Name: Keto Chocolate Orange Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup coconut flour ((73g)); 2/3 cup Swerve Sweetener; 6 tbsp dark cocoa powder; 1/4 cup unflavored whey protein powder; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled; 6 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp orange extract; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup water (more if needed); 2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener; 1 to 1 1/2 tsp orange extract; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature; 6 tbsp heavy whipping cream; 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped; 2 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener; 1 tbsp powdered BochaSweet ((or an additional tbsp Swerve)); Thinly sliced orange; Long strands of orange zest

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A stunning three layer keto chocolate cake with a touch of orange extract and a gorgeous chocolate drip glaze. This is a low carb dessert worthy of your time! This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.

Prefer a classic version? Be sure to check out my keto chocolate cake recipe.

Titled image of keto chocolate orange layer cake on a white platter, with one slice cut out.

Talk to me, keto bakeaholics! Talk to me about the joy you get in the kitchen when you set about to make a glorious keto dessert that it going to wow your friends and family.

Talk to me about how good it feels when that dessert comes together perfectly, and looks just like you imagined in your head. And when it tastes as divine as you had hoped.

There is no better feeling in the world, I think. I’d even venture to say that it’s rather addictive. It’s that feeling that keeps us returning to the kitchen again and again. Baking is my drug of choice.

Well, this luscious Keto Chocolate Orange Cake was one of THOSE desserts. I sketched it out in my brain weeks before I started. I had a vision, if you will. And I think the photos show just how much it lived up to my vision.

Chocolate Orange Cake Inspiration

As you are probably well aware, I get much of my baking inspiration from Pinterest, and it was this gorgeous cake from Wilton that caught my eye.

Those stunning layers of chocolate cake, that rich chocolate frosting, and the chocolate glaze, all tinged with a hint of orange – how could I resist? I loved the rectangular shape, as well. A nice change from the typical round layer cake.

Terry’s chocolate oranges were an oft-shared Christmas treat when I was growing up. And this keto chocolate cake embodies that flavor without the resulting sugar high.

Keto chocolate orange layer cake on a white platter with slices of orange in front

Nut-Free Keto Chocolate Cake Recipe

For the chocolate cake layers, I decided to use my classic keto chocolate cupcakes recipe. That recipe happens to be coconut flour-based, making this elegant keto cake completely nut-free. Hooray for those of you with nut sensitivities!

Of course, I couldn’t do it without my friends from Bob’s Red Mill and their awesome organic coconut flour. It’s so consistent, I know I can trust it for great results. I use it in all of my coconut flour recipes and it hasn’t failed me yet.

And trust me when I say it makes the best keto bagels! And my keto pancake bites are always a hit with the kids.

Close up shot of keto chocolate orange layer cake on a white platter

What is a crumb coat?

Now let’s get into a little technical baking talk, shall we? Learning about a crumb coat is going to help many of you when making keto cake recipes.

To create a rectangular cake, I baked it in a 9×13 pan and cut it into 3 even layers, each about 4 1/3 inches wide.

But cutting a cake this way means that the sides are extra crumby, and those crumbs can get into your frosting. If you’re a cake perfectionist, having little specks in your frosting is likely to drive you nuts.

Enter the crumb coat. A crumb coat is simply a thin layer of frosting spread over the sides of the cake first – so thin, you can usually see much of the cake through it. This helps smooth down the crumby bits so that they don’t stick to your offset spatula when you spread on the remaining frosting.

I recommend switching spatulas or cleaning your spatula before applying the second layer of frosting, to reduce the crumbs even more.

Frosting crumb coat on a keto layer cake

Tips for Keto Chocolate Orange Cake

This is an elegant keto layer cake that takes some effort to put together. But trust me, the effort is worth it! Here are my best tips for getting it right:

Be sure to line the bottom of your bake pan with parchment paper. This will make it much easier to get out of the pan so you can cut three even layers.
I recommend a combination of both orange and vanilla extract. Sometimes orange flavourings can be a touch bitter and a bit of vanilla helps mellow them out.
Feel free to do another flavor altogether! Mint would be lovely in this cake too.
Be sure to do the crumb coat on the sides, as outlined above. It will really make a difference to the smoothness of your frosting.
When a recipe such as this one specifies room temperature ingredients, make sure you follow it. It’s important for a smooth batter and a smooth frosting.
The drip glaze specifies two different sweeteners. This is because using only erythritol (like Swerve) can cause the glaze to recrystallize a bit when refrigerated. A bit of BochaSweet (or allulose) can keep it looking shiny and smooth. But if you can’t find it or don’t want to use it, all Swerve will still be great.
Thin slices of orange as garnish make for a stunning cake. I didn’t eat them so they aren’t included in the nutritional information.
For long strands of orange zest to decorate, use a cocktail zester.
The cake is best stored in the fridge but I think it tastes best at room temperature. So cut a slice using a sharp knife (heat it up for cleaner slices) and let it sit out a few minutes before serving.

A slice of keto chocolate orange cake on a white plate, in front of the rest of the cake on a rectangular cake platter.

More keto orange flavored recipes