan recipes and I must say this is so easy and with a lovely flavor. Simply wonderful and has a great texture. Thanks so much!!!!i I love the zucchini added and the moisture especially with using coconut flour, I also went half and half with cocoa and cacao powder to add some superfood to it. Loved it!!!!!! ???
Marjorie Schneider says
I’m about to make the cake and realized that I have Erythritol, instead of the sweeteners mentioned. Can you tell me how much to use and do I need to add the stevia to it? Thanks
Lisa MarcAurele says
There’s a handy sweetener conversion calculator under the linked sweetener conversion chart. But for this recipe, I’d use about 2 cups erythritol and adjust if needed.
Janie S says
I loved this recipe, best one I’ve found! The zucchini keeps the cake moist, the chocolate flavor is scrumptious, & the texture is light & fluffy! I will definitely be making this again!! I’ve searched for a good low carb chocolate cake recipe that is tasty, this nails it!! Thank you
Janet says
Just made this cake. Exactly to recipe. Extremely disappointed. It is actually inedible it tastes so awful. REALLY can’t see how it could be labeled ‘the best keto chocolate cake recipe ever’. Not trying to be offensive…I’m just very disappointed at the utter waste of time and ingredients. Seriously inedible.
Lisa MarcAurele says
It could be a number of things. You do need to use a good quality cocoa and be sure to adjust sweetener to taste. Adding in the optional chocolate chips also gives it the best taste.
olivia says
That looks incredible!! I can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂 My friends and family are going to love it. lovely pictures too 😉 thank you for sharing with us! I hope you will have a great day!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Enjoy the low carb cake! It’s always a hit when I bring it to parties.
Kim says
Does the nutrition information include the frosting?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s unfrosted, but you can find the nutritional info for the sugar free frosting at https://lowcarbyum.com/chocolate-buttercream-frosting-sugar-free/
Nancy says
How did you make the buttercream frosting?
Lisa MarcAurele says
That recipe is at https://lowcarbyum.com/chocolate-buttercream-frosting-sugar-free/
Tim says
We didn’t like it at all. Only deviants were short a half cup of zucchini and I used monk fruit for the teaspoon additive and the 1:1 sugar substitute. The consistency and moistness was good, just something about the flavor. Not being a hater, just honest. Loved the chocolate buttercream though.
Thank you, Lisa!
Lisa MarcAurele says
It could have been the cocoa and or sweetener. I’ve found some have better flavor than others.
Donna says
Excellent. I halved the recipe for the cake and the buttercream frosting and baked it in a 7.6 X 7.6 inch pan. Wonderful moist delicious chocolate cake!!! Tastes like cake vs. some almost cake-like confection. This recipe is a keeper!
The magic of low carb eating is that after a time everything tastes sweeter, so it doesn’t take much sweet flavor to feel like a treat. The second bit of magic is that with today’s sweetener choices (I use Swerve mostly and stevia some) and coconut flour and almond flour, one can still have some sweet (albeit, not as sweet as before) treats. Just knowing that things are available makes eating low carb easier.
Mary B Farina says
I just made this cake after trying another Keto recipe using almond flour that turned out grainy.
I halved the recipe because I only had 2 cups of zucchini and used Splenda and Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa. I also threw in some dark chocolate candy bar chunks.
First the appearance was very dark (ok for dark chocolate lovers) and the cake was appropriately spongy.
It was incredibly moist and you would never know it was loaded with zucchini. I used too much cocoa and not enough Splenda, but with a few tweaks this will be an incredibly good chocolate cake!
Vidhya says
All I ‘ve is erythritol. Can i just use that
Lisa MarcAurele says
You could try. But for the sweetness you’d need at least 2 cups which may cause crystallization (a common problem if using too much erythritol).
Lena says
I tried it tonight and it salad perfect. I replaced the sweeteners with agave and it was fine.
JoAnn says
Does the zucchini have to be wrung out with a towel, to get out the excess water?
Lisa MarcAurele says
No. You want the moisture from the zucchini in the cake.
June says
How many total servings are you considering when looking at the nutritional information? Also – do you freeze the cake with the frosting already layered on the cake. Currently in my oven and for whatever it’s worth, it SMELLS great so far!
Lisa MarcAurele says
The number of servings is at the top of the recipe card. For this recipe, it’s 24 so I keep the servings pretty small. And I do freeze the cake with the frosting.
N Jones says
This cake was awful. Attempted a layer cake, would not come out of pans, way too dry, crumbly. Don’t waste your time or eggs on this one.
