Classic Italian Cream Cake goes low carb and keto! This rich layer cake is a truly special dessert recipe, and it’s worth the time and effort. This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.
Some recipes make me do the happy dance. And this keto Italian Cream Cake is one of those recipes. I really am quite excited to bring this one to you today as it is seriously fantastic. I rank it up there among my best cake recipes, easily.
So here’s the deal. As most of you know, I’ve been hard at work on a keto dessert cookbook. Easy Keto Desserts will be coming out on July 3rd and I am so excited about that one. Because let’s be honest, that’s where my heart lies. Creating healthy low carb desserts just makes me happy. And apparently it makes a lot of you happy too. But the recipes in that book are, obviously, on the “easier” side of things. They are delicious treats you can whip up without a whole lot of effort and without getting out every pan and whisk in your kitchen. They are still creative and innovative, but they aren’t overly complicated.
And while I know many of you will appreciate that, I actually have a bit of a thing for more complicated desserts – the kind that really do have you getting out multiple bowls and beaters and whisks. The sort that has every cupboard open and every spare surface of kitchen counter covered. When I have the time for them, I really love those recipes…just burrowing into my kitchen and losing myself in the creation of something delicious.
I’d never heard of Italian Cream Cake before I moved to the US. It’s just not a Canadian thing…and with good reason. It’s actually not really Italian at all, but instead a kind of vintage southern cake recipe. But regardless of origins, it’s an astonishingly good cake and makes for a perfect low carb makeover. I realized it was perfect as a recipe to showcase Bob’s Red Mill products, because I would not only be using almond flour, but also their unsweetened shredded coconut and a little coconut flour as well. I always rely on their low carb flours and meals, as I know they will produce excellent results. And they came through for me as always!
How to Make Keto Italian Cream Cake
One thing I would do differently for this cake, however, is use smaller 8 inch pans. At the time of creation, I only had 9 inch round pans. They worked just fine but the layers weren’t as high and impressive looking as I would have liked – the cake was rather wide and squat-looking…but the amazing flavour more than made up for it. If you choose to use 8 inch pans, the baking time will be longer, of course. My guess is anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes longer. This is a big, rich cake, so whether you bake it in 9 inch pans or 8 inch pans, it serves about 16 people.
So here’s to easy desserts and here’s to complicated desserts. They both have a place in my heart!
Want more amazing keto cake recipes? Check out my new Keto Desserts page. All recipes under 7g TOTAL carbs!
Love to bake? You need this cookbook!
Classic Italian Cream Cake goes low carb and keto! This rich layer cake is a truly special dessert recipe, and it's worth the time and effort.
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 4 large eggs room temperature, separated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut lightly toasted
- 2 tbsp chopped pecans lightly toasted
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Preheat the oven to 325F and grease two 8 inch or 9 inch round cake pans very well (the 8 inch pans will take a little longer to cook but the layers will be higher and I think they will look better). Line the pans with parchment paper and grease the paper.
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In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
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In another bowl, whisk together the almond flour, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat into the butter mixture until just combined.
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In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold into the cake batter.
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Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and spread to the edges. Bake 35 to 45 minutes (or longer, depending on your pans), until the cakes are golden on the edges and firm to the touch in the middle.
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Remove and let cool completely in the pans, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment from the layers if it comes out with them.
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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Beat in the sweetener and vanilla extract until well combined.
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Slowly add the heavy whipping cream until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
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Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and cover the top with about 1/3 of the frosting. Add the next layer and frost the top and the sides.
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Sprinkle the top with the toasted coconut and pecans. Refrigerate at least half an hour to let set.
Mindy says
Hello! This sounds amazing! I don’t have the Swerve brand sweetener, but I have the THM Gentle Sweet. Would you use the same amount of GS as you would the Swerve?
Carolyn says
No, Gentle Sweet is sweeter than sugar and Swerve measure like sugar. So use however much GS you would compared to sugar.
Susan says
I just made this and it’s by far the best keto cake recipe I’ve attempted. Not at all dry, which has been a huge problem in other recipes I’ve tried. Fussy to make but worth it. My only modification was two squirts of liquid stevia added to the batter as I’ve had swerve fade a bit in baking in the past.
Carolyn says
So glad it met with approval!
Kit says
Hi Carolyn,
I’ll be making this for an upcoming birthday. I only have Sukrin products (brown, granulated and powdered) in the house currently – will that work with the recipe or should I order Swerve? Thanks so much for your fantastic recipes!
Carolyn says
That should be fine for this recipe.
Kelly E says
On the THM website is a chart that shows the conversions. But I think you will get better results with Swerve.
Debbie Rivero says
I make my own version of Gentle Sweet and I use it for everything.
John says
How do you make it?
McDonna says
John, there are recipes on Pinterest for making your own Gentle Sweet.
Angela Pickett says
Would it be ok to omit the coconut? Should I adjust anything? Thanks in advance.
Angela
Carolyn says
Yes, you will need to add something to bulk it up without coconut. You can try taking slices almonds and grinding them until they resemble coconut flakes.
Jessica Agnew says
This cake is good but you can really only eat like one or two bites at a time I’m realizing. With all due respect though – Its entirely toooo sweet. My husband had 3 slices at once and almost instantly felt sick from the Erythritol in the Swerve. My daughter is only 7 just had a half of a slice and it gave her an upset stomach to where she vomited. I don’t like sweets to much so I just had a slice and it went right through me. I would recommend maybe half the Swerve or to use Stevia instead. I’m not trying to knock the recipe cause it’s great and it looked like a normal cake.
Kate says
Italian Cream Cake used to be my favorite cake, so this is an extra special treat. I’m excited to try it. It looks like it will be perfect, as always.
Do you think it could be doubled and baked in a bundt pan? Obviously it would need a longer bake time.
