• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Cookbooks

All Day I Dream About Food

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • FAQ
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Keto Cakes » Keto Lemon Cream Cake

    Published: Jul 17, 2021 · Modified: Jul 27, 2021 by Carolyn

    Keto Lemon Cream Cake

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    18.6K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This delicious keto lemon cake is a low carb copycat of the famous Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake. Delicious layers of almond flour cake with a lemony cream filling and a tender crumb garnish. How can you resist?

    Titled image of keto lemon cream cake with a slice sitting in front of the main cake.

    I am absolutely delighted to re-introduce you to my Keto Lemon Cream Cake. It’s been a long time coming, but trust me, the wait was worth it!

    I created this recipe back in the good old days, when keto was hardly a twinkle in people’s eyes. While I was firmly low carb at the time, I hadn’t even heard the word ketogenic. And it certainly wasn’t the wildly popular diet it is now.

    But 10 years ago, a reader asked for a low carb version of Olive Garden’s Lemon Cream Cake. It was no longer on their menu but I was able to find other copycat recipes upon which to base my sugar free version.

    And it quickly became on of my most popular keto cake recipes.

    A keto lemon cake on a white cake stand beside some cut lemons.

    Keto Lemon Layer Cake

    This really is a perfect cake for lemon lovers. It features two tender layers of vanilla sponge cake, with a creamy lemon filling and a lemon scented crumb pressed into the sides.

    For the updated version, I simplified the cake layers, eliminating some unnecessary ingredients like xanthan gum and stevia extract. I also baked it in two 8-inch cake pans so that I could skip the step of splitting one layer with a knife. I’ve never been very good at that and my layers always end up uneven.

    The filling is similar to my original recipe as well. But this time, to stay true to the original Olive Garden version, I put my crumb garnish around the outside of the cake and sprinkled the top with powdered sweetener.

    It really is the perfect keto lemon cake!

    A collage of photos showing how to assemble a keto lemon cream cake.

    How to make keto lemon cream cake

    This cake isn’t difficult to make, although it does have several individual components and dirties more than a few bowls. It’s a great baking project for a day off. Here’s how it’s done:

    1. Bake the cake layers. This is an almond flour vanilla cake, and the execution is quite simple. I used only egg whites so that the cake would be lighter in both color and texture.
    2. Prepare the lemon cream filling. The filling is a combination of cream cheese frosting and whipped cream to make it light and airy. It uses both lemon zest and lemon juice for flavor.
    3. Prepare the crumb garnish. The crumbs on the outside of the Olive Garden cake is what makes it so unique. I used lemon zest to give them a little more tanginess.
    4. Assemble the cake. Make sure to reserve some of the cream filling to spread on the sides of the cake so that the crumbs stick. The dust the top of the cake with some powdered sweetener.
    5. Slice and serve!

    Tips for the crumb garnish

    Use your hands when adding a garnish like sprinkles, nuts, or crumbs to the sides of a cake. Set the cake on a serving platter over a clean work surface.

    Turn the cake as you gently press handfuls of the crumbs into the frosted sides. If you happen to have a cake turntable, you can use that to help you turn the cake evenly.

    Scoop up any crumbs that fall onto the work surface and gently apply those to the sides of the cake.

    A slice being taken out of a keto lemon cream cake.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you make this keto lemon cake with coconut flour?

    If you would prefer to use coconut flour, try making the cake layers with my Keto Chantilly Cake. Simply spread the batter in two cake pans, rather than three. It will take a little longer to bake through.

    Can you use whole eggs?

    Yes, you can but your cake will be a little more dense and yellow in color. Use only 3 eggs to replace the 4 egg whites.

    Can you use different sweetener?

    The cake layers will work with any granulated sweetener but do be forewarned that allulose can make them very dark on the outside. The frosting requires a powdered sweetener, and some of them are 2 times as sweet so please read your labels.

    Can this keto lemon cream cake be made in advance?

    You can make this cake a day or two ahead of serving it, but I wouldn’t recommend any longer than that. The cream filling is best when fresh.

    Can you make this into cupcakes?

    I can’t see why not! It will make 10 to 12 cupcakes.

    Storage instructions

    Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve, as the cream filling softens easily.

    Store any leftovers in the fridge and cover the cut sides with plastic wrap to keep the cake from drying out.

    A slice of keto lemon cake on a white plate with berries on the side and a lemon slice on top.

    More delicious keto lemon recipes

    • Sugar Free Lemon Curd
    • Easy Keto Lemon Muffins
    • Lemon Cheesecake Bars
    • Keto Lemon Cream Pie
    • Sugar Free Frosted Strawberry Lemonade
    • Keto Lemon Sugar Cookies
    A slice of keto lemon cake on a white plate with berries on the side and a lemon slice on top.