Lisa MarcAurele says
It sounds like you over baked the cake and didn’t grease or use parchment lined bottom pans (or silicone) for easy release which is what’s recommended when baking low carb cakes.
Terrie says
Truly the best! I made it without adding any more sweetener (omitted Stevia) and it was perfectly sweet enough. Texture was like a light brownie. Used Cool Whip and fresh raspberries that were frozen from the season’s pickings last year. What a great, low carb dessert!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Great way to top it off with whipped cream and strawberries!
Carla says
Must be the only one, but I don’t get the “1/4 teaspoon Monk fruit” did you mean 1/4 teaspoon Stevia powder? Or perhaps you meant 1/4 cup Monk fruit? I don’t see how one quarter teaspoon Monk fruit sweetener can make a difference in the recipe. Thanks so much. I’m in the kitchen right now making it
Lisa MarcAurele says
I used to use a monk fruit extract (concentrated liquid form) but I now use a monk fruit blend bulk sweetener. So I did change that to stevia as there’s already monk fruit in the sweetener I use.
Don says
This is one of the best Keto desserts I have made. I cut the recipe in half, yet made the full amount of frosting. It made 12 wonderful cupcake.
E in cle says
I just made this. They rose like a cupcake, looked like a cupcake, were moist like a cupcake and were VERY coconutty. I made cupcakes, will freeze and eat till gone. But remake IDK – they have texture of fine coconut and taste a lot like coconut. Not for everyone.
Cheryl says
You can use olive oil instead. It is low carb too
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s worth a try but I haven’t tested it. But it should work out okay.
Kristy says
Lisa, I don’t like cooling effect of sweeteners. Can you tell me exactly which sugar subs you used for cake and frosting and if you had cooling? Thank you
Lisa MarcAurele says
Erythritol based sweeteners do have a cooling taste to them. However, I’ve found adding a little cream cheese seems to lesson that. You can use a fiber based sweetener instead if you want, but I’ve found those to cause digestive gas.
Stacy says
Could you use gluten free flower to replace the coconut flour , if you don’t like the taste of coconut?
Lisa MarcAurele says
You’d have to make other changes in the recipe as it’s not a one for one sub.
Valeria says
I haven’t made this recipe yet, so my comment is not about the cake itself, but about coconut flavors. I spent 35 years LOATHING the taste, smell and texture of coconut. I barely tolerate the taste and smell of it ( still hate the texture) now that I know coconut oil is good for me ( my body told me so) Still, I use refined coconut because I don’t want my savory dishes to taste like coconut or my BF will refuse to eat it. That said. The brand of coconut flour I have is Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour and boy was I afraid when I smelled it right out of the can. But I will swear up and down Broad Street that my baked goods, both sweet and savory do NOT taste or smell like coconut when done. So the coconut flour doesn’t carry the smell, so use a deodorized coconut oil, or some other neutral oil like Avocado oil to reduce unwanted scents in your cooking. Now I’m bookmarking this recipe cause it looks good, but I’ve got to bake my Buttoni’s Blue-Glu Muffins first (which also use coconut flour but doesn’t smell like it). Happy Baking All.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for sharing that! I’ve served coconut flour baked goods to people and they never knew it had coconut in it.
Cheryl says
Almond flour would be a good substitute as well.
Stephanie says
I could still taste the zucchini some. Can I do half the zucchini and half cream cheese for moisture? Thanks
Lisa says
It’s worth a try. Or you could try to grate the zucchini in smaller shreds.
Traci says
Wow. This is the most real dessert I’ve had on keto. I used Swerve granular in the cake and Swerve powdered in the icing and the little amounts of monk fruit and stevia in the recipe. It tastes wonderful and has a great texture. My non keto family liked it too although maybe not as much as I do.
Lisa says
I’m glad you and your family enjoyed the cake!
Neola says
What texture does this have? Can you use almond flour instead?
Lisa says
It’s got a spongey texture and you’d have to change other ingredients to use almond flour.
Margaret BASSIL says
Could i use almond flour instead of the coconut flour?
Lisa says
This is a coconut flour recipe so other changes are needed. To use only almond flour, you’d need more of it along with less liquid and or eggs.
Lisa says
This is the ultimate low darb chocolate cake!!! I used erythritol and extra stevia glycerite for the sweetness of a box cake and this is amazing. Even after a week in the fridge this is still moist. My brother who refuses to even taste anything “diet” liked this. Am making it again today. YUM!
Lisa says
Thanks for the tip on the stevia glycerite. I find it does tend to give a nice boost of sweetness.
Veronica Ribeiro says
I am not a big chocolate person, but I loved this cake. It is very moist. I used swerve and monkfruit sugar.
