This keto Gingerbread Loaf Cake is perfect for all of your holiday gatherings. With a delicious maple cream cheese frosting, it’s low carb, grain-free treat that rivals the one from Starbucks! This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.
You know you’ve created a lot of low carb holiday recipes in your life when you actually start to forget which recipes you’ve already made. What I am about to tell you is the true, and somewhat embarrassing, story about how this delicious keto Gingerbread Loaf Cake came to fruition.
I received an email from a reader requesting some low carb, gluten-free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies. “Gee, that sounds good, I really need to do that”, I thought to myself. I get a lot of great requests from readers and as much as I would love to do them all, I am short on time and have too many of my own ideas to get to many of them. But this idea really resonated with me so I actually got to quite quickly. I was home with my family on a rainy Saturday morning and a low carb baking session was just what I needed.
I grabbed my trusty low carb baking companion, Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, and I began mixing and measuring. I’ve made low carb whoopie pies before, so I felt very much in my comfort zone and I was almost to the point of forming the cookie part of the pies themselves when I had a funny sense of deja vu. I searched my recipe notes and there it was…a previous recipe for the VERY thing I was trying to create, in its entirety, staring me in the face. I completely forgot I had ever made them before. And here’s the thing…I didn’t even make them that long ago. Oh no, I made a low carb Gingerbread Whoopie Pie recipe just last year for A Sweet Life, and it was almost identical to the one I was in the middle of creating.
I stared at my batter for a few moments, wondering how to proceed. I wanted a new holiday recipe that I could showcase for my readers, so I really didn’t want to make them all over again. Fortunately, being an experienced keto baker, I knew I could switch horses midstream pretty easily so I decided to turn it into a cake. I added more almond flour, more eggs, more butter, more liquid and more warm gingerbready spices. And then I poured it into a loaf pan and baked it. Once baked, I made a maple cream cheese frosting to spread over it, and sprinkled it with some chopped pecans.
And the results? A healthy low carb Gingerbread Loaf Cake that rivals anything you could get from Starbucks. The gingerbread maple combo was just dreamy. And it’s perfect for your low carb Thanksgiving Day menu. I can tell you right now that many of Bob’s Red Mill products will grace my Thanksgiving table in many of my recipes. Such as my Keto Sausage and Cheddar Stuffing, my Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, and my low carb Pumpkin Roll. Oh and we may have to have some Keto Garlic Knots on hand too! Really, I can’t imagine my holiday baking without the wonderful low carb ingredients from Bob’s.
This keto Gingerbread Loaf Cake is perfect for all of your holiday gatherings. A low carb, grain-free treat that rivals the one from Starbucks!
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener depending on how sweet you like it
- 1/4 cup whey protein powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 4 to 6 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp maple extract
- 2 tbsp chopped toasted pecans
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Preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan very well.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, spices and salt. Add the eggs, melted butter, cream, water, and vanilla extract and mix until full incorporated.
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Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake is golden and the center is firm to the touch. A tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
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Remove from the oven and let cool 20 minutes. Then loosen the edges with a knife and flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the sweetener until well combined. Add the cream a few tablespoons at a time until a spreadable consistency achieved. Beat in the maple extract.
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Spread the frosting over top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.
Jen says
Ohhhhh! I have been thinking lately about looking to see if you have any gingery recipes – – gingerbread itself, or Ginger Snaps. I’m so glad to see this one and the whoopie pies. The really cool thing about this one is that I absolutely adore maple and really miss things made with maple syrup. I am really looking forward to cream cheese frosting flavored with maple extract! Thank you so much for all of your recipes!!
Jenny says
Omg you’ve answered my holiday prayers…….gingerbread! Can I skip the protein part of the recipe? Also if you have any recipes for a low carb gingersnap that would be wonderful~
Carolyn says
Do not skip the protein powder, as the cake won’t rise as well and won’t hold its shape as well. But you can use egg white protein instead. http://amzn.to/2yes3lm
Gill Le Fevre says
Would soy protein powder also work? I don’t really understand the different types and when they can be substituted… Thanks!!
