Celebrate summer’s bounty with this delicious Keto Blueberry Zucchini Cake with Lemon Frosting. It brings so many delicious flavors together in one sugar-free dessert!
I first created this delicious keto lemon blueberry layer cake in the summer of 2015. It’s such a summertime classic, I decided it needed an update. It now has the same great flavor and is even lower in carbs.
I know that it can be hard to think about turning on the oven in the middle of summer. I get that, I really do, and I have many wonderful no-bake keto dessert recipes for those of you who just can’t bear the thought.
But if you’re a bakeaholic like me, sometimes you’ve just got to suck it up and bear it. Because you can’t bake gorgeous keto layer cakes like this one without a little heat. And sometimes nothing will do but a big layer cake with plenty of creamy frosting.
So throw open those windows, blast the fans, or jack up the AC, kids. It’s going to get a little hot in here!
Remaking Keto Blueberry Zucchini Cake
This cake has long been one of my favorites because it brings together so many wonderful summer flavors. I am usually a diehard chocolate cake girl, but the light tangy sweetness of this Lemon Zucchini Cake, bursting with blueberries, won me over right away. The original was inspired by a cake I saw on I Am Baker.
But my first version of this recipe was a bit higher in carbs than I like to eat now, and my original photos were a bit overexposed. So it was time to tackle it again and see if I could make it even healthier.
Are blueberries keto?
The reality is that any food can be “keto” if you eat small enough amounts of it.
But it turns blueberries, while super healthy and full of antioxidants, are actually not the most keto friendly fruit. While 1 cup of raspberries has 15g of carbs and 8g of fiber, blueberries weigh in at 21g of carbs and only 3.6g of fiber.
Again, it’s not that blueberries are bad for keto diets, but they do have more carbs than you’d think so it’s wise to be conscious of how many you consume.
So one of the main ways I reduced the carbs in this cake was by cutting back a bit on the blueberries. But don’t worry, you still get plenty of delicious ripe blueberries in every bite. I also subbed out some of the almond flour for a little coconut flour, and cut back on the sweetener in both the cake and the frosting.
Tips for making Lemon Blueberry Cake
This is a delicious keto cake for summer, and it’s really not that hard to make. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Squeeze the zucchini very dry. You can do this with your hands, squeezing it in your palm and pressing it out in the sieve, or you can wrap it a tea towel and twist it up. I don’t like to have to clean a tea towel, so I just do it with my hands.
- Mix up your dry ingredients first, before beating the butter, so that it’s ready to add in as needed. And yes…the protein powder is critical to the recipe. It helps the cake rise better. The only good substitute is egg white protein powder.
- Make sure your butter is well softened! I find I sometimes have to give it a quick 10-second zap in the microwave, because room temperature is not always soft enough. It will beat more smoothly if it’s properly softened (but not melted), and become fluffier when you add the sweetener.
- This goes for the frosting too! Make sure both your cream cheese and butter are well softened so they beat smoothly. Who wants clumps of cream cheese in their frosting?
- Don’t skip the grated lemon zest in either the cake or the frosting, as it gives the best flavor. You can also add some lemon extract to the cake, if you want more lemon flavor.
Ready to make some delicious Keto Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake?
More Delicious Keto Blueberry Recipes
- Keto Blueberry Muffins
- Keto Blueberry Upside Down Cake
- Keto Blueberry Pancake Bites
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Keto Lemon Blueberry Donuts
- Blueberry Cheesecake Squares
Keto Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 medium zucchini shredded (about 200g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ⅓ cup unflavoured whey protein powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (try lemon extract for more lemon flavor!)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Lemon Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Garnish:
- ¼ cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
Cake:
- Place the zucchini in a sieve and sprinkle with the salt. Toss to combine. Let drain 1 hour and then squeeze out the zucchini to release as much moisture as possible.
- Preheat the oven to 325F and grease 2 (two) 9-inch round cake pans very well. If your pans are not very non-stick, you may want to line them with parchment paper and grease the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with sweetener until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the beaters as needed. Then beat in the zucchini, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
- Beat in the almond flour mixture until well combined, then beat in the lemon juice. If your batter is quite thick, add a little water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
- Gently fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter between prepared pans and spread evenly to the edges. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and the top is set to the touch.
- Remove and let cool completely in the pans, then run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen.
Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Beat in the sweetener until well combined, then beat in the lemon zest.
- Beat in the lemon juice and cream.
To Assemble:
- Place one cake layer on a serving platter and spread the top with half of the frosting. Add the second cake layer and spread with the remaining frosting. Top with fresh blueberries.
Thia says
This is one my favorite recipes. I’ve made it enough times that today I made them just glancing at the recipe. I make them in cupcake form(although I think they are more muffinish), and half way through cooking I realized I forgot to fold in the blueberries! Say it is t so!
Maybe I’ll thaw some blueberries, and melt some butter, and mix them into a spread. Who knows.
These really are the bomb! I eat them without frosting…. too sweet for me, but I do add extra lemon!
Thank you! So moist and deliscious!
Taylor says
This looks AMAZING! Can’t believe it’s low carb!
Courtney O'Dell says
I have missed blueberry cake on my diet – you’re a lifesaver!
Steph says
I love the blueberry and lemon combo in this cake…so delicious!
Kara says
Lemon and blueberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations, especially for spring. This cake looks spectacular!
Sabrina says
Talk about an amazing dessert! Love the lemon and blueberry together.
Becky Hardin says
This is my kind of cake! Love any kind with lemon and blueberries.
Ashley F says
My favorite flavor combo! This cake is so moist and delicious.
Katerina @ diethood .com says
YUM!! I would LOVE a slice of this right now! It sounds amazing!
Toni says
This was a huge hit at my house! Such an amazing cake!!
Aimee Shugarman says
Made this for my daughter’s birthday. WOW. So good!
Brenda says
I made cupcakes with recipe. Here is too hot, should I keep them in the fridge?
Carolyn says
Probably a good idea!
Karla says
Wonderful cake! I made this today for a mother/daughter banquet at church. Instead of almond flour, I used 2 1/2 cups of baking blend and an extra egg. Also added some unsweetened almond milk. Baked in a 9 x 13 pan. Everyone who tried it loved it. Thank you for this recipe. It’s a keeper!
Kris says
Winner! Passed the taste test with two picky people that are hard to please in my household. Great without the frosting. I had frozen zucchini slices in my freezer that were harvested last summer. I blended it with the wet ingredients. It was pre-measured at 4 cups prior to freezing, but the freezing “shrinks it”.
Kathy Nielsen says
I know zucchini is in the name and I’ve made this superbly delicious cake before but no zucchini in the house and the wrath of winter is upon us in mid-April Can I make this without zucchini and get the moisture from elsewhere? Really craving the blueberry and lemon goodness today.
Carolyn says
I am sure you can. Just add more liquid util the batter feels about right.
Cookin Canuck says
Wishing I had a piece of this with my cup of tea! And you’re absolutely right about those online relationships – always a surprise when you meet in person. 🙂
Jennifer Farley says
Blueberry desserts are always so bright and refreshing
Jennifer Blake says
What a perfect light treat! Blueberry is a favorite of mine!
Rebecca {foodie with family} says
I love the combination of blueberry and lemon in a zucchini cake. This is so tasty and beautiful, too!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
The frosting on this cake is irresistible!