How do we go about doing it as a yellow cake?
Lisa says
I actually tried something similar, but added coconut and used yellow squash instead of zucchini. You can find that recipe at https://lowcarbyum.com/coconut-cake-cream-cheese-frosting/
Jackie says
I’ve just returned to make this again and wanted to leave a note to say how much we liked it. First time I made 1/3 recipe for a 4×8 casserole and this time I’m taking it camping and will half it for an 8×8 metal cake pan. Thanks for this recipe – it truly is the “best”!
Lisa says
Great idea to bring along camping for a little treat. Hope you had fun during the trip!
DS says
So our cake turned out terrible (it looked great), but we think it was because we couldn’t find any of the other sweeteners (monk fruit for the cake, stevia glycerite and Swerve for the frosting) and instead used the equivalent amount of Stevia per the recipe notes. The flavor for us was honestly 0-1 star but I feel like it’s mostly because of the Stevia, I haven’t tried the other sweeteners mentioned so I’m not sure if they have the same bitter aftertaste but I would assume not based on other comments. The cake itself was very moist and we actually couldn’t see the zucchini at all, which surprised us! I ate a bite of the cake with no frosting, and we didn’t like it but the taste wasn’t awful, it didn’t really have much flavor (but it did have the Stevia aftertaste), but the frosting just did not taste good to us.
Lisa says
It’s definitely the sweetener. I find it best to combine sweeteners for the best overall taste. And some like the cake a little sweetener than others. I’ve made the cake with a low carb buttercream for a birthday cake and even those not following low carb enjoyed it.
Diane says
To any one who never tried it…….You have to try SWERVE. use equal amounts as substitute for sugar. No aftertast, no gas problems etc. amazon sells the powdered and granulated versions. I haven’t yet made this cake but will soon.
April says
If you think it was your sweetener, why give a low star rating?
Sara K says
I use Stevia and have found I need to use about half the amount of it compared to other sweeteners. This cake is loved by our young twin daughters and myself; even my hubby who is not a “low-carber” or a chocolate cake lover has enjoyed this cake many times.
Lisa says
I’m so glad it’s a low carb cake your whole family enjoys!
Gracie says
I made this cake today, since our zucchini went wild while we were away for a week. I was worried about the odd “cool” sensation I seem to get from the Swerve, so at first I just added 1 cup of the sweetener, but I changed my mind and put in the full amount after all. I used 1/8 tsp of a liquid Stevia as well, so maybe this is what helped it to work out. I filled an 8″ x 8″ cake pan, and had enough batter left for six heart-shaped donuts (came out like miniature bundt cakes) and another six “muffin tops.” This is now my all-time favorite healthy cake! I can’t even imagine eating a store-bought cake or something that came from a cake mix now. This surpasses any cake I’ve ever had. My husband liked it and said he would never have known it used no wheat flour, used a sweetener other than sugar, and had zucchini in it. He declared this a recipe worthy of taking on our sailboat when we entertain guests for dinner. And yes, for anyone wondering, this is absolutely Birthday Cake-worthy!
Lisa says
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the cake recipe Gracie! I love that you made a few mini cakes too.
Farmwife says
I just made this in the 9″ pans. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I had a terrible time getting out of the pans, so it is pretty much crumbled and it will be hard to frost.., but it is still DELICIOUS! So I highly recommend the rectangular 9 x 13 long pan.
Thank you for this delicious treat!
Lisa says
You can line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper to make them easier to release.
Steven S Hewett says
My family and I eat a low processed carbohydrate and sugar diet and this recipe sounded great. The trouble with that is finding alternative’s for my sweet tooth. Although my cake turned out different from what your pictures display I’m quite happy. My result was closer to a sponge cake. I use Pyure as a sweetener and I processed the zucchini into a mush. I was afraid my kids would catch a glimpse of zucchini and be done with it. I plan to perfect future attempts.
Lisa says
You could peel the zucchini so the kids don’t see any green if you want to leave it grated.
Lisa Duncan says
I found this recipe through Virta Health’s blog. So glad I did. It is absolutely fabulous. I made cupcakes – because that helps with portion control – though I have to admit I ate two warm out of the oven, unfrosted. I am freezing half a dozen to take on an upcoming camping trip.
Lisa says
Have a great trip!
Sue says
Do you have to store the cake with frosting in the fridge?
Lisa says
I always do, but it should be fine left out for a couple days.
Brandie says
This cake looks amazing ! I wanted to make this for my son’s birthday but he’s allergic to eggs. I know some people use bananas would that work with this recipe?