    Keto Lemon Cream Cake

    This delicious keto lemon cake is a low carb copycat of the famous Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake. Delicious layers of almond flour cake with a lemony cream filling and a tender crumb garnish. How can you resist?
    4.70 from 20 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: keto lemon cake
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 342kcal

    Ingredients

    Lemon Cake

    • 2 ¼ cups almond flour
    • ⅓ cup unflavored whey protein powder or egg white protein powder)
    • 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup butter, softened
    • ¾ cup Swerve Granular
    • 4 large egg whites room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ to ⅓ cup water

    Lemon Cream Filling

    • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • ¾ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener divided
    • 1 ½ tablespoon grated lemon zest
    • 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream

    Crumb Garnish

    • ⅓ cup almond flour
    • 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
    • 2 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoon butter, melted
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    Lemon Cake

    • Preheat the oven to 325F and grease 2 round metal 8-inch cake pans. Line with parchment and grease the parchment.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
    • In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla until well combined.
    • Beat the almond flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with ¼ cup water. If the batter is very thick, beat in the additional water.
    • Divide between the prepared cake pans and spread to the edges. Smooth the tops and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch.
    • Remove and let cool completely in the pans.

    Lemon Cream Filling

    • Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in ½ cup of the powdered sweetener, the lemon zest, and the lemon juice and until well combined.
    • In another bowl beat the cream with the remaining sweetener until it holds stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until well combined.

    Crumb Garnish

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, and lemon zest. Add the melted butter and toss until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

    To assemble

    • Place 1 layer of cake on a serving platter. Set aside ½ cup of the cream filling and spread the remaining filling over the cake.
    • Top the filling with the second cake layer, then spread the ½ cup of reserved cream filling over the sides of the cake.
    • Using your hands, gently press the crumb garnish over the sides of the cake. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sweetener and refrigerate 1 hour to firm up.
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Lemon Cream Cake
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
    Calories 342 Calories from Fat 269
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 29.9g46%
    Carbohydrates 7g2%
    Fiber 2.7g11%
    Protein 9.8g20%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    18.6K shares

    free email series

    Secrets to Keto Baking

    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!


    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.

    Reader Interactions

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Dans says

      July 31, 2021 at 7:14 pm

      5 stars
      Totally exquisitely delicious!! Made this today and every bite was scrumptious! The moist sponge cake texture with the perfectly sweet and tart lemon cream filling, accompanied by the crumb mixture was over-the-top outstanding! Rather than putting the cream filling on the sides, I used it as a topping crowned by the crumb mixture since the side application,requires more dexterity than I have patience for. Not as pretty as yours, but it did not detract from the taste at all. This is another BIG winner for a delectable dessert! I am curious if you think this could work if switched out with orange juice and zest? I am missing orange cake on Keto. Regardless, the lemon cream is superb!

      Reply
    2. Eric says

      July 23, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite cake recipe, and my printout of the original recipe is well stained! The only tweak I do is to add lemon zest to the cake, too.

      Can’t wait to try the new version, and not having to slice the cake horizontally will be a godsend. But really, who can be satisfied with 1/12 of a cake this good? If I did my math correctly, 1/8 of the cake is 6.45 net grams of carbs, in case anyone besides me is interested. But even if you don’t care, this dessert can proudly be served to non keto eaters, and they will be impressed.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 23, 2021 at 10:24 pm

        Thanks, Eric. I think you will love the updated version.

        Reply
    3. JT says

      July 23, 2021 at 2:14 pm

      Your original Lemon cream recipe in 2016 (which had rave reviews) used to have yogurt, almond milk, baking soda, and about half the amount of butter in the ingredients listed for the cake part….may I know the reason why recipe has now been drastically changed ??

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 23, 2021 at 9:40 pm

        Because this is much better, less dense, more cake-like.

        Reply
    4. 2pots2cook says

      July 20, 2021 at 7:32 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful slice, amazingly arranged ! This is a keeper for all the lemon lovers !

      Reply
    5. Mel says

      July 20, 2021 at 3:19 am

      How many grams of sugar per serving?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 20, 2021 at 6:57 am

        No idea. But I am sure you can find an online calculator for that.

        Reply
    6. Cindy says

      July 18, 2021 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!!!! Made this today. Used some of the “icing” on top as well in lieu of powdered sugar. Oh so good! Will be a family repeat recipe now!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 18, 2021 at 1:42 pm

        So glad you like it! It was fun to update the old cake.

        Reply
    7. Sheri L Miller says

      July 18, 2021 at 11:29 am

      Where do you get the crumbs from?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 18, 2021 at 11:31 am

        You make them. Please read the recipe carefully and you will see.

        Reply
    8. Jayne says

      July 18, 2021 at 10:56 am

      I wanted to make this, but could not find UNFLAVORED whey protein. I would have tried vanilla, but at $27.99 for the smallest container, I didn’t want to chance it. Could the whey protein be omitted? Or, will vanilla change it much?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 18, 2021 at 11:30 am

        Vanilla will change it too much. Your best bet is Amazon… https://amzn.to/3lRxXSa

        Reply
    9. Lisa says

      July 18, 2021 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      This cake is a smash hit every time I make it. Everyone loves it, even folks who don’t do low carb! Thank you for this and all the other FANTASTIC recipes you share, Carolyn!

