Dirt cake is a fun no bake dessert made with a combination of cookies, pudding, and other sweet ingredients. This 3 layer keto dirt cake recipe will blow your mind! Crumbly grain-free chocolate crust with layers of creamy sugar-free peanut butter and chocolate filling. So decadent.
Dirt cake: not a very attractive name for a dessert, is it? Sounds like something you might have made in the sandbox in kindergarten, or something the school bully might make you eat on the playground after school. Thankfully, it is neither of those things but a delicious, creamy, no bake dessert only made to look as if it contains dirt. Which surely appeals to the kid in all of us.
Dirt Desserts
I’d never actually heard of them until relatively recently, perhaps because of my “north of the border” upbringing. But I have to admit, they look ridiculously good. Who can argue with crushed chocolate cookies and pudding? Not me, that’s for certain. Dirt dessert recipes come in all shapes and varieties. Like this adorable Dirt Pudding from NeighborFood.
It’s not always about chocolate dirt cake, although because of the dirt-like appearance, chocolate’s the most popular flavor and cake is the most popular form. Some people prefer to make single-serving flower pot dirt cups, while others go a step up, into the land of dirt poke cake recipes. And if they are exceptionally gifted in the dessert making department, they make dirt ice cream brownies!
A reader recently reached out over Facebook to request one because her mother always made them on her birthday. And she linked to a delightful one with a peanut butter layer too on The Cookin” Chicks.
Wait, what? Chocolate cookies, peanut butter AND chocolate pudding? Well that just jumped to the head of the to-make list! Of course, I wasn’t about to make it with the Oreos or packaged pudding that conventional dirt cakes contain.
But a quick look at the ingredients let me know it really wouldn’t be tough to de-carb, in the end. I just had to make all the layers from scratch. A bit more work, perhaps, but definitely worth it.
How to Make Low Carb Dirt Cake
When converting her recipe into a low carb dirt cake recipe, I tried to adhere to the spirit of the original peanut butter chocolate dirt cake recipe as much as possible, including making it a no-bake treat. Summer is coming and we should all be able to enjoy some deliciousness without turning our kitchens into a furnace.
So the crust requires no baking, just some firm pressing into the bottom of the pan, and it holds together beautifully. The only part of the dirt cake that gets cooked here is the chocolate pudding, but that’s right on the stove top and doesn’t take more than about 10 minutes. Then the whole thing gets popped in the fridge to set.
I made mine in a springform pan because I figured being able to release the sides would allow for easier serving. But you could also make this in a square pan or even a trifle bowl, and serve in big scoopfuls.
You could even do individual servings in little plastic flower pots for a fun kid-friendly dessert. Dirt desserts don’t get more fun than that, right?
Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Dirt Cake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ¼ cup almond flour Honeyville
- 5 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 5 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 3 ½ tablespoon tbsp butter melted
Peanut Butter Layer:
- ¾ cup whipping cream divided
- ¼ teaspoon liquid stevia extract
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
Chocolate Pudding Layer:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 ½ oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 3 tablespoon butter in 3 pieces
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Add melted butter and stir until well combined.
- Remove about ¼ cup of crust mixture and set aside.
- Press remaining crust firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
Peanut Butter Layer:
- In a large bowl, whip ½ cup of the whipping cream with the stevia extract until it holds stiff peaks.
- In another large bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sweetener until smooth. Beat in peanut butter and remaining whipping cream until well combined.
- Gently fold in whipped cream until combined.
- Spread peanut butter mixture carefully over crust. Refrigerate while preparing pudding layer.
Chocolate Pudding Layer:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine almond milk, whipping cream and sweetener. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sweetener.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper. Then slowly whisk tempered yolks back into saucepan.
- Reduce heat to medium low and sprinkle surface with xanthan gum, whisking vigorously to combine. Whisk in cocoa powder and cook until thickened, about 3 or 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped chopped chocolate and butter until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Let cool about 15 minutes and then spread evenly over peanut butter layer. Sprinkle with reserved crust ingredients.
- Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours. To serve, run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan and remove sides. Run the knife under hot water to cut nice even slices.
Notes
Vicky says
hee hee. that one I did NOT leave out, clearly.