Carolyn says
It will work fine.
JENNIFER ASHER says
I was wondering if a vegan protein would work because I can’t have dairy 🙁 thx
Carolyn says
It should. So would egg white protein powder.
Beth says
I too am curious about the addition of the whey protein powder? any ideas for a substitute?
sounds like a good recipe, though! can’t wait to try it!
Carolyn says
Please see my response to the other commenter.
Janine says
Hi there, would flaxseed meal be okay instead of protein powder? Seems to upset my stomach Tremendously
Carolyn says
Skip the whey protein or use egg white powder, but don’t sub with flax. It will thicken the batter too much.
Janine Park says
Okay thanks so much. What about Pshyuloum husk?
Carolyn says
Not a good sub there, either. Sorry, but protein is protein is protein. The only sub is another protein, except collagen protein because it makes it very gummy.
Esther A Robison says
I’m so excited about this recipe Carolyn. Thanks. Hope we can talk you into ginger snaps ! You are the best !
Carolyn says
Gingersnaps will be up on the Swerve website very soon!
CeeJoy says
I’m going to try this in my DASH mini waffle maker and Waffle Bowl maker.
Bet would do well for cupcakes, too, but carbs might change.
I’ve been missing the Gingersnap mini bagels at Jason’s Deli… THANK YOU!
Judy Brickey says
I love your cook book , I especially love your recipe for breakfast waffle muffins. Using your cookbook has made my cutting carbs so easy. Thank you for your work
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Sheila says
This looks so darn delicious! I have what protein isolate. Is that okay?
Carolyn says
That should work.
Rachel says
Can you sub THM baking blend?
Carolyn says
Baking blend is much drier so you may need to add more egg and more butter.
Susan says
Made this last night, had for breakfast this morning with our espresso…
LOVE.
Melissa Litchfield says
Just made this yesterday for my birthday! Yummy! Tastes more like chocolate but could have been the spice combo I used 🙂
Erica says
Carolyn, you are not just a studious recipe creator, but a very kind and patient one as well. =) Thanks for this one; I look forward to it.
Stephanie KL says
I want to use 9 x 13 pan, should the recipe be doubled for each ingredient? If not, what suggestions do you have? What should the baking time be?
Carolyn says
It depends on how thick you want it to be. I’d probably go for 1 to 1 1/2 times the amount, doubling it would be a huge cake. Baking time…depends on how thick you make it! if just doing the regular amount, then probably no more than 30 minutes.
Stephanie KL says
Thanks for your response. I had all of my ingredients at room temperature and ready to go so I just doubled everything. I baked it at 325 for 45 minutes and it was done perfectly. The cake rose to the top of the 9 x 13 pan. The frosting will be put on tomorrow and the cake will be eaten on Saturday at a church function. Judging by the great aroma in the kitchen, I know it will be good. I’ll report back.
Carolyn says
Good to know. It’s going to feed a lot of people! 🙂
Stephanie KL says
Exactly! That’s why I used a 9 x 13 pan for easier distribution. We had about 20 people and everyone enjoyed it. It would also have been great with a cup of coffee in the morning. Way to go Carolyn, you did it again!
Julie says
Any clues on how to transition the recipe to muffins/cupcakes? I love the portion control and complete serving ease of individual servings.
Susan says
This turned out wonderful. I used a collagen protein powder and worked just fine. This could be made as a chocolate cake also leaving out the gingerbread spices. Everyone loved it. Thank you
Cecile says
Wow, right up my alley….however my husband does not like chocolate, (I know?) Would it work without the cocoa powder. Thanks
Stephanie KL says
Having made this, I can honestly say that if your husband didn’t know what the ingredients were, he wouldn’t suspect that there was any chocolate in it. The dominant flavors are ginger and the maple.