Kate says
Or not?
Carolyn says
Probably? Not sure you would have to double it, though.
Melissa Cochran says
I used to but it turned out beautifully
Olivia says
Can I omit the shredded coconut? Or replace it with an alternative?
Carolyn says
Sure…omit and do a little more almond flour.
Shaun says
If I use an 8″ cake pan, am I only using 1 pan for this recipe?
Carolyn says
No, it’s still two layers.
Janet Shaffer says
Oh yummy… sounds delicious! I am going to try and make this for Ladies Day at church. It’s gotta be good!! Is Blanched Almond Flour ok??
Carolyn says
That’s the only kind of almond flour there is. The other kind is almond “meal” which is not finely ground enough.
Shannon says
Does your Total Carbohydrates reflect the fibrr as in net carbs ?
Carolyn says
Nope, it’s total carbs. You can do the math yourself on Net.
patricia says
Looks delicious! I need to be dairy free, can coconut cream work to replace the heavy whipping cream? Thanks
Stacy Schneider says
I am dairy free also (casein intolerance) and have successfully replaced heavy cream with coconut cream from the can. I prefer Arroy D, but many people use Thai Kitchen. I use Kite Hill “cream cheese” instead of regular and use Ghee instead of butter. I have used these substitutions in about 10 of Carolyn’s recipes with great results.
Martina says
Stacy, when you use Ghee instead of butter, do you use the same amount or less? Thanks!!
Diane says
This sounds amazing, allergic to coconut any suggestions for coconut substitute?
Carolyn says
You can do more almond flour.
Bistra says
Can you use half and half instead of heavy cream?
Thanks
Carolyn says
Yes, but you will need less of it for the frosting.
Bistra says
Thanks!
judy a fitzsimonds says
I made this as soon as it popped up on my Facebook feed this morning and as soon as the eggs, butter, and cream were room temperature. It is awesome! I made it in a 9×13 glass pan for 30 minutes. It is wonderful! I think it is the best low carb cake I have ever made. My mother agrees, too! Thank you, Carolyn!!!
Carolyn says
Hooray!
Jen says
Sounds delicious! I, too, would plan to use a 9×13 pan…. wondering if the 30 minutes (@ 325) would suffice for a non-stick metal pan?
Carolyn says
You will have to experiment and see. I would watch it carefully.
Eman says
did you double or triple the recipe for the 9×13 pan
carole says
I hate to nitpick but want to clarify. You list eggs but then say egg yolks in the directions. Do you separate the eggs?
Carolyn says
Yes, that’s why it says “separated” in the ingredient list.
carole says
I read thru that twice and didn’t see it until this afternoon I assembled the ingredients and then it was there like a big red flag. I really worry about my reading and comprehension anymore. It is like I have become dyslexic or what not. Thank you.
Sarai Merida says
En esta receta q al parecer es la original. Pide 1 taza de edulcorante para la torta. Me parece q es demasiado. En la receta que comparte el Dr. Berg. Solo pide 1/4 de taza de edulcorante. Lo cual esa cantidad de edulcorante esta perfecta. Suerte.👍
Amanda says
You’re awfully snarky in your comments. Some people may be novice bakers and not understand. This is one of many comments that you’ve displayed an attitude. If you aren’t going to be kind…then don’t post recipes.
Carolyn says
I’m sorry but you are reading snark into it. There is nothing here but me pointing out that the ingredients list says “separated”. Nothing more.
Carolyn says
You know, I’ve been mulling this over and I find I have more to say here. What you read as snark was simply a direct and straightforward answer to a question. There may have been no extras to the answer but I want you to consider this for a moment, before you call me unkind.
I make myself available to answer all sorts of keto baking questions. I walk newbies through complicated recipes, I answer comments here on the blog, on Facebook, on Instagram, and by email. I have set myself apart from other bloggers by doing so, because I want people to get the best out of my recipes. With a readership in the millions, I sometimes find myself answering the same basic questions over and over. But I still do it.
And I don’t pass it off to any assistants, because I know there is no one out there who understands keto baking like I do. I take time to answer almost every single email and comment and question. It takes up a great deal of my time and energy. And at times, it can be absolutely exhausting.
Do I sometimes just answer directly with no extra sweetness? Sure. That’s my nature anyway. I am direct and straightforward in my manners. I don’t beat around the bush. I tell it like it is.
But to call me unkind for that is spectacularly unfair. I will remind you that tone is often misread over the internet, so a little leniency might be in order.
There you go. Make of that what you will.
Patty says
Good response Carolyn. Thanks for your recipes and all of your hard work. I’m making this for Father’s Day tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it. It’s my second time using this recipe.
Carolyn says
Thank you, Patty
Linda says
Tk u for being straight forward…cuts out all the crap some ppl can throw at you!
LOVE the recipe! I’ve baked Italian cream cakes for 40 yrs. This is definitely a keeper from now on! You rock!
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Susan says
Oh, can’t wait…
Something I have always enjoyed about your recipes, Carolyn, is the ease of making them. When you can have a yummy sweet treat with a single bowl and some measuring cups, perfect.
But I’ll go with you down the more complicated lane as well.
And your Italian Cream Cake reminds me of the Southern Hummingbird Cake
That was always served in the Spring.
Holly says
Oh! WOW, one of my favorite cakes. Love your recipes. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks!
CArol says
I would bake this right now if I had coconut. I need to go to Sprouts to get some.
Or I could walk a block to Natural Grocers and get some. Maybe tomorrow.
Zlatka says
Absolutely without a doubt one of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted, low carb or not. Thank you! Can’t wait for your book, July seems so far 🙂
Carolyn says
Wow, yay! That makes me very happy to hear!