Lisa says
I’ve had good results using gelatin and water whipped up with the granular sweetener to a white fluffy consistency as an egg replacer in baked goods.
Amanda says
Hello. I am trying to make this cake for my little brother as he is a diabetic. I couldn’t find monk fruit powder anywhere. They were all sold out at the places that I looked. I did find Swerve (confectioners powder not granular) and 100% natural Erythritol granular sugar. Will those work?
Lisa says
It’s provided in the recipe notes (2-4 tablespoons of sugar equivalent sweetener)
Brenda says
My daughter uses flax seed and water as an egg substitute. You can look that up as well in recipes. Hope your son isn’t allergic to flax
Jen says
HI, this cake looks amazing. I want to make it for my birthday in two weeks. I cannot use any artificial sweeteners as I cannot tolerate them and strictly use monkfruit powder. Should I leave out the 1:1 sweetener entirely? Use more monkfruit? Or do you think this recipe won’t work without the extra sweetener?
Lisa says
All monk fruit should work but you may need to up the liquid without the granular.
Amanda says
Made the cake yesterday and I am quite surprised at how good it was! I used 100% Erythritol and Swerve confectioners in-replace of the monk fruit. I only put 3 cups of zucchini instead of 4 as the zucchini I had shredded was really watery and I was nervous that the 4th cup would’ve over did it. I grated the zucchini on the smallest part of the grater. I did add Hershey’s sugar free chocolate chips, couldn’t find Lilys. The only thing that I would leave out or maybe put less, is the cinnamon. The cake had a cinnamon aftertaste, which was meh for me as I don’t like cinnamon. The cake was so moist and everyone loved it! My little brother who’s a diabetic and who has never eaten cake before said “is this what it’s like to be normal”. For the frosting I used sugar free cool whip and sugar free chocolate pudding with a cup of milk. Thank you for this recipe, it was great!!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe Amanda! It’s great that your brother was able to finally enjoy some cake.
Rhonda says
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! I am pregnant and have gestational diabetes but I have been craving chocolate cake! This has completely hit the spot! The cake is moist and has just the right flavor without the nasty aftertaste that most of the low carb desserts have. I did use the swerve sweetener (almost the whole bag, 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons) and omitted the monk fruit powder. I peeled and blended the zucchini into small pieces and found it did not effect the texture too much. If you didn’t know it was there you wouldn’t have been able to tell. I also added the Lily chocolate chips which was a good addition. I was worried that it would have a coconut flavor but it did not. I personally topped mine with a little bit of whipped cream which was perfect instead of making the frosting. I highly recommend trying this recipe! Thanks again!!!
Lisa says
Adding the chocolate chips definitely provides the best taste.
Mira says
What is the net carbs for a piece of this cake, 9×13, and 9×9?
Many people who made this cake complained of flavor once baked … bitter, etc.
Will liquid Stevia counteract the cooling effect of Erythritol?
How much coffee/espresso powder should you add?
If you make this in cupcakes, how long should you bake them?
Lisa says
Net carbs is roughly 2.5g per square (9×13 cut into 24 small squares). To offset the taste of erythritol, I like to use a stevia/erythritol blend along with monk fruit. You don’t need much espresso powder. Maybe a teaspoon or so. For cupcakes, I’d say about 15 minutes or so, but would check around the 10 minute mark.
JetWan says
Made this cake tonight with the german chocolate cake icing. Moist and good. Definitely the best low carb chocolate cake recipe I’ve tried. Thank you!
Awiti says
BEST Low Carb Cake i ever had! Thanks for this Killer Recipe.
Lisa says
You’re welcome!
Veronica says
Wow! Cake came out delicious. I used Erythritol sweetener for the whole recipe. Made half a cake to make sure it wasn’t a disaster, should have made the whole cake. Thank you.
Lisa says
Awesome! I’m so glad it worked out for you.
Jenni M says
I made this with high hopes, for my mom’s birthday. I followed the recipe to a T. It turned out disgusting as a dessert. It tasted more like zucchini bread with an icky artificial sweetener and baking cocoa after taste. I do not recommend this recipe at all. I spent so much on it and was so disappointed.
Lisa says
It could have been the ingredients you used as they do vary widely.
James nall says
I make this cake all the time my children eat this cake and don’t even know its sugar free. Either you didnt have proper ingredients or u forgot to add something possible i use butter,instead of coconut oil regular salt not sea salt. Taste batter with a spoon before baking if not.to.your liking add more sweetener its just like tasting a regular cake batter
Lisa MarcAurele says
Great tips James!
