Sugar free german chocolate cake recipe and frosting

This keto German chocolate layer cake is a showstopper with layers of coconut-pecan filling and a rich chocolate ganache.

It’s a naked keto German chocolate cake, and it’s incredible! Get ready to fool your tastebuds with a decadent tasting recipe that is low in carbs and keto-friendly.

It may be hard to believe this is a low carb German chocolate cake recipe, but I promise that it’s one that will satisfy your sweet tooth!

My recipe uses my favorite, moist keto Hershey’s chocolate cake  I doubled the recipe, to make it a spectacular four-layer cake but have instructions for making it a two-layer cake too. 

Be sure to check out our entire collection of keto cake recipes for more tasty options that use only keto-friendly ingredients.

Keto German Chocolate Layer Cake

Keto German Chocolate Cake on a wood cake stand and served sliced on a white plate

A traditional German chocolate cake gets its name from the man who created the recipe, Samuel German, and not the country.

He created a blend of chocolate that was sweet and it was lighter in color and had a milder chocolate flavor.

Since this is a low-carb German chocolate cake, there was no sweet baking chocolate used in the cake batter.

I went for a bolder chocolatey flavor by using cocoa powder instead.

Plus, in the case of the classic recipe, the cake is usually completely frosted in coconut pecan frosting.

However, this German chocolate cake features frosting only in between the layers for a naked layer cake so that you can enjoy all the flavor without it being cloyingly sweet.

The layers of sugar-free coconut pecan filling peeking out make it a stunner for sure. 

I also topped off the cake with a chocolate ganache and more toasted pecans for good measure. It made the perfect keto birthday cake and a fun and delicious way to celebrate my brother Paul’s day.

Four-layer keto German chocolate layer cake being sliced

How To Make A Keto-Friendly German Chocolate Layer Cake

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Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page.

This recipe has three distinct parts, and I’ll walk you through each one so that you feel confident that you can duplicate it.

First, there is the keto-friendly chocolate cake. It’s a keto cake recipe made with a combination of almond flour and coconut flour and has the best texture.

It gets its rich flavor from natural cocoa powder. The use of eggs, butter, and heavy cream in the batter not only provides richness but also adds moisture.

The second part of this keto chocolate cake is the classic coconut pecan filling. Without a doubt, it’s the star of this cake.

I was able to duplicate the flavor by using unsweetened coconut flakes, sugar-substitute, heavy cream instead of evaporated milk, egg yolks, and butter and further enhancing the flavor by toasting the pecans. 

The third and final part of the cake is the addition of chocolate ganache, which I only added to the top layer. It’s totally an optional step but makes for a lovely presentation and adds extra chocolate flavor of course.

keto German chocolate cake that is being layered with pecan coconut frosting

What You’ll Need

• Almond flour finely milled measured and sifted
• Coconut flour
• Cocoa powder
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Granulated sugar-substitute
• Unsweetened coconut flakes
• Eggs, room temperature
• Butter, unsalted
• Heavy Cream
• Sugar-free chocolate chips if making the ganache
• Vanilla extract
• Instant espresso coffee, to intensify the chocolate flavor (optional)
• Sifter, to sift the almond flour
• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowls
• 4-quart saucepan, to make the filling
• 9-inch cake pans
• Nonstick frying pan, to toast the pecans

keto German Chocolate cake with chocolate ganache on top

Sugar-Substitute Options

As far as the best sweeteners for this sugar-free German chocolate cake, I recommend the use of Lakanto’s granulated sugar substitute it’s their erythritol and monk fruit sweetener that is as close to sugar as it gets.

Having said that, you can also use the brand Swerve which is an erythritol blend. Similar to Lakanto it uses sugar alcohols and has a 0 % impact on blood sugar.

You could also use the stevia and erythritol-based brand Pyure if you prefer to use a stevia-based sweetener. I will however add that we are not sure why but chocolate and stevia do not always place nice and can intensify the aftertaste of stevia.

It’s not my preference to ever use stevia in chocolate recipes for this reason. Due note, that if this is your pick make sure you reduce the amount called for in the recipe by half since it’s a much sweeter option.