Rosemarie Madden says
Thank you I will enjoy making this recipe as I have enjoyed many other recipes
cheers Rosemarie
Mary Lou Little says
The cake recipe calls for heavy cream. The frosting calls for heavy whipping cream. Does the cream need to be “whipped” and folded in for the frosting or in the liquid state? Thank You
Carolyn says
If it doesn’t say “whipped cream”, then it is liquid.
Beth says
The cake was wonderful! Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Carolyn says
I too am excited about your dessert cookbook coming out this summer. Can we pre-order it? I hope there are both types of recipes in your cookbook, (meaning easy and more complicated), as I think you are an incredible chef,… (a fantastic baker of sweets and a great cook).
From one Carolyn to another, though I wish I had your figure and talent.
Carolyn says
Yep, it’s available for pre-order now! https://amzn.to/2HwLNZf
Carolyn says
I not only pre-ordered your dessert book from Amazon but I also ordered your other cookbook Easy Keto Dinners. Can’t wait to get it.
Thanks Kindly,
-Carolyn
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Anna Mathea says
Swerve upsets my stomach. Is is possible to use another low carb sweetener like Pyure or Monk fruit? Can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Carolyn says
Should be fine in the cake but you really need a proper powdered sweetener for the frosting.
Kim says
I take my monkfruit sweetener and powder it in the magic bullet. You think that would be ok?
Carolyn says
It probably won’t be fine enough for the frosting but you are welcome to try.
Kathy says
Can I use Stevia powdered sweetener?
Carolyn says
Depends on what kind you have and whether it measure like sugar or not.
Scill says
This is AMAZING. I made it last night and my thoughts all day today have been about that freakin’ delicious cake waiting for my in my fridge.
Tia says
I used to make Italian Cream cakes for a local Little Italy Festival each Labor Day and have missed them over the years since I moved away- AND gone low carb. Today is my lucky day! Can’t wait to try this out! Thank you- love your recipes.
Louise says
Can’t wait to try it! I can only find Almond Meal in Australia will it still work?
Carolyn says
It’s going to be heavier but it should be okay.
Michelle says
Always listen to yourself at the grocery store – I was there today and almost grabbed cream cheese, but didn’t. And wouldn’t you know it’s the ONLY ingredient in this recipe that I’m missing! Can’t wait to try this out.
Toni says
Carolyn, I have to say officially that I’m in love with you! Anyone that can make a low carb Italian Cream cake has won my affection for life!!! I can’t wait to try this. I’ve had great success with many of your dessert recipes before, so I’m so excited about this one!
Kristina Biro says
What is Swerve sweetener? I’ve never heard of it.
Carolyn says
https://amzn.to/2JZMmJv
Sherri says
Just curious will your dessert book be able to buy for kindle? And can this dessert be portioned out and frozen I am afraid I would want to eat the whole cake lol.
Carolyn says
Yes, all my books are available on Kindle right when they come out. And maybe you should turn this into cupcakes…
Susan says
And??? How was it???
Jessica says
Planning on making this cake this weekend! Can I sub xylitol for the swerve in equal parts?
Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Carolyn says
The frosting may be a little different with xylitol but I think it should be okay.
Veronica says
Hi, Carolyn, been stalking your recipes for over a year but don’t think I’ve ever commented before! I’ve made your peanut butter sheet cake and shared with other low carb friends that raved. In fact, a fireman I shared it with paid me to make another for his whole team, LOL! Anyway I plan to make this, it’s one of my favorite cakes and would love to enjoy it low carb since I no longer eat sugar. Wanted to clarify on how to cool it, it says cool completely in pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. I’m a baker and usually turn normal sugar-laden cakes out of the pans after about 10 minutes, but haven’t yet had to turn any low carb cakes out of pans (I’ve only served ones in the pan so far), so wasn’t sure if they are more delicate and need to cool completely in pans. Thanks for your help!
Carolyn says
This is a bit fragile…let them cool in the pan longer than 10.
Susan says
I get the cooling effect from swerve, can I sub Monk Fruit or what other sugar substitute do you recommend?
Carolyn says
As long as you can get a powdered sweetener for the frosting, you can make a substitution.
Corella Landrigan says
Can I use THM baking blend in place of the almond and coconut flour? Thank you!
Carolyn says
Probably but I am not sure how much. About the same, but you may need more liquid because it’s drier.
Susanne says
I am allergic to pecans…I think the recipe would work just fine without them. What do you think, or what would you substitute?
Carolyn says
It would be fine without. They don’t add structure, just flavor and decoration.
Melissa says
This looks amazing! Just one question… How many servings is the nutritional info based on? I’m afraid I could easity overeat this!
Carolyn says
Nutritional information is always for a single serving.
ro says
I missed this the first time too. Until my second read, when I caught where Carolyn states that it searves up to 16 people. So the nutritional info appears based on 1/16 of the cake.
This was amazing. My family really enjoyed it. Looking forward to your new book. Thank you. Rob
Corianne says
Made this as directed – amazing. Thanks so much for posting it!
Lisa says
Any ideas on how to omit the almond flour ? I’m allergic to nuts but tolerate coconut.
Carolyn says
I’m sorry, no. This particular recipe really relies on almond flour. I do have some other coconut flour cakes but it doesn’t lend itself as well to this format.
Mary Anne in Indiana says
This cake makes 16 servings, but there is only one of me. Before I make it, I would like to know, can I cut this into 16 servings and freeze the pieces? I keep your scones and muffins frozen all the time, ready for instant breakfast or deserts. No big event on the horizon for me to make and take a whole cake. Cannot wait to make it!
Carolyn says
Yes you could absolutely wrap this in individual portions to freeze.
Cristina says
It’s perfect! Even my mom, who normally hates coconut, loved it! Thank you, Carolyn!