Carolyn says
He’s not going to taste chocolate at all…cocoa powder here is for colour because I can’t add tons of molasses like a true gingerbread.
Cecile says
Great, I am on it,,thanks a bunch. Will report back!
Jean B. says
For some strange reason, I sometimes crave gingerbread, so it is great that you, the low-carb baking guru, have perfected such a recipe. I assume I can leave out the cocoa, which would probably give me migraine headaches. I was going to ask whether I should compensate for those lost 2 Tbsps of a dry ingredient, but then I started thinking that carob might work very well with the spicing. Thanks again for another great recipe!
P.S. I just picked up my copy of your cookbook from my favorite independent book shop. Yay!
spirals says
I have all the ingredients including whey powder which I keep on hand for making my smoothies creamy instead of icy. I was wondering what to do with it in the winter. I could also see making this without the spice and then crushing sugar-free peppermint candies to put into the frosting. Or I could make it into a lemon cake. It’s such a good base mixture that the possibilities are endless.
Christine says
I made this last night, the only change I made was
Cutting down the ginger to 2 teaspoons. I don’t care for a strong ginger taste. It was absolutely delicious!
Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
Maureen says
This looks great but I am supposed to avoid almonds. Is there a decent substitute?
Carolyn says
Sunflower seed flour…but you really need to add a tbsp of acid like lemon juice because it can react with baking powder to give a greenish colour.
kelly says
We just made your gingerbread with maple frosting and that frosting inspired us. We usually make your cannoli ice cream…sometimes twice a week. =) Here’s our inspiration:
maple brown sugar choc chip ice cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup swerve
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup truvia brown sugar (or sukrin gold)
1/3 cup choc chips
follow the same directions as your ice cream.
SO good. You have given us so much confidence with your recipe that we thought we could do it. Thanks for the recipes and inspiration! . =)
Carolyn says
Sounds good!
Kelly says
Forgot to add the 1 1/2 tsp of maple flavoring And the choc chips are Lily’s.
Just served it for dessert and it was amazing!!
The gingerbread is a hit too! 🙂
Emily says
I am a Starbucks barista and I would MUCH rather have this than our gingerbread! Ours has a weird candied ginger in it that gives it a strange texture; the maple frosting on this reminds me of the old maple walnut muffin we used to have. Delicious!
Linda says
Any suggestions as to baking time when using mini loaf pans that are about 3” by 5” by 2”? I’d love to give these as gifts but a whole loaf would be too much for most people.
Carolyn says
I have another mini loaf recipe on this blog…search for that (it’s cranberry lime) and it should give you a guideline.
Linda says
I added the ingredients based on the written directions, not based on the list, and almost forgot the baking powder since its not listed in #2 of the written directions. I realized the omissiom at the very end after mixing the wet ingredients. Fortunately, I didnt leave it out altogether! Everything turned out ok thankfully!
Carolyn says
Thanks for the heads up.
Patricia Schneider (Tricia) says
Carolyn, Thank you for this recipe. I want to make gingerbread for Christmas dinner and this recipe is perfect. I am a newly diagnosed diabetic (Type 2) and my Diabetic Educator put me on the keto diet. This is a hard time of the year to learn to cut carbs because all the holiday goodies are full of them but finding people like you who have lived this lifestyle for a long time helps. I am actually surprised at how good some of the low carb dishes are and how many carb free items I can eat—although I do tend to watch my salt intake and total calories. I made my pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving with spelt flour in the crust and truvia in the filling. It was very good and I actually liked the crust made with the spelt flour better than the regular flour.
Robin says
I made this and put it in a cupcake tin instead – Delicious breakfast muffins without the frosting!! It made about 14 and I cooked roughly 20 minutes. thank you!