Amanda says
I made this cake for my mom (who follows a keto diet), and she LOVED it! My sister, her boyfriend, his family, and my mom’s coworkers (some who are not dieting) all loved it as well. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Lisa says
Thanks for letting us know how well this cake worked out for you Amanda!
Jennifer Curry says
I made this today for first time.. I grated instead of shredding .. That may be why.i have the results i have. My cake was slightly bitter, like you need to really like dark Chocolate to eat this, and was very crumbly.. But I’m very much looking forward to trying it again. As I’m struggling with not eating cake and staying low carb
Linda billingsley says
Made the cake the other day! I used two small zucchini and the cake was dense and a bit on the dry side! The icing was great though!
Tiffany says
Made this cake this weekend and the texture is very grainy, what causes this?
Lisa says
This cake should not be grainy at all. None of the ingredients listed should make the texture that way unless too much is used.
Sandra Hubel says
Hi Lisa I have a Stevia blend zero calorie sweetner and that’s it . It says 3/4 teaspoon is like 2 teaspoon of sugar. It’s the Kroger Brand I also have the Kroger Brand of coconut flour do you think these will work in this recipe? I’m very new to trying to cook and bake low carb and I’m very unsure of what I’m doing. Thank you
Lisa says
They should both work. Just make sure to convert the sweetener as needed.
Yvonne Ramos says
So I’ve made this cake twice now and both times they were Amazing! The 1st time I made it I did use the zucchini but I thought it was a little weird so the 2nd time I replaced the zucchini with 3 cups of heavy cream and it was spectacular! If anybody else finds the zucchini flavor a bit off putting I would definitely recommend this substitute.
Lisa says
Interesting! I wouldn’t have thought to use heavy cream. I’ll give it a try.
Jessica S says
Quick question for you, Lisa – in the recipe (and the link), the sugar looks granulated, but the video shows powdered/confectioner’s style for the larger quantity amount. Can you confirm for me? I’ve got granulated and powdered Swerve on hand at the moment. Out of my granulated monk fruit.
Lisa says
I use granulated in the cake, but powdered will work too. However, only powdered should be used in the frosting.
Laura says
Great recipe. A real cake with real cake texture for keto wow. Really happy with the quantity this makes and it was easy to follow. Thank you for giving us a satisfactory solution to our cake cravings.
Alyn says
Hi just made your cake today. I so loved it. Changes on sugar because I can’t fins monk fruit here on the Philippines. My son loves it also. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Alexis says
This was amazing. I made it as cupcakes as a Friday treat for my 6 kids, ages 1-9 (who have not been huge fans of every recipe I have tried since starting LCHF/Keto) The oldest two thanked me for making a “normal” treat and requested it for upcoming birthdays! AMAZING! I did half coconut flour and half oat fiber but everything else was the same. I will shred the zucchini finer next time, but honestly it was SO GOOD! 100!
Ana Hall says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I Made it yesterday and didn’t have any problems with the cake sticking .My problem is that there is something that has an after taste but a lot I’m not sure if it is the coco power or the stevia, but it’s very strong. I don’t know exactly what it is.
Lisa says
It could be either the cocoa or stevia. Sometimes I add a little instant coffee to enhance the flavor.
Aimee says
I find baking with any stevia always gets bitter. I avoid it and only use Swerve.
Judy C. says
Do you peel the zucchini before you grate it?
Lisa says
I don’t peel the zucchini before grating. But, if you want to hide it, you may want to peel it so the green pieces don’t show.
Andra Harris says
yay!!!! finally a “sweet” recipe that actually tastes good and is not grainy like almond flour. This was a huge success. We are fairly new to keto but I’m getting the hang of the “new” way of baking. My go to sweetener is Sola. I used it in this recipe – a little less than what was called for in the recipe. My cake was moist and did not stick in the pan. Previous experience with adding zucchini – such as in zucchini bread- is you have to seriously grease the pan. I took this to a pot luck and no one new it was a “healthy” cake. Thank you for this awesome recipe!!!
Mckenzie says
Hi could I sub in almond flour for coconut? And if so how much?
Lisa says
It won’t work one-for-one in this recipe.
Clarissa says
WAH! I don’t know what went wrong. I had such high hopes! The batter tasted good but it turned out ew. I can’t explain what is wrong with the flavor. My husband doesn’t like it either. He also liked the batter. The consistency is perfect though.
Lisa P says
We aren’t a fan either.
Esther Bergling says
Seriously, probably the best chocolate low-carb cake I’ve ever made. Had the kids and grandkids over and they loved it (even the grands!) I will be making for my high school so nice to kids tomorrow they’ll never know the difference.