Darlene says
I can’t wait to try this cake. I was literally just wondering what kind of keto-friendly cake to make for my husband’s birthday in a few weeks when this popped up in my e-mail. He will be thrilled. I have all your books so far and love them. I will certainly pre-order the dessert one. Thanks for being instrumental in our low-carb journey.
Cindy says
Says heavy cream, then below heavy whipping cream are they one and the same? Hope so as haven’t seen heavy cream here. Sounds delicious and freezable is a bonus.
Carolyn says
Exactly the same.
Vickie says
I made this cake for my birthday, which is today. Thanks yet again for a wonderful, yummy dessert! My 70 year old hubby picked out and followed your recipe from your first book for the Sheet Pan Chicken And Veggies for our supper last night. It was the very first recipe he has ever followed from a cookbook and it was delicious!
Carolyn says
Happy Birthday, Vickie!!!
Vickie says
Thank you. My teen grandsons loved the cake too…the oldest (19) has been a type 1 diabetic for 8 years. I loved seeing him be able to eat a wonderful dessert without having to dose. My heartfelt thanks to you for all of these awesome treats.
Katie says
Volumewise it seems like to make a thicker 9” cake you’d multiply the recipe by 1.25. It’s easily done since it calls for 4 eggs in a recipe.
Carolyn says
But then you have more cake and more carbs.
Jennifer says
Can the baked and unfrosted cake be frozen for a couple of days until ready to use?
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Lokee says
Please could you mention the amount in Gramm the next Time you do this? I have no idea for which ingredient you use which sort of cup.. I have already seen that flour / butter etc differs from One another ans am so confused 🙁
I would Love to prepare this for my moms Birthday in July
xx
Carolyn says
Sorry but I use American volume measurements. The only thing I can tell you is that a cup of almond flour is about 100g and a cup of coconut flour is about 110g.
Sherri says
Help lol my icing separated not sure why everything was at room temperature etc I still was able to spread it in as it was just for us but don’t know what happened
Carolyn says
You over-beat it. That can happen although it’s kind of rare.
Sherri says
Oh ok I don’t like this new hand blender that I bought think I will look for new ones. Thank you again your recipes are amazing !
Joe G says
Made this last night and it is halfway gone…It is absolutely deliciously moist and flavorful.
JO says
If I substitute the swerve for Pyure how much do I use?
Tara says
I just popped this into the oven and cannot wait to try a piece. Italian Cream Cake is one of my all time favorites and I just know this one of yours will be a winner! Thanks so much for sharing your gift with us!!! 🙂
Cata says
I think I should use about half that butter, but it is very tasty
Nicole Slokken says
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I just stuck the cake pans into the oven.
My only question is that I didn’t have granulated swerve so I subbed with THM Super Sweet Blend (3 TBSP). Since it’s such a smaller amount, do you think the consistency will be ok? I sure hope so!
Thank you!!
Nicole
Carolyn says
I honestly can’t tell you…any substitutions can throw signs off. Good luck!
Lynda Hollohan says
When I made the cake the batter (before the egg whites) was very crumbly.
should it have been more liquid. it just crumbled like a crumble on an apple crisp. I tried to fold in the egg whites but it was very messy.
What am I doing wrong?
Carolyn says
It sounds like it’s much to dry but I am not sure why if you used the correct ingredients at the right amounts. Any chance you used coconut flour in place of almond?
Sarah says
The cake is delicious. I made it in 3 8×8 square pans to make a 3 layer cake but I wouldn’t recommend doing that – the layers were a little dry and thin. My trouble was that the frosting turned out salty. I always use less sugar in frosting recipes because I hate sweet frosting, but the salted butter and tangy salty cream cheese made a salty frosting. Yuck! Next time I will use a different frosting that I can lower the sugar in.
Also – How on earth do you fold in the egg whites to the batter? It was a really heavy thick batter. The egg whites lightened it a little bit but not enough that it seemed to warrant a whole extra step of whipping them.
Im thinking of using this recipe to make muffins 🙂 I love the pecans and coconut in the batter! Delightful.
Carolyn says
You shouldn’t use salted butter in a frosting. And as for the cake, it shouldn’t be too thick to fold in egg whites so something went wrong on your end.
Wendy Mauzeroll says
Planning on making this cake this afternoon and just want to confirm that the butter called for in your desert recipes is always unsalted.
Carolyn says
Truth be told, I use salted but I have a very high tolerance for salt. Some folks don’t so I generally recommend unsalted.
Corinne says
Would this recipe make 24 cupcakes?
Carolyn says
No, probably more like 16.
Elsine says
What is baking time for cupcakes?
Dunia says
Hi there,
Was wondering if I used Splenda granulated in the cake in which I know will have 1/2 sugar do you think it will be fine?
I have enough powdered Swerve to put into the frosting. just trying to use what I have right now. Cant wait to make this.
Thank you!
Dunia
Carolyn says
I honestly can’t guarantee the results but it’s worth a try.
Dunia says
This cake looks amazing and can’t wait to make it. I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out with Splenda although I usually only bake with swerve.
Thanks so much for your quick response!
Dunia says
Hi,
In the cake you have heavy cream. Is this heavy whipping cream or something else?
Thank you,
Dunia
Carolyn says
Heavy whipping cream. They are essentially the same thing.
Dunia says
I look forward to your new recipe posts. Thank you Carolyn!
