Some desserts are absolutely iconic and I can say with confidence that this Keto Kentucky Butter Cake is one of them. This is the original, my friends! I first published this epic sugar-free treat back in 2017 and it became an instant success. So much so that look-alike recipes started popping up all over the internet. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say!
But you’ve managed to find your way to the OG keto butter cake, and I am glad you’re here. If you love rich, buttery desserts, you’ll be happy to know I have plenty of them. You might also enjoy my recipes for Keto Gooey Butter Cake and Keto Butter Cookies.
My devoted fans know that I am a stickler for both taste and texture. So I took my time developing this recipe, and figuring out how to achieve the classic Southern butter cake experience with low carb ingredients.
This cake has the perfect density, but still comes out with an incredibly tender crumb. And the buttery syrup soaks in while the cake still warm, to make it ultra-moist. It’s really is a stunner of a dessert, so it’s little wonder that there are so many copycat recipes. But now you know where it all started!
Why Readers Adore This Recipe
- Rich, buttery flavor: Readers often tell me that when they take this to a gathering, it’s the first dessert to disappear!
- Unbelievably moist: The cake is moist enough as it is but the buttery glaze adds even more moisture.
- Elegant presentation: Bundt cakes always look so elegant, all they need is a sprinkle of powdered sweetener and a few berries.
- Crowd-pleaser: Many folks report that everyone loves this cake, from kids to grandparents.
- Make ahead recipe: You can make it several days in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Keto-friendly deliciousness: No grains, gluten, or sugar makes this an epic low carb treat.
What readers are saying
“I think this cake might be my favorite, and I’ve made many of your desserts. This moist, buttery cake does not even need the glaze! It’s that good. Comes together quickly, bakes to perfection, and yields lots of servings. It’s 10 ⭐️” — Lynn
Ingredient Notes
- Keto flours: This recipe uses both almond flour and coconut flour. The coconut flour helps with structure and offsetting all the delicious butter.
- Protein powder: As always, protein powder helps the cake rise better and have more structure. I recommend whey or egg white protein. Plant-based may also work but don’t use collagen protein.
- Butter: Butter cake needs to be made with copious amounts of butter. Please don’t ask me how to make this recipe lower fat. It’s a butter cake, after all!
- Sweetener: This bakes for quite a bit of time, so I recommend using mostly erythritol based sweeteners in the cake. See the Tips for Success for more details.
- Whipping cream: I use a mix of whipping cream and water as the liquid in this recipe.
- Kitchen staples: Eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt.
How to Make Keto Kentucky Butter Cake
- Combine the dry ingredients: Whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sweetener until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Combine together: Add the almond flour mixture and beat until well combined. Transfer the batter to a large, well-greased bundt pan and bake until golden brown.
- Prepare the glaze: Melt the butter and sweetener together, whisking until combined. Whisk in the water and vanilla extract.
- Pour over the cake: While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over it with a skewer. Pour the glaze over and let cool completely in the pan.
- Garnish: Gently loosen the sides with a knife then flip out onto a serving platter. Dust with powdered sweetener.
Tips for Success
Take the time to grease the pan properly, as directed in the recipe. Bundt pans are notoriously tricky and sticky, and it can be tough to get cakes out in one piece. Particularly cakes as tender as this one! Make sure not to use pans with lots of nooks and crannies – a regular fluted pan works best.
Also let the cake cool completely but don’t let it stay in the pan much longer! I’ve noticed that keto baked goods begin to stick again if they stay in the pan much longer than that.
Use room temperature ingredients. I cannot state this strongly enough! Cold eggs will cause the nicely creamed butter to clump up again.
I don’t recommend trying to replace the coconut flour with more almond flour. Almond flour contains more moisture and it will make this cake far too soft.
Protein powder is an important part of this cake’s success so please don’t ask me if you can substitute anything.
Sweetener Options
I highly recommend using an erythritol based sweetener in the cake itself. Allulose browns more quickly and the part of the cake against the pan will darken considerably – and with a bundt cake, the majority of the cake is against the pan. It may also taste a little burnt.
That said, you are free to experiment with your preferred sweeteners. I just can’t guarantee the results.
You can use allulose-based sweeteners in the glaze, as that won’t cause any issues.
More Keto Bundt Cakes To Love
Keto Kentucky Butter Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups (260 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (30 g) coconut flour
- 1/4 cup (27 g) unflavoured whey protein powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (182 g) granular sweetener , erythritol recommended
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (119 g) whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (118.29 g) water
Butter Glaze
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup (60.67 g) granular sweetener, erythritol or allulose
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
- 1 to 2 tbsp powdered sweetener
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease a bundt cake pan VERY well and then dust with a few tbsp of almond flour. Pro Tip: double-grease your pan to help prevent sticking. Use a solid fat first, like butter or coconut oil, and then a spray like coconut or avocado.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sweetener together until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Beat in the almond flour mixture and then beat in the whipping cream and water until well combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and the top of the cake is firm to the touch.
