All the best of strawberry season in one delicious keto poke cake. Tender almond flour cake with a sweet strawberry filling and topped with whipped cream. An easy low carb strawberry shortcake recipe!
It’s strawberry season in the Pacific NorthWest and I honestly believe no one could be more excited than I am. There is simply nothing quite like a fresh local strawberry. Now, having grown up in Ontario, where the strawberries are delicious, having lived in British Columbia, where the strawberries are delicious, and having spent 11 years in New England, where the strawberries are delicious, I can tell you that it doesn’t really matter where you are.
If that region is good for strawberry cultivation, then the fresh-picked local strawberries are the best you’ve ever had. Local folks will tell you that their strawberries are THE BEST EVER! And they are, of course, in that very moment. Because you are popping a fresh strawberry into your mouth and nothing else in the world matters. It’s good, it’s juicy, and you think there simply can’t be anything better.
One of the famed local varieties in this part of the world is the Hood strawberry. Oregon is famous for these berries, which have great colour and an extra sweet flavour. People around here want their Hoods, asking for them by name at farmer’s markets and accepting no substitutes.
And they are wonderful berries, but they are fragile and don’t travel well, so don’t expect to see them much outside of Oregon. They are so soft that they are best eaten within days of picking. Which is perfectly fine in my family, as my kids can down a pint or two in one sitting!
Strawberry season always sparks my creativity in recipe creation. I often buy a half-flat at our local farmer’s market simply so I can get the strawberry recipe juices flowing. Since fresh berries like these go so much faster than store-bought, the pressure is on! But this recipe has been on my mind for ages and I was just barely hanging on until strawberry season rolled around to make it.
My low carb poke cakes are always ridiculously popular. And what could be better than a combination of strawberry shortcake and a poke cake? You’re right…nothing could be better.
Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups almond flour
- 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/3 cup unflavoured whey protein powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cups almond or cashew milk
Strawberry Filling:
- 1 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum or glucomannan
Topping:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x9 baking pan well (you can use an 8x8 but the cake will take a little longer to cook).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, whey protein, baking powder, and salt. Stir in melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract and almond milk until well combined.
- Spread batter in prepared baking pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are beginning to brown and top is firm to the touch. Remove and let cool, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke large holes all over the cake.
Strawberry Filling:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until berries are very soft. Puree in a blender or with a hand blender, then stir in the sweetener.
- Sprinkle surface with xanthan gum and whisk vigorously to combine. Let cool until somewhat thickened.
- Pour filling over cake and tap the baking pan gently on the counter to help it fill the holes. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine whipping cream, sweetener, and vanilla extract and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over cake and refrigerate another hour or so to firm up.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Wish I could give it 10 stars. This cake is a winner. I made the cake yesterday for our wedding anniversary today. We couldn’t wait to try it and each had a piece yesterday. I don’t think it will last past tomorrow. We have been Keto/Carnivore since 2015 and don’t usually have any kind of dessert in the house. If I do make something it is brownies or chocolate chip cookies. My husband has already thanked me twice for making it and said at least 3 times how great it is. The “thanks” really belong to you for creating such a fantastic dessert.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you from a diabetic!
Can this be frozen?
Yes, I think it could be frozen.
I just made this recipe and I had to double the strawberry filling as the first batch didn’t completely cover the top of the cake. But with the 2nd batch, I only used half and mixed the other half in the whipped topping. Was perfect after that! I rated this recipe with three stars only because the cake was very dense. I only baked at 25 min and couldn’t tell I should have taken it out sooner or maybe it was the protein? Not sure. But otherwise, tasted good! Just not a moist cake at all.
Another great recipe! I bought strawberries to make your amazing ice cream and found this recipe when I was looking for something to make with the second half of them. Delicious!
This was fabulous!
Not sure what more needs to be said.
Maybe, thank you!
I would like to half the recipe. Can I use 2 large eggs instead of 1 1/2? Thanks!
I made this to take to a Mother’s Day gathering and it was absolutely delicious!!! Will definitely be making this again!!!
I’m really confused on all the different kinds of granulated sugars out there. I noticed you use swerve a lot but on some things like caramel you use allulose. Is swerve better than say Monkfruit or stevia. Help🥰
I made this cake yesterday and it turned out delicious! Thank you for another great recipe!
Easy to make and tasted great. The cake part had a slight crunch…wondering if it was the granulated sweetener and if confectioners style would prevent it next time or if it was the almond flour (I did use recommended brand) Everyone loved it!
I made this yesterday for Sunday dessert.I loved this, but my husband complains about the texture, from the almond flour, can I use coconut?
This is an almond flour based recipe. To change to coconut means changing the entire recipe. Please read this: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-basics-baking-with-coconut-flour/
Does this cake recipe vary from your vanilla cake – which I love by the way. Noticed they were a little different. Is it the moisture from the strawberries?
Many of my cakes differ as I like to experiment.
Hey I use a plant based protein powder is that going to work? I guess I will find out I don’t know how long it will take for an answer lol!
I can’t be sure but it should work.
can i substitute ground chia seeds for the xanthan gum please?
I honestly can’t say whether that would work.