CArol says
Will I ever learn to bake the low carb way? I am a gourmet baker with flour and sugar, but am not doing so well with keto recipes.I have noticed that my cakes get too brown and too done when I bake at the recommended temperature. I have an oven thermometer and it registered exactly 325. I set the timer for 30 minutes–5 minutes less than the recommended 35-40 minutes. It is browner than it needs to be but still is a medium brown. My cake tastes good, but it pretty dry. I am assumiing it will get moister in a day or two. The Kentucky butter cake had a perfect texture when I used Splenda. The zucchini cake had a perfect texture with half erythritol and half Splenda. The Italian cream cake has a very dry texture and I used 1/2 Splenda and 1/2 erythritol, since I don’t have Swerve. I used four large eggs, but they seemed smaller than some large eggs. Could that have made a difference in the texture? I almost added another egg, but wanted to stick to the recipe on my first try. Any suggestions appreciated. I may need to order Swerve, but it seems very expensive.
Carolyn says
It should absolutely not be dry. This is an overly moist cake, if anything. If you used Splenda, that may be part of it. And you should follow the recipe as written, even accounting for egg size.
Shawn A Anderson says
Swerve is expensive, but I have found it to be the best for doing anything Keto or low carb. I purchase it from Amazon, and now only use sugar free syrups in my coffee, so I hardly use any swerve unless I am baking sweets! I think it tastes the most like true sugar, but we are all different. I have a tough time purchasing pricy ingredients, as my rent is 4 months due, but I have swerve. Go figure? I know I like to cook, and attempt to bake, though I have never been that good at it, I can watch cookies burn through the glass window of the stove, GAH! My advice is to purchase a 12oz package of swerve, about $8.99 on Amazon, and I have Prime, so I get free shipping. It is still a lot of money, but if you are going to do that, splurge and get the powdered also. It works the best for frostings! I can’t believe there is a low carb recipe for an Italian Crème Cake. I never knew I liked it until my niece bought one for my mom’s birthday about 15 years ago, and not I have a new favorite cake! I will be getting some coconut most likely when I go to the grocery tomorrow, so I will attempt to create this tomorrow. My biggest issue will be eating the whole thing in 2 days! Yikes. Thanks again Carolyn for this recipe. I will let you know how it turns out.
Shawn.
michele says
I followed this recipe exactly as written and it is dry and crumbly. It has an ok flavor. I would not make again as it calls for expensive ingredients and I feel like I wasted them.
Carolyn says
Did you follow the recipe exactly as written? Because this is not a dry crumbly cake. You may have mismeasured something, or perhaps you used dark cake pans and didn’t account for that (they tend to overcook things). You can see from the comments that this is a recipe most people love.
Marcia smoak says
I added up the amount of carbs in the swerve granulated and the confectioners per teaspoons and got 336 carbs with both sugars in the cake and that isn’t the carbs in the rest of the ingredients, what am I not seeing or what am I doing wrong. I really want to make this cake and have all of the ingredients but how much is a serving? How many carbs per slice. Thanks
Carolyn says
Please understand that while erythritol technically has carbs, they have zero impact on blood sugar. I state this very clearly in my nutritional disclaimer, and that I do not count them at all as carbs. Since I actually test my blood sugar, I know this to be true. So the carb counts stand as written. Erythritol is the ONLY sugar alcohol that can be discounted like this.
Vanessa says
OMG, I’m so happy to find this recipe! I was just about to search your website to find a cake recipe I could adapt to make a low carb Italian cream cake. So imagine my delight to find you have one already! Amazing! This was my favorite cake when I lived in Texas and wanted to make myself a birthday cake. Can’t wait to try it!
Margaret Bern says
I love you for having posted this recipe! Seriously, I was going to email you directly to lobby on its behalf!
(I’m hosting an Italian-themed birthday party for my women’s group tomorrow night. This cake will be the star of the show—fingers crossed—and I promise to give you {almost} all the credit. 😘)
Happy Mother’s Day! 🌻
S says
I made this cake for the second time because my husband requested it. He said that this was the best low carb cake he’s ever had. I would have to agree with him. I didn’t have any pecans so I used walnuts instead and it tasted great. Thanks for a keeper recipe, Carolyn!
Carolyn says
WE loved it too and walnuts would be delicious!
Connie Clampit says
I have everything that this recipe calls for but the powdered sugar! Did I read one time that you could put sugar in a blender and make powdered sugar!?can I do the same thing with this srevia?
Carolyn says
No, this won’t work with stevia.
Macy says
This is fantastic!!! My family loves it, even those who aren’t low carb. This has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl so having a delicious low carb option to enjoy is so wonderful.
Candace says
This is the first time I’ve ever bothered to comment on a blog. This recipe popped up in my Pinterest feed a while back. I saved it thinking “yeah whatever” because, you see, I had pretty much given up on finding any keto desserts that actually taste good. But lately I’ve been noticing recipes using Swerve which I had never tried. So given that I ADORE Italian cream cake, I thought I’d give this a try. And it was better than you-know-what! I will be trying others of your recipes going forward. Since Swerve is so expensive, I might have to pace myself though! Thank you so much, and keep up the fantastic work.
Carolyn says
Candace, I am honoured that you would take the time to comment on my blog for the first one. And that everything turned out so well! Thanks so much.
sheri says
This cake turned out awesome. We used it as a wedding cake for our daughter.Made a 3 tier cake.
Christy Barlett says
Does it matter whether it is salted or unsalted butter?
Carolyn says
Most people would say unsalted. I have a high tolerance for salt and I prefer it salted, even in my sweet recipes. So really it’s up to you.
Debbie Rivero says
I used salted for both the cake and the frosting the first time, but the next time I used salted for the cake and unsalted for the frosting and it was AMAZING.
Dawn Gresham says
Hi Carolyn,
The cake is in the oven, I’m praying because I had the same problem as another person that the cake batter was not like batter but really thick. I followed the recipe and measurements etc. I added some more milk because no more cream left. The batter did become softer and more spreadable but I’m worried. What do you think could have gone wrong? Or is the batter not like conventional flour cake batter? Thank you! I’m going to try the Taco Pie tonight! Sounds wonderful!!