Meghan says
Omg, this is SO YUMMY and SO SATISFYING!! Funny, though, I used imitation maple flavoring and my frosting turned pale brown. How is this one so white? So good, though. So happy right now. Thank you, Carolyn!
Carolyn says
I think some maple flavourings have more colour than others. Mine is brownish but it doesn’t make the whole frosting brown.
Betsy Bek says
Delicious cake, exactly like the picture, no sinking in afterwards, great taste!
This is one of my favorites now, thank you!!!!
Heather Overmyer says
Hello! I have whey protein isolate instead of whey protein powder. Is it interchangeable? Can I compensate for the difference with other ingredients?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
It should work fin in this recipe.
Abigail says
Why do you use the whey protein powder? Can I get it or a good brand from Walmart? (It takes an hour to get to a Publix or health food store.
Carolyn says
Gluten is a protein and in the absence of gluten, another dry protein helps baked goods rise and hold their shape.
Sue says
How do you store this? Should it be refrigerated? Thank you.
Beth Antognioni says
Can I use quest vanilla milkshake powder in this recipe?
Carolyn says
I wish I could tell you but I have no idea what’s in that.
Susanne says
Is this good without the icing?
Carolyn says
Yes, quite good.
Cheryl says
I have been looking for a low carb gingerbread for my mom who is a T2 diabetic. I made this for her and she is so happy! The entire family loved this (past tense as it is all gone). Will be making another one today. Thank you for all your hard work developing such excellent recipes.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Virginia says
Overall very bland. Will need to look as the slice mixture more closely. Frosting worked out well. Good moisture content. Not sure I will make again
Robyn says
Five Stars! I followed this recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. Everyone loved it! Such a beautiful flavour. Thank you, Carolyn! 😚
Darlene says
Can’t wait to add this to my fall recipes! I was wondering, now that Swerve has a “brown” option, could that be used in this recipe?
Thanks for any suggestions
Carolyn says
Absolutely, it’s perfect for it.
Glynis Ratcliffe says
Just popping in to say how delicious this recipe turned out! I spent 2 years on pumpkin spice keto treats, but this tops them all. And it’s so decadent, I don’t feel the need to eat more than a serving. Thank you!!
Stephanie says
I’m new to all this, is there a way to make the frosting dairy free? I’m sure it would be great plain, but for holidays I’d like to make it special.
Krista Clarke says
You could use coconut cream and whip it just like whipping cream. If you can get cans of straight cream, just refrigerated a can or two of full fat coconut milk overnight and use the solid fat off the top. Fabulous if you don’t mind the coconut flavor.
Krista Clarke says
This is hands down the best gingerbread recipe I’ve ever made, keto or otherwise. It’s so moist and flavorful, and universally loved by everyone I serve it to. I often make mini muffins instead of a loaf (easier to avoid inhaling the entire recipe in one sitting), and the cook time is about 15 minutes. Or 22 for regular size muffins. Thank you so much for yet another incredible way to make my holidays delicious, and keep my gluten free and keto friends happy, too.
APRIL A RICHEE says
Made this yesterday and it was so good
Kimberley Fletcher says
I just made this and it’s so good! Tge make cream cheese frosting is so good I could eat it by tge spoonful!
Kimberley Fletcher says
Dear Lord my typos!!
The maple cream cheese frosting is so good I could eat it by the spoonful.
Gina says
Just made this, following recipe exactly! It’s my first time to use whey protein. I’m really pleased with the texture and the way it holds together — like regular cake! I will look for other baking recipes using whey protein from now on.
I will say, it doesn’t taste like gingerbread. I’m not sure what it tastes like other than a mild, spicy chocolate. Very good, though! Just not gingerbread as I remember gingerbread. Maybe it needs more ginger? Thank you for this recipe! I’m glad I can eat cake while doing keto over Christmas and not feel deprived.
Carolyn says
Hi Gina… if your ground ginger is on the older side, it can lose flavor and potency. So yes, add more or get some new stuff!