Keto Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Name: Keto Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sour cream; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2/3 cup Swerve Brown (lightly packed); 2 cups almond flour; 1/4 cup unflavored whey protein powder (or egg white protein powder); 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 to 2 tbsp water, if needed; 1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips; 1/2 cup almond flour; 1/4 cup Swerve Brown; 2 tbsp melted butter

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This tender sour cream coffee cake will amaze your tastebuds and your friends! No one will guess it’s keto friendly and completely sugar-free.

A slice of keto sour cream coffee cake on a white plate with a bowl of chocolate chips in the background.

Nothing quite says “Let’s brunch” like a slice of sweet, crumbly coffee cake. Bonus points if it’s studded with chocolate chips. And triple bonus points if it’s low carb and gluten-free.

What is it about keto coffee cake that is so delightfully enticing? Is it the sweet cinnamon scent and the tender texture? Or is it the fact that you can eat cake with your morning coffee and no one will give you the hairy eyeball?

Let’s face it, a big slice of layer cake might have some people judging you rather harshly. Although I would not say no to a slice of keto carrot cake for breakfast in the privacy of my own home!

But coffee cake is somehow much more socially acceptable. No one even thinks twice if you go back for seconds!

Keto sour cream coffee cake on a white cake plate on a wooden table.

Why you will love this recipe

Sour cream coffee cake is a classic bakery treat and this keto version lives up to the promise. It has a tender crumb that isn’t overly sweet. And it’s topped with a delicious brown “sugar” crumb topping.

It both looks and tastes the part of a conventional baked good, but with a mere fraction of the carbs.

It’s also easy to make, with standard keto ingredients that you can find at almost any grocery store. You only need 20 minutes of prep time to get it into the oven and baking. Then just sit back and enjoy the delicious smells!

I took this cake to a get together recently and it disappeared astonishingly fast. No one could believe it was made without sugar or flour!

Ingredients you need

Top down shot of the ingredients needed for keto sour cream coffee cake.

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Sour cream: I love using sour cream in baked goods like keto muffins and cakes. It makes them extra tender. You can also use Greek yogurt, but I recommend full fat for fewer carbs.
Brown sugar substitute: My favorite is Swerve Brown as it tastes the most like real brown sugar. If you can’t find a good sub, you can use granular erythritol and a teaspoon of molasses.
Almond flour: As with any almond flour recipe, the finer your flour, the finer the consistency. I always have good results with Bob’s Red Mill.
Protein powder: You can use whey protein powder or egg white protein powder. Collagen protein won’t work in this recipe.
Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon goes well with almost any coffee cake.
Chocolate chips: You don’t have to add keto chocolate chips but it’s pretty tasty if you do! You can also add chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts.
Pantry staples: Eggs, vanilla, butter, baking powder, salt.

Step by Step Directions

A collage of 4 images showing the steps for making Keto Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

1. Prepare the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and sweetener. Stir in the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. If the batter is very thick, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time. It should be thick but pourable.

2. Spread in the pan: Add the chocolate chips and stir until well distributed, then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread to the edges.

3. Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle all over the top of the cake.

4. Bake the coffee cake: Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is just firm to the touch and the edges are golden brown. Remove and let cool completely in the pan.

A slice of keto coffee cake on a white plate over a red napkin.

Expert Tips

Make sure to whisk the sweetener in with the wet ingredients and break up any clumps before adding the dry ingredients. Brown Swerve sometimes has clumps but you can mash them easily with a fork.

Sour cream adds lots of moisture to the cake batter so only add water if your batter is overly thick. You want the batter to be thick but still easily poured into the baking pan.

Nut Free Option: You can use sunflower seed flour in place of the almond flour, cup for cup. Just be aware of the fact that it can react with baking powder to cause baked goods to become green inside as they cool. You can easily offset this reaction by using a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between coffee cake and cake?

Coffee cake is meant to be served with coffee, and can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, or snack. It’s usually a simple one layer cake that has no frosting, and it’s often less sweet than dessert cakes. Think of it as a muffin in cake form!

Does sour cream coffee cake need to be refrigerated?

This keto coffee cake does not need to be refrigerated immediately. You can store it on the counter, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. If you won’t finish it before then, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

How many carbs are in keto coffee cake?

This keto sour cream coffee cake recipe has 8.2g of carbs and 4.4g of fiber per serving. So each slice has 3.8g of net carbs.

Close up shot of a slice of Keto Sour Cream Coffee Cake with chocolate chips.

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