Carolyn says
Low carb batter is NEVER like conventional batter. It should be spreadable, though. Not pourable at all. Hope that helps, let me know how it turns out.
Angie says
My batter for the Italian cake is thick like cookie dough. What did I do wrong?
Carolyn says
Without you telling me more, I have no idea. Did you use all the same ingredients as I did?
Chii says
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. I baked it last night and it tasted good except that it came out a bit dry and not moist. Reading over the comments i realized few people have encountered this. I followed the exact recipe with just 1 exception. I used Stevia powder instead of swerve. Do you think that could have caused it. The batter was a very thick and a bit difficult to fold in the egg whites. Any other idea on what could have caused it to be dry?
One doubt that i do have is – how long should one beat after adding heavy cream to whites? What should the consistency be at this stage? I think the batter started to get thick right after added it.
Also it would be great if you could do a video on this. It would help us understand where we might be going wrong. I did look through your youtube channel but could not find for recipe. Apologies if i missed seeing it.
Thank you 🙂
Carolyn says
Yup a change of sweeteners would be an issue. And now I am really confused because you don’t beat heavy cream into the whites at all. You add cream of tartar. If you made that substitution, it would also be an issue.
Chii says
Oops sorry for typo. I meant to write – after adding heavy cream to the butter/sugar/egg yellow mixture. How long should i beat at this stage after adding the heavy cream.
Carolyn says
Just beat until combined.
Tania says
This recipe came out delicious, thank you!
My dad was really happy to eat this on his birthday.
It made a beautiful presentation.
Joe says
Made this cake last night and it is sooooooo good and moist…. Thanks so much for this amazing recipe!!!
Sandy says
I made this today for my mom’s birthday, and OMG it’s fantastic! Everybody loved it!
Karess says
Omg! My third day into keto and this was a Hit!!!! My non keto family members are it and loved it! I will definitely make it again! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Carolyn says
Only 3 days and you tackled a complicated cake like this? I am impressed! Keep up the good work, it’s worth it.
Ashley says
I made this cake and it’s super tasty but I’ve noticed in a few bites a weird sour taste. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could have done wrong? The parts that aren’t sour are delicious!
Carolyn says
Well it absolutely shouldn’t have a sour taste. I wonder if one of your ingredients had gone off? How do you store your almond flour?
Ashley says
I store my almond flour just in a canister that’s sealed. It’s definitely possible that it ingredient was off but I would think with that the entire cake would taste sour but it’s not the entire cake it’s maybe one bite out of a slice. It’s very odd. I think I’ll have to make it again And see if I’m still tasting this weird sour flavor.
Jeannette says
This cake was incredible! Thank you so much! It was enjoyed by everyone and my 8 year old proclaimed it my best ever. I will tell you, I was nervous when I unpanned them because the edges were very crumbly and dry but I iced it and let it sit in the fridge for several hours prior to serving and the edges soaked up some moisture. There wasn’t anything dry about it! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Tammy Scates says
Italian creme cake is my mom’s favorite cake. She is diabetic now and having issues w/her sugar level. I can’t convince her to go on the keto diet, but I am looking for low sugar healthy recipes this looks like it might fit the bill. It should be okay for diabetics, right? I would think so. Looking forward to making it for her. Thanks for sharing it!
Carolyn says
I am a diabetic so yes! 🙂
Doris says
This cake was so awesome! I used a different sweetener (chicory based) plus several drops of liquid stevia. I also lightly toasted all the pecans and coconut. Otherwise, followed the rest of your directions to a tee. This recipe rocks it! So grateful for such an elegant and special treat of yummy low-carb gourmet!
Carolyn says
That’s great to hear!
Laura says
I cant wait to make this! Does it have to be refrigerated once completed? Not just the 30 minutes to set…but until it’s all eaten up. Thanks!
Carolyn says
It should probably be refrigerated if you aren’t going to finish it within the firsts 3 days.
Kang says
Made this tonight and it’s a winner! Husband approved! Thank you!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Di says
I made the receipe as is directed but it crumbled some coming out of the pan and felt a little hard but when I put the second layer it broke some but I was able to put it back together, not sure what I did wrong.
Carolyn says
It’s very hard for me to say what went wrong here but it definitely shouldn’t crumble like that. Sorry!
Nonya says
I made a vegan version of this and it is sooooo good! If anyone else is interested in doing a vegan version, here are the substitutions I used:
Egg Yolks – Mixture of 8 tbsp Soy Yogurt (2 per egg) + 1 tbsp Ground Flax Seed
Egg Whites – Mixture of 1 tsp Baking Powder + 1 tbsp Canola Oil + 1 tbsp Water
Heavy Whipping Cream/Heavy Cream – Thai Kitchen brand Coconut Cream
I couldn’t find Swerve near me, so I substituted with a Stevia/Erythritol blend. I also added more shredded coconut to the frosting because I love it.
All in all a great recipe, thanks!
RJ says
Fabulous! I made a small, 3-layer cake by cutting the recipe in 1/2 and baking the batter in 3 mini 5″ springform pans for about 20 min. With a 1/2 recipe of frosting, I was able to frost between the layers and also cover the top and sides. I reserved some of the chopped pecans from the batter and used them to decorate the top of the cake. End result was a tall, beautiful (and very tasty!) celebration-worthy layer cake perfect for a small gathering. Thank you Carolyn for all your wonderful & creative recipes & cookbooks!
Michael Girard says
SIMPLY DIVINE!!! I made this a week ago and it turned out fabulous! So much delicious-ness – the flavors, the texture. The cake is light and moist and flavorful and the icing is cream cheese heaven! I stored the whole cake in the fridge and when I’d cut a slice I’d warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds – just enough to make it slightly warm and the frosting where it’s just starting to melt! OMG! OMG! OMG! Thank you Carolyn!!! You rock my dessert world!!!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Rebekah says
Hi, this looks fabulous! I only have truvia that’s granulated or powdered swerve. Can I use powdered swerve in the cake? Thank you!