Butter Glaze
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and sweetener together. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in the water and vanilla extract.
- While the cake is still warm and in the pan, poke holes all over with a skewer. Pour the glaze over and let cool completely in the pan.
- Gently loosen the sides with a knife or thin rubber spatula, then flip out onto a serving platter. Dust with powdered sweetener.
- Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a very butter-forward recipe, so dairy-free substitutions will change the flavor and texture. Some readers have had success using high-fat plant-based butter, but the result won’t be quite as rich or classic as the original.
Because this is a large cake, I recommend using a 9-inch spring form pan or two 8-inch round cake pans. Baking time will vary, so start checking early and take it out when the top is just firm to the touch.
This keto Kentucky butter cake recipe has 5.5g of carbs and 2.5g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3g net carbs per slice.
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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Carolyn, you seriously outdid yourself with this one! Mine completely fell apart, but I’m not even mad about it…it’s that good! Replace the water with spiced rum, you will not be disappointed
Oh dear, did it break coming out of the pan? That is the biggest issue for most people with this cake.
It did, but I didn’t care. I put some in a bowl with a few strawberry slices and whipped cream…wow!
Hello, making this cake and have mostly confectioner’s Swerve. Can it be used in places where you specify granular? Thanks so much!!!
Sure, that should be fine.
Turn into a chocolate version: 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1 tsp instant espresso powder.
Can you use Quest protein powder instead of the Whey protein powder??
I guess so.
I did and it was delicious. I had some salted Carmel quest and it was awesom. This cake is fantastic.
What should the consistency be when it goes in the oven? I just put mine in but it seemed very watery and I followed the recipe exact! Worried I just wasted very expensive ingredients so wanted to see if anyone could tell me, thanks :/
It should definitely not be watery. What kind of almond flour did you use? Something went wrong here.
Can this cake be made with less sweetener? I just made it today and found it to be way too sweet for my liking.
Of course!
Finally made this, this weekend and what a pleasure it is! We’ve always been happy with every recipe we’ve tried of yours but my husband has been bragging about this one all weekend and already wants to make it for the next family get together! =) Thank you for all your hard work we love your recipes!
HI! I want to make this for my husbands birthday but I want to incorporate fruit … like a fruit bunt cake (like berries). Do you think it will hold nicely still? Thank you! I have heard great things about this dessert 🙂
Possibly but I would pick a fruit that has a little substance and isn’t overly juicy. Blueberries maybe.
Hello! Is it ok to use egg white powder instead of the whey powder?
Yes, that should work.
MIL made this for my husband’s birthday. It turned out really well. I’ll definitely keep this recipe on hand for the future.
Thank you for this recipe. I usually don’t crave sweets but when it hits, your website saves me every time.
This was the first time I’ve ever made a “bundt” and it was great! Didn’t even have to put a flower in the middle of it. 😉
Can I use liquid stevia, or regular stevia instead of swerve?
Also, I don’t have whey protein. Can I omit that?
No, this recipe relies on swerve and protein powder to come out properly.
Carolyn is there a mistake in the net carb count? Recipe notes says: 2.04
Carbs 5.54 – fiber 2.5 = 3.04 right? Or am I missing something that you also subtract? Thank you.
Probably!:)
Omgoodness! Best cake ever! I’m making my second one today! It’s absolutely fabulous!
I really like this cake! It has a great consistency and is flavorful without being overly sweet. I subbed the whey powder with powdered goat milk and used pyure as my sweetener. I did make the butter glaze and it was just too much for me and I’m someone who likes some pancake with their butter! I would love to use this to make a cream cheese cinnamon coffee cake- possibly combining this cake recipe (with some cinnamon swirl added in) with the cream cheese layer of your earthquake cake, then topped with a low carb streusal (does that exist?)? I’d love to know your suggestions as I am new to low carb baking and I have found your recipes to be the best I have tested and I’ve tried a good bit….
I’ve made this cake countless times and each time it is a HUGE hit! Nobody thinks it is low carb Sugar addicts can’t tell the difference from their usual goodies. Low carbers question me with, “Are you SURE this is low carb???” LOL This is a robust, reliable recipe that is forgiving (IMHO). Total disclosure – In all the times I’ve made it, I have never added the butter glaze! I want to try it, but each time I discuss it, I get a resounding “no!” Everybody loves it without the glaze. (Someday, when I’m all alone. . . ) Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.