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.
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!
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
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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
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
More keto brunch recipes
Keto Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup Swerve Brown lightly packed
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup unflavored whey protein powder or egg white protein powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 tbsp water, if needed
- ⅓ cup sugar free chocolate chips
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup Swerve Brown
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease an 8-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- 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.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir until well distributed, then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread to the edges.
Crumb 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.
- 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.
- Sprinkle with powdered sweetener, if desired.
Anne o says
Just made this in my 11″ cast iron skillet.wonderful right from the oven- the crunchy bottom and sides make it delicious. Mine ended up just shy of 1″ tall- so good. Many thanks Carolyn!
Rachel says
Can I ask what the whey powder does in the recipe? I have looked everywhere locally for it and can’t find it. Do I really need it?
Carolyn says
Gluten is a protein and in its absence, you need a dry protein to help baked goods rise and hold their shape. You can order it online or get it at whole foods easily.
charlotte says
i made this for my family for breakfast, and all eight of us loved it, even my older sister, who doesn’t like almond flour:)
Thanks!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it, Charlotte.
Julie says
Can I substitute butter with oil anywhere in this recipe? Thanks. Can’t wait to try.
Carolyn says
What kind of oil? Coconut oil? If so, yes you can sub coconut oil.
Julie says
Great thanks! Equal amounts? Can I sub for topping and batter or just batter?
Carolyn says
Coconut oil is so much more greasy, I’d do a few tbsp less in the batter. Not quite sure how it will work in the topping but it’s certainly worth a try. Use just enough to get the topping crumbly.
Susannah says
The texture of this is amazing! It got 3 out of 4 thumbs up from our family (our 6-year-old didn’t like it, but he’s slightly picky with his sweets). And while my husband and I gobbled up our pieces (and split our son’s leftovers), we were tasting something slightly bitter or off when first trying it. Any thoughts? A reaction with the cast iron? Or the unincorporated Swerve in the topping? We’ll definitely make it again and maybe try coconut sugar in the topping to see if that helps. Thanks again for all the great recipes!
Carolyn says
It could be the Swerve or something with your cast iron pan, maybe a flavour left on it from whatever you made in it last time? I don’t think it would be a reaction to the cast iron, though. So glad you like it other than that!
charlotte says
do you think it would still taste good if i omitted or substituted something for the unflavoured whey protein powder?
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I love cooking in my skillet.. so this recipe is perfect for me! This coffee cake looks & sounds delicious, i definitely am craving a slice right now.
Cathy says
I tried this recipe today and let me tell you, it is fantastic. I think this is going to become one of my favourites. It’s so quick and easy and tastes delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe. Oh, by the way, I chopped up a 72% dark chocolate bar for the chocolate chips and that worked out great. Thanks again!
Shay @ Whine Less, Breathe More says
Oh yum! I need an iron skillet immediately.
Jan says
I tried this recipe today & I love it!!! Carolyn, thank you so much for all that you do! Your passion & desire for creating delicious recipes has helped me stay on to track with my Keto Diet as it’s very hard to find a variety of sweet treats that fit the bill while maintaining a state of ketosis. Your site has provided many wonderful options that actually taste really good. I’ve lost 20 pounds and I’m feeling so much better/healthier. So thank you for all that you do….it is very much appreciated.
Carolyn says
Fantastic! Congrats on your weight loss.
Lisa says
This recipe calls for 1/2 cup Swerve. Does it matter in terms of sweetness in the final product whether it is granulated or powdered Swerve? That is, are they cup-for-cup equivalent, or, like regular sugar, is there a difference in how one would measure granulated vs. powdered? Thanks-
Carolyn says
I’ve used them interchangeably but I think it will be a better texture if you use granulated for this recipe. But if you only have powdered, you can use that.
Darlene says
I made this and it is great, thank you!
Lisa Spears says
I am wondering if you have a substitute for the whey protein?
Carolyn says
Yes, you can use powdered egg whites (meringue powder, just make sure it’s unsweetened) or hemp protein.
Vana says
Hey Carolyn,
I saw others ask about this substitute. Some said powdered whole milk could work. What do you think? I have psyllium husk powder on hand, do you think that could also be used as a sub?
Carolyn says
No, neither of those will really be a good sub
Amanda says
This looks amazing!!
FoodSnob says
If I don’t have the oven proof skillet, could I use a 10-inch pie tin, or 9-inch square pan?
Carolyn says
Yes, absolutely. It won’t crisp up along the edges as much but it will still be great.
Twila Rowe says
I just don’t like the texture of almond meal. I haven’t seen any almond flour. Could I just Nutribullet the heck out of it or could I use coconut flour? I’m sure you have to answer this all the time. I’m sorry in advance and thank you for the fabulous recipes.
Carolyn says
You could try grinding it further or you could order Honeyville online, if that’s an option. But coconut flour just isn’t going to work in this recipe, you’d have to modify the whole thing and I don’t think it would come out that well.
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
Carolyn,
love this skillet chocolate chip coffee cake!! I need to try this! Are you guys packing yet? Hoping for a smooth transition for you and your family. . and I know baking things like this will keep you all together and smiling!
Agnes says
Dear Carolyn,
could you please give me a link to the cast iron skillet in which you made this cake? It might be on my Christmas wish list. 🙂
Thanks.
Agnes
Carolyn says
Hi Agnes – It’s actually right below the recipe in an Amazon Affiliate link. Just scroll down a bit and you should see it! 🙂 Lodge is a great brand, you can also get it at Sur La Table.
Agnes says
Thanks! And sorry I had double-checked before I asked. :)))
Carolyn says
No worries!
Ann says
Not really a chocolate person in the morning, can you substitute it for some blueberries instead or I guess just leave out?
Carolyn says
Of course you can!
Judy says
What a great idea!
Rachel says
This sounds delicious. Will make soon.