Lastly, if you can’t easily find a more natural sugar substitute you can also use Splenda with good success. I know not everyone would agree with me here and I respect that but in my book, it’s still better than regular sugar. 

keto German Chocolate Cake on a wood cake stand

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Continue to Content

Keto German Chocolate Layer Cake

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional baking Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This is the ultimate keto German chocolate cake recipe, it's a deliciously moist chocolate cake that is made with a combination of almond and coconut flour. It features a sugar-free coconut pecan frosting and rivals a traditional German chocolate cake.

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Ingredients

• 4 cups granulated sugar substitute
• 2 cup finely milled almond flour measured and sifted
• 1 1/2 cups coconut flour
• 1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• ½ tsp of sea salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream & 1 cup of water (this will substitute for the milk called for in the original recipe)
• 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter
• 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of instant espresso coffee
• 2 cups of boiling water

Keto Coconut Pecan Frosting

• 1 cup of granulated sugar substitute
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, sliced
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract
• 2 cups of unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 1/2 cups of chopped toasted pecans, plus 10 pecan halves to decorate the cake top

Chocolate Ganche optional)

• 3/4 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease FOUR-9-inch round pans and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and sweetener.
4. Combine the heavy whipping cream with the water. Note this is not the boiling water that will be added later. This is the cream and water that replaces conventional milk in most recipes.
5. Melt 1/4 cup of butter and set aside.
6. Add the espresso to the cup of boiling water and set aside.
7. To the dry ingredients, add the eggs, heavy cream & water combo, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined using an electric mixer.
8. Once everything is combined, add the boiling water and stir until well blended.
9. Pour the batter evenly into the four prepared pans.
10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
11. While the cake bakes, proceed to make the frosting.
12. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes on a baking rack. Then using a thin knife, run around the edge of each cake before carefully removing the cakes out of the pans. Return to the cooling rack to cool completely.

Keto Coconut-Pecan Filling

1. To make the frosting add the granulated sugar substitute, heavy cream, and egg yolks into a large saucepan. Whisk all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
2. Over medium heat, stir the sauce and then add the butter slices and constantly cook, stirring until the butter is fully incorporated into the sauce, about 5-6 minutes. Continue to cook while stirring for another 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to boil and thickens.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the unsweetened coconut flakes and chopped pecans. Stir in the vanilla and maple extract.
4. Place the frosting into a heat-safe container and allow it to cool completely for about 45 minutes.

Sugar-free Chocolate Ganache (optional)

1. In a microwave melt, the chocolate chips with heavy cream for a total of 1 1/2 minutes melt in 20-second intervals. Stir until well combined.
2. Add the butter and stir until combined.

Assembling The 4 Layer Cake

1. After the cake layers have cooled, place one of the cakes on a cake stand or large plate and top with 1/4 of the frosting. Carefully spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the cake.
2. Add the second cake layer over the frosting. Add the remaining on top and spread evenly to the edge of the cake.
3. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I do not recommend you freeze the cake after it's been frosted. If you need to freeze the cake do so before frosting and make the frosting the day it is defrosted.

Notes

Two-layer Cake Instructions

For a two-layer German Chocolate cake refer to my recipe for Keto Hershey's Chocolate Cake and proceed to make 1/2 the pecan coconut filling and the same amount of chocolate ganache.

What is the frosting on German chocolate cake made of?

The creamy coconut-pecan frosting is the classic flavor used for German chocolate cake frosting. If you're short on time use a coconut pecan ready-to-spread frosting like we do on this recipe for German Chocolate Doughnuts.

What is the difference between devil food cake and German chocolate cake?

A devil's-food cake is richer and darker, and has a strong cocoa flavor. German chocolate (a favorite here in south Texas) usually is a lighter-colored cake with a flavor of mild chocolate. True German chocolate cake has delicious pecan-coconut frosting, while the devil's food usually has a dark fudge frosting.

How do you thicken German chocolate frosting?

Weight your egg yolks. I cannot stress this enough. Your frosting will not thicken correctly if you do not have the proper amount of egg yolks. Whip the egg yolks and the evaporated milk together until just combined.

What makes German chocolate cake different?

Not only is this cake traditionally made with a sweet chocolate, it also has a distinct icing. Instead of having a traditional buttercream or meringue, the icing is representative of a custard. The base is made of egg yolks & evaporated milk and should always contain pecans & coconut.