      Reply
    10. Ann says

      June 09, 2020 at 1:14 pm

      I actually made this twice today and both times it sunk minutes after taking it out of the oven. Do u know why this keeps happening? Is this normal?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        June 09, 2020 at 4:48 pm

        It’s not fully baked through. Are you using the protein powder?

        Reply
        • Ann says

          June 10, 2020 at 8:52 pm

          I used Isopure Protein powder (unflavoured). Baked it 35 mins exactly. It was browned on the top, dry inside (no wet batter). Should I bake longer?

          Reply
          • Ann says

            June 10, 2020 at 8:55 pm

            And yes, I made no substitutions… Followed exactly as written:). Would love to get this cake down cuz its really really delicious!

            Reply
    11. Suzanne says

      June 30, 2018 at 1:13 am

      I chose this cake recipe to make for our weekly Domino game night and I got rave reviews. It was delicious and made a grand appearance covered in almond. and lemons slices. This has been added to our favorite desert recipes.

      Reply
    12. Shelly says

      March 17, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      When I was a child my mom’s friend made an oatmeal cake with a broiled icing on top (like the German chocolate frosting, pecans and coconut). It is an all time favorite of mine and would love to have a thm version!!!

      Reply
    13. Mary says

      February 09, 2018 at 8:00 pm

      Hello makeover genius! Not sure if you are still accepting suggestions for recipes to make low carb but here in NZ we have a traditional slice called Custard Square (or sometimes Vanilla Slice, oddly) and I would LOVE an All Day I Dream About Food version! Here’s one example of the classic version: http://www.taniaskitchen.co.nz/best-custard-square-recipe/

      Reply
    14. Tanya says

      November 18, 2017 at 4:52 pm

      Hi Carolyn, I am wondering if there is a substitution I could use for the stevia extract as I really want to make this cake but don’t have that ingredient? By the way, love your recipes. I have made many of them and they have turned out great. 🙂

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 18, 2017 at 6:40 pm

        More Swerve is fine.

        Reply
    15. Shoshona says

      January 16, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      Hi Carolyn,
      I’m making this for my daughter’s 5th birthday (she asked for a rainbow cake that tastes like lemons, ha ha!), and I’m wondering if there is a difference, texture-wise, between the lemon cream in this recipe and a traditional frosting? In the photos you have it on top and in between the layers of the cake, but not down the sides. Do you think it’s thick enough to hold to the sides of the cake, or will it glop down? (And if you don’t think it will work for frosting the sides, do you have a suggestion for a modification or for a different lemon frosting?)
      Thanks so much! 🙂
      Shoshona

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 16, 2017 at 4:43 pm

        It’s plenty thick to be on the sides, but you will need more of it. Like about 2x as much.

        Reply
        • Shoshona says

          January 16, 2017 at 5:32 pm

          Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂

          Reply
        • Shoshona says

          January 18, 2017 at 7:28 pm

          Just wanted to say thank you! I put the cake together today and it’s a gorgeous five layer rainbow beauty (wish I could post a picture! ?). Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow, but I have to say a spoonful (or three) of the frosting ended up in my mouth and it might just be the most heavenly thing I’ve ever tasted. Think I’m going to use it with a chocolate cake for my son’s birthday in a few weeks. Thanks again!

          Reply
          • Carolyn says

            January 18, 2017 at 8:46 pm

            I wish you could take a picture too, I’d love to see it!

            Reply
    16. Patti Eaton says

      December 07, 2016 at 9:46 am

      My husband is in love with this cake, but wanted me to try it with an orange filling instead of lemon. Would it just be a matter of subbing orange for lemon, or does the lemon juice/zest add something that the orange would not? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 07, 2016 at 11:22 am

        I think it could be a direct substitution.

        Reply
    17. Patti Eaton says

      November 02, 2016 at 9:18 pm

      This is one of the best low-carb desserts I’ve made since starting on the low-carb journey. Thank you so much for the recipe and I really enjoy your blog!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 03, 2016 at 8:46 am

        So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    18. fran says

      August 21, 2016 at 8:07 pm

      I just made this cake for my husbands birthday today. And it was delicious! He loved it and so did I!! Thank you for sharing this recipe! <3

      Reply
    19. Linda says

      August 14, 2016 at 10:51 am

      I made this cake today. Boy was it ever good!

      Reply
    20. Shelby says

      July 24, 2016 at 5:39 pm

      You didn’t answer the question about nutritional info… How many grams of fat in each serving?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 24, 2016 at 7:09 pm

        You will need to use a nutritional calculator such as My Fitness Pal.

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    FREE Secrets to Keto Baking

    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!

    NEW E-COOKBOOK!
    The cover of Easy Dairy-Free Keto Desserts ebook.

    Carolyn Portrait

    Looking for the best low carb recipes? You’ve come to the right place! I’m Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 · ALL DAY I DREAM ABOUT FOOD · DISCLOSURE POLICY · PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright© 2022