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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Almost done! I used part vanilla extract and part Loranne honey flavoring in the cake. Raw batter was yummy and I have to say extremely thick! Just made the butter sauce and used maple extract instead of vanilla. Everything smells wonderful!
update: Oh my goodness! This is so rich and moist and wonderful! The maple extract in the sauce makes this taste like a giant pancake! I had two skinny pieces because I could not believe how good it was!
One note. I baked mine in a bunds pan using a gas oven for 58 minutes. The very outer edges crisped a hair too much and got dark like a pie crust but tasted fine. Next time I might just shield that part of the pan like you do with a pie.
Marvelous cake! Now where to hide it….
So I had to go buy a bundt pan today so I could
Make this cake today. I’ve had a cold so taste buds are gone. Turned out beautiful but I do have a question for you. Do you salted butter or unsalted or it doesn’t matter? . I want to say it’s delish but my tast buds are gone… but I know from all the others recipes I have made I’m sure it is delish.
The standard in baking is unsalted butter. However, I typically use salted because I have a very high tolerance for salt. But none of my guests seemed to notice in this one!
Kentucky Butter Cake was a big favorite of mine back in the “sugar days” of my life. I baked it often for special occasions & there was no better cake out there!! I am so grateful that you have come up with this version. I baked a half recipe in a loaf pan the other day, but forgot to add the water to the batter. Grrrr! I am not sure if the end result was compromised due to this, but the cake still turned out delicious. This is very, very close to the real thing. I can always faintly detect the sweetener, that’s just me. Most of the people I serve my low carb treats to cannot tell the difference. One thing, though. Every time I use coconut flour, I detect a coarseness of texture after the cake has sat for a day. It’s almost like the coconut particles hydrate and expand into little nubs throughout the cake. I use Nutiva Coconut flour. Has this ever occurred for you?
And thank you… I owe you so much for your part in keeping us on the “sugar free/gluten free” road that is imperative to my health & that of my diabetic husband.
Oh no! Well at least it still turned out okay. I use coconut flour sometimes because I find it ends up with BETTER texture so I suspect it’s your coconut flour. I always use Bob’s and have never had that issue.
I have a nut allergy and was wondering if I could subsitute seasame seed flour for the almond flour? I have substituted sunflourseed flour in other recipes but after baking it turns items green, flavor is good but doesn’t does look as appetizing as of would like. Would love to make this cake.
I don’t know if sesame flour would work, I think it’s drier and more powdery than almond so you’d need to account for that. Maybe less of the flour?
I was wondering if coconut flour could be used with no almond flour?
Not in this recipe, no. That would be a very, VERY different recipe and I’d have to rework it entirely.
I don’t have any unflavoured whey protein powder, what can I use instead?
Egg white protein powder is your best substitute.
Is it an exact exchange for using egg white protein instead? I try to avoid whey as I’m Type 1–hasn’t agreed with me very well : )
Yes, it can be subbed in the same amounts.
Hello!!! Question…do you know the ratio of sweetener if I use Truvia?
Well, I don’t know exactly but Swerve measures like sugar so figure out how much Truvia in relation to sugar. I think there are conversion charts out there somewhere.
Is there a sub for whey protein? I need this cake right now but don’t have that!
It’s going to have better texture and hold together better with it. Do you happen to have any collagen powder? That might help. 1/4 cup maybe?
My son has nut allergies. Do u think i could sub Brianas nut free blend and any ideas of how much to use? Or what else to use?
I haven’t ever used her blend so I can’t say for sure. I suspect it’s a bit drier than all almond flour but that’s not a bad thing because this cake is so ridiculously moist. If you make it and the batter seems REALLY stiff, try adding another egg and a little more liquid.
So I made this a second time in my crock pot because it makes a superb “pound cake” minus the glaze. This time I used about a third more sweetener to compensate for the lack of a sweet glaze; and a full tablespoon of vanilla; and a half teaspoon of almond extract to zing up the flavor of my “plain cake” a little more. Took about 21/2 hours on low in my pot to firm up completely. And I lined the pot with buttered parchment so I could just lift it out of the pot. What an amazing low carb cake, Carolyn! I especially like it sliced and toasted with a cup of tea.
Thank you Carolyn for this yumminess! My husband and I are eating the last pieces tonight. I used a combo of Swerve and Splenda. About 1/3 swerve and the rest Splenda. I just can’t stand the “cooling sensation” of all Swerve. This was out of the park delicious!
That’s what I should do. The cake is beautiful with perfect moist texture but my tongue is still tingling hours after eating one slice. I don’t think I could serve it to others because of the erythritol mouth feel.
Just to be clear…not everyone (and in fact very few) get a tongue tingling sensation. So most people would not have the same reaction
I always use Swerve and am not familiar with the reaction some have described. Thank heavens cause I really don’t like the taste of erythritol. Just took my first attempt out of the oven. HAD to take a tiny bite. Delish! Thank you ????
Could I use coconut sugar in this? I can not find Swerve where I live.
I suppose that would work although it wouldn’t be low carb.
Made this and just had a little taste; the flavor and texture are good. I always bake exactly the first time, but will be playing with this recipe a bit in the future. I think citrus zest, rum extract and some cardamom or nutmeg would be excellent. Can’t wait to see what 24 hours does for the flavor. Thank you so much for your hard work. Your recipes have made hflc eating so much easier to stick with.
All of those things sound wonderful to me!
Made it for a church function! yummy. I labeled it for the diabetics in the church though and the others wouldn’t touch it. I’ll have to stop that I guess.
Well, now you have more to take home with you! 😉
I made mine in a 13×9 pan and cut it into rectangles it worked fine.
Yup! I’d love for everybody to love it, but hey, I wrap each piece in press and seal and store in the freezer in a storage box. I don’t even have to thaw it to have a snack when I’m reaching for my hubby’s unhealthy snacks.
Just made this tonight for a family breakfast in the morning. Holy COW I ate a slice right out of the oven (there was no stopping me!) Carolyn it is out of this world good. I added some crumbled flaked coconut and Lilly’s chocolate chips on top – so so good!
Thank you for this one!
You made me giggle with the “there was no stopping me!”.
Hi! What a delicious looking cake! Think I could make this dairy free with ghee instead of butter and cashew milk instead of heaving cream and water?
Thank you for your dedication to our palates!
Yes, those things might work well. Ghee is more liquid than regular butter so I might go to 2/3 cup instead of a cup of butter.
Yay!!! Thank you!!
I didn’t think to mention in my other comments that I opened a can of coconut milk and used the solid part in place of the Heavy whipping cream. it was Perfect!
Happy Birthday, Carolyn! I made this cake over the weekend and it was amazing! I couldn’t get it out of my metal cake pan, so will try a silicone pan when I make it again today. Even without any adornment (other than the butter glaze), this is moist and rich, absolutely delicious! Maybe I’ll try drizzling it with caramel sauce – but then I might eat it all in one sitting…
So glad you like it! Sorry it stuck to the pan. It’s definitely a tricky one with all that extra butter…