Carolyn says
You should be able to use the powdered for the cake.
Terry says
Can I make this ahead, frosting and all, and freeze to save time for a special occasion dinner. I am such a do ahead cook so I can enjoy my company and not be rushing last minute. I am transporting the cake this year to a niece’s house which is 4 hours away and would like to not bake it there. Sounds too delish not to take along. Thanks for any advice
Carolyn says
I am not really sure. It should be okay but the frosting may harden a bit from the freezing.
Jane cooks says
How long can this keep? And how do you store it – plastic wrap/unwrapped? In the fridge/on the counter? Thanks!
Carolyn says
Always wrap the sides of any cake to keep them from drying out. It should be refrigerated and will last up to a week if your ingredients are fresh.
Michelle says
I made this and it was great. I had trouble with the frosting. Not sure what I did wrong. Mine didn’t thicken up. I used Bocha sweet and powdered it in a coffee grinder. Not sure if that was the problem or my cream cheese was too warm. I added extra bocha sweet and it was still a loose frosting.
Carolyn says
The Bocha Sweet is likely the issue. Swerve is drier and it is non-hygroscopic (meaning it doesn’t attract moisture) whereas BS does. And grinding it yourself is not the same as using a commercially powdered sweetener.
Suzanne says
This looks so good! I think I’ll try it with walnuts. What a yummy and healthy treat for guests!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Erica D. Garcia says
I was curious if you are able to make this recipe ahead of time and pop it into the freezer for a day or so?
Carolyn says
Honestly I didn’t try. It should be okay.
Mindy Engelhorn says
Did you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut? I have both but I’m not seeing that mentioned above.
Carolyn says
Always unsweetened. The sweetened kind is made with sugar.
Jessica says
Making this for Christmas, but was wondering To save time if I could make the cakes the day before, refrigerate unfrosted and then frost/assemble the following day?
Carolyn says
That should be fine.
Patti says
Could you complete the entire cake, frosting it, the night before and store it in the fridge? It would be about 24hrs.
Thanks
Catherine Abreu says
Thank you for your recipes, the ones I have tried have all been amazing. This cake doesn’t last long at home, sometimes I get home from work really “needing a piece of cake”, and it’s gone!
Keep up the good work
Catherine Abreu
Carolyn says
So happy to hear it!
Carolyn says
I have a pan question. The recipe noted an 8″ or 9″ pan (singular) in the beginning of the recipe. In the baking section, it notes to divide into “Pans.” I’m confused, one pan or two pans? Carolyn
Carolyn says
Not sure where you are seeing it say only one pan. The first step of the instructions say pans: “Preheat the oven to 325F and grease 8 inch or 9 inch round cake pans very well (the 8 inch pans will take a little longer to cook but the layers will be higher and I think they will look better). Line the pans with parchment paper and grease the paper.”
It’s two pans.
Barbara says
I just made this cake today. It is totally amazing. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Sandra says
Accidentally used twice amount of butter called for and still turned out so good, my husband said I should make it that way from now on. I always ask him to rate new recipes and he said “you got this one right”. Think I’ll have a slice for breakfast😊. Thanks for the awesome recipe for my favorite cake!
DION MESSER says
OMG – wonderful cake. I doubled the recipe for cake and frosting and used Vitafiber sweetener cup for cup to replace the Swerve (because I had that and was out of Swerve) plus 1 tablespoon of powdered monk fruit sweetener in both the cake and frosting in the doubled recipe. Using this sweetener combo – only half the amount of cream is needed in the frosting. I made it in 3 9″ pans and cooked in a 325 convection oven for 40 minutes. It came out moist and perfect. The frosting was light and wonderful. My guests raved. Yes – I know – twice the calories per slice – but the cake was magnificent in presentation.
Carolyn says
So glad they all liked it!
Jayne says
Hi, I was so excited to make this, but sadly the cakes turned out like Hagrid’s from Harry Potter (rock hard). The only change I made to the recipe was that I only used almond flour, because I didn’t have coconut flour available. Was that why?
Carolyn says
Yes, there is a huge difference between almond flour and coconut flour. That is the issue here.
Sharon L says
Carolyn, what type of round cake pans do you use-silicone or metal? If metal, can you recommend a good brand? Love your recipes, thank you for all your hard work.
Carolyn says
I use metal. For my 9 inch, I have USA pans. They are spectacular and nothing sticks, everything practically falls out. Then I decided to buy some 8 inch and I went with less expensive Fat Daddio aluminum. I regret that, I should have gotten the USA Pans. https://amzn.to/2WMTM9s
Pam says
I saw this and immediately ordered groceries to get the ingredients I needed! It was seriously so good! Thank you!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
This is totally my kind of cake!! It looks and sounds SO delicious!! Aaand its Keto…wow!! A MUST try!
Alli says
This cake is so good. We love Italian Cream cake and I love that this is low carb!
Liz says
This cake looks incredible! And I love that it’s low carb!
Aimee Shugarman says
Such a huge hit. So delish!
Mary Angell says
I made the Italian Cream Cake for Valentine’s Day and it was amazing!! The only thing I found, is that my hubby and I both experienced a peppery aftertaste. I am thinking it is the Swerve ( first time I ever tried Swerve). It was not too strong, but both our tongues tasted pepper! Any one else have this reaction? Otherwise cake was yummy! ( I did substitute Walnuts for the pecans). We both loved it!!
Carrie says
Excellent instructions, followed as directed and the cake turned out beautifully. It’s moist and delicious! I will be making this again. Thank you so much! I love your recipes!