Carolyn says
LOL! I think I need to try that, next time! 😉
Vicky says
wow wow wow! Made this yesterday and still enjoying it tonight. Really really good! Not a simple recipe but I enjoy cooking so that’s fine with me. Came out perfectly. The peanut butter layer is especially luscious. I halved the recipe (because I’m an oinker with no self control) and used Splenda (because I can’t take the Swerve “cooling effect”). I also reduced the xanax to a pinch because it gives me the heebie jeebies. It might not even be needed– lots of traditional custards get firm with egg yolk alone. This was A++++ ! Even the dubious hubbie liked it. I’m so impressed with all the work that must have gone into getting the right sweeteners and the right proportions of everything… Thanks!!
Melanie says
Maybe not xanax. haha 🙂
CJ says
I made just the pudding today, no other layers. FINALLY, a pudding recipe without corn starch! It turned out very well. I do think, though, that if you don’t need the pudding to “stand up” as a layer you can ditch the xanthan gum. I find it often makes things slightly lumpy, no matter how wildly I whisk. If you reheat the egg/milk mixture to about 170 (I used a meat thermometer, worked fine) it sets up beautifully to a pudding consistency, and I don’t think the xanthan added anything to it. Next time I make this (just as pudding) I’ll sift the cocoa pwder, and probably also strain it before putting it in little cups, to get out the chalazae. This may make it smoother. It makes about 500 ml total, or 6 containers at 80 ml or 1/3 cup each.
Carolyn says
Yes, I agree, you probably wouldn’t need the xanthan if you weren’t putting it into a cake that needs cutting!
Blaire says
I was wondering if the swerve in the chocolate pudding is going to re-crystalize? That seems to happen with my recipes when I use swerve.
Carolyn says
I did not find that it did in this recipe at all.
Blaire says
Carolyn,
This looks great. I did notice that swerve has a tendency to re-crystalize after baking, making a crunchy like product. Does this happen with the chocolate pudding in this recipe? The low carb products are very expensive and I hate when the food does not turn out correctly. Thanks so much!
Shannon says
My chocolate pudding never set! When I took off the outside of my springform pan, the pudding just oozed all over. Tasted fantastic, though! Can you think of what might have gone wrong? I followed the recipe exactly. 🙁
Carolyn says
I really don’t know, if you followed everything as is. I suspect it didn’t cook quite long enough to get the egg yolks to thicken. That’s all I can think.
Jane says
I just made this last night and I had the same problem with the runny pudding. It still tasted great but I wasn’t sure what I did wrong. How thick should it be when you take it off the heat?
BTW Carolyn, as a Canadian and diabetic I appreciate and love all the work you put into this site. I freaked out a bit yesterday when I found the Pumpkin Cream Cheese recipe had been “updated” but then I read your blog post and calmed down. They were perfect.
Carolyn says
It should be pretty thick…but not curdled.
maria hadgis says
love the pie, but my daughter has tree nut allergy, can i use coconut flower ??
Carolyn says
In this application no. But you can use sunflower seed flour, it should work very well.
SHELLY SULLIVAN says
Can we use THM baking blend instead of the almond flour in this do you think and what would the ration be ?? Thanks Shelly
Carolyn says
It’s drier so you may need more melted butter.
Lisa T. says
This looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
yehudit says
ecxuse me but I have another question-what is xanthan gum?
Does it has another name?
Can I make the cake without it?
Carolyn says
It’s a powder that thickens things without adding carbs. I don’t believe it has another name and in this case, you need something to help thicken. You could try a little gelatin.
yehudit says
Is swerve good for diabetics?
If no – what else can I use to sweeten the cake?
I didn’t received answer for this question.
yehudit
Melanie E. says
She answered that it’s good for her as a pre-diabetic, and I agree. As a type 1 diabetic, my blood sugars aren’t negatively affected by using Swerve as a sweetener. I don’t think you need to search for a different sweetener.
Carolyn says
Thanks for chiming in, Melanie!
yehudit says
Is swerve good for diabetics?
If no – what else can I use to sweeten the cake?
yehudit
Carolyn says
I am diabetic (pre-diabetic) and it doesn’t raise my blood sugar at all. But you need to test it on yourself. Here is the link to their info on the Swerve website:
http://www.swervesweetener.com/swerve-diabetes/
yehudit says
thanks.
Barb says
Hi Carolyn,
This sounds delicious!! I’m wondering if the almond flour can be subbed out for cashew flour? I bought a bag of cashew flour at TJ’s a bit ago, and have no idea what to do with it–any ideas of dessert recipes that can take that substitution? LOVE your blog!
Cecelia says
Do I need to use xanthan gum or can I use something in it’s place?
Ana says
HI! I would also like to know if it’s possible to use something else instead of xanthan gum as it is not sold in Slovenia.
Thanks for your reply!
Carolyn says
You could try a little gelatin.
Ana says
Thank you…and thank you for all the recipes.
Rachel says
Best. Dessert. Ever.
Carolyn says
Wow, thanks! 🙂
Angela says
Ok Carolyn, I have been lurking for awhile now. (Since I found your peanut butter/ice cream sandwich recipe… YUM!) I have to comment on this one because you have gotten me in SO much trouble… This is incredibly addicting!!!
I have always loved the Jell-O brand boxed mousse pies. Even as a child, when we got to choose a birthday cake, it was always these cold pies instead of cake. To me, this is almost identical, but BETTER, than the chocolate/peanut butter version of those Jell-O pies.
I used half the Swerve in every layer. For some reason, I am uber-sensitive to it and if I use full amounts, it’s overpowering sweet. I threw everything together on the 3rd, and had every intention of letting it sit overnight and taking it to our 4th of July picnic the next evening… It didn’t make it that far. My husband and I downed half of it after lunch. 😛 haha
The next time, I would love to make it in little individual serving tupperwares or something and freeze so I can grab one and take to work with me in my lunch. 🙂
Also, for anyone wondering, the longer it sits, the more it resembles cheesecake. 🙂 We finished it up last night, and it had sat a little uncovered in the fridge as well, but it had that firmer “cheesecake” feel and we absolutely loved it!
Thank you so much for all your hard work and your awesome treats.
Carolyn says
Thanks for your lovely feedback!
Erin says
I just made this today. I used THM Sweetblend and Lily’s Dark Chocolate Chips, because that is what I had. I put a bit less sweetener in (because THM Sweetblend is a bit sweeter than straight Swerve, and hello, already sweet chocolate chips), and just tasted as I went. I am super excited to eat this in a few hours.
Carolyn says
Hope you love it!
Kathleen says
I made this and it was delicious! I made it in an 8″ square dish and glad I did because the chocolate layer didn’t thicken up enough (I used a little less cream because I ran out and a little more almond milk). Anyway, it still tasted wonderful and I’ll make it again.
Helene says
Loved, loved this cake. I used Truvia as sweetener. I didn’t care for the base, it was quite crumbly. I am going to use the base from your brownie cheesecake recipe with this topping. It should be amazing!
Amy says
Do you think I can use glucomannann instead of a Xantham? I know it is often used to make puddings. Also, if I don’t have chocolate can I use extra coco powder? I have almost everything needed and would like to try it. Thanks in advance!
Carolyn says
I have never used glucomannann but heard good things about it. It’s worth a try, I just don’t know the amounts.
Loretta says
Carolyn,
Help! Are you out there somewhere? I have guar gum. Getting all the ingredients together to make this for my birthday and only have guar gum not xantham gum. Is there a way to make this work??
Loretta
Carolyn says
I think it should work but you may need more of it in the pudding to help it set. I’d do 1.5 times the amount of xanthan.
Loretta says
Thank you that’s what I did. It worked out perfectly. So far so good. I’m waiting for the pudding to cool a bit so I can pour on the cake and then sprinkle with the topping and then set up in the frig. It looks so good!
Carolyn says
Hope it works! Even if it isn’t as stable, it will still taste amazing. 🙂
Loretta says
Carolyn,
I loved it. Worked out perfectly. It was delicious, creamy. Very rich. Also, had never used a spring form pan before. Thanks for these great recipes. 🙂
Happy Birthday to me! Loretta
Carolyn says
Happy birthday!