Carrie
Carla Marley says
Made this this evening, I was so impressed with the way it looked coming out of the oven……………….thinking it will sink or deflate as it cools like the Keto bread I made once. But it DIDN’T!!!. I made it in a 7×11 inch pan is the only thing I did different from the recipe. I had to take a little corner piece to taste, I’m taking it to lunch tomorrow. It is so good!!! This is a keeper!!!!
Thank you Carolyn for sharing.
Carolyn says
So happy to hear it!
Chrissie says
Hi. I’ve been following your recipes and have a few. I now live abroad and can’t get all the right flours andsweeteners all of the time. Could I substitute the flours for all-purpose and sweetener for sugar?
In the. meantime I’ll start sourcing my cake items!
Carolyn says
My recipes are formulated for almond and coconut flours. Unfortunately, all purpose wheat flour won’t work. Substituting sugar would be fine in most cases.
Roxanne says
I have been Keto for just about 2 weeks and this will be my first time making a low carb cake. Cant’t wait! (My family will be the guinea pigs at my mom’s birthday party tomorrow!) I am not a fan of coconut and plan on omitting the flakes in the cake. Will the coconut flour give the cake a noticeable coconut flavor? Can I add more almond flour in it’s place? Thank you!
Carolyn says
The coconut flour gives it substance but you can’t taste it. But for the shredded coconut, you will need to replace that with almond flour.
MICHELLE says
HOLY CANOLY THIS IS AN AMAZING CAKE!!!! HANDS DOWN THE BEST KETO DESSERT I’VE EVER MADE.
I MADE IT EXACTLY AS WRITTEN (EXCEPT ADDED ALOT MORE TOASTED COCONUT AND PECANS FOR GARNISHING) AND COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW GOOD IT WAS. MOIST & PERFECTLY SWEET. I HAD TO IMMEDIATLY CALL MY MOM & TELL HER HOW GOOD IT WAS AND RAN HER A SLICE OVER. YUM!!!! WILL DEF MAKE THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN…..AND AGAIN 🙂
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!!!
Tammy says
I just got a message from Pinterest stating they had to remove my pin and it was this Italian cream cake. The Pinterest option is on your site to save so why are we not allowed to save using Pinterest?
Carolyn says
Hi Tammy. Sorry, it’s not you. It’s actually that someone stole my photos and recipe and posted it on another site so I had Pinterest remove them at my request. It’s not supposed to remove the one that links to my actual blog, although they may have done so. Do feel free to pin from here. But if you ever see one of my recipes with a link to another site, I’d love for you to let me know.
CYNTHIA WOLFE says
Had excellent results replacing the vanilla with maple flavoring! Maple gives the flavor of brown sugar.
Sheryl D says
The cake looks amazing and looking forward to tasting it. However, did I miss something in the recipe??? (I have gone back and re-read twice more)
Where does it say to use 2 cake pans? Must have missed that part.
Carolyn says
You are correct, it was missing the word “two”, although it does say “pans” and I do talk about it in the write up. But I have fixed it now.
Tammy Foster says
I used three 6 inch pans and it turned out beautifully!
Carolyn says
Sounds lovely and tall!
Chrissa B says
How can I calculate the sugar in this recipe?
Carolyn says
1.8g per serving.
April Shields says
I made this cake to eat for my birthday. This is the best cake I would even eat it if it wasn’t low carb. It doesn’t taste low carb at all. So rich and delicious. Thank you so much!!!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Patti says
Although the flavor is delicious, the cake is very dry. Is there something I can pour over the layers when they come out of the oven to moisten the cake?
Carolyn says
If it’s dry, then you over-baked it.
Jami K. says
I made this cake, twice, since I thought I made a mistake. Both times the cake has turned out VERY salty…..I’m not sure why, as I have followed your directions to the mark. Thoughts? The texture and everything else (including the frosting) as perfect….but the cake itself has a salty taste.
Carolyn says
Very strange. Are you using salted butter?
Kitti Alfred says
This is our go to cake for all of our birthdays and other celebrations! I first made your recipe in January and it’s been a big hit with the whole family ever since!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Kimberly says
Oh My Goodness…the goodness!! Prior to my keto conversion I’ve made many a wedding cake and can honestly say this cake is absolutely moist and delicious! This ended a perfect keto dinner with friends. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!
Heather says
Great recipe! Beautiful cake! I did find that it crumbled a lot. Any ideas as to what I may have done wrong are what I could do differently?? Would adding xanthum gum help? If so, how much? Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Carolyn says
Could have been slightly over-baked. That’s my best guess here. Sure, try adding 1/2 teaspoon xanthan next time.
Farzi says
Thanks for this recipe.. not dry at all like most Keto cakes turn out n the frosting was delicious <3 I used coconut cream instead of sour cream and ghee instead of butter and it turned out yumm 🙂
Claire Lopez says
Does I need to store it in the fridge or can it sit on the counter? Thx! Can’t wait to try!
Carolyn says
It’s probably fine on the counter for a day or two but refrigerate after that.
Rena (An Ordinary Housewife) says
This looks really good, but could we use Trim Healthy Mama baking blend in place of the almond and coconut flour? The almond flour is just really fat dense and with the cream cheese and heavy cream it just seems like a lot. I understand it’s not an every day dessert, but I was just wondering if it’s possible to lighten it up at all?
Carolyn says
I honestly have no idea. I find THM baking blend a little too dry, personally. So you’d have to experiment.
allison Pierce-Wendell says
Anyone try to make this in the InstaPot. I bake most of my cakes using Pressure Cooking. Or the Ninja Foodi. I’ve baked in that also.
John Torres says
My wife and I made this yesterday wow it is good. I will be bringing some to work as ive gotten some of my coworkers to try eating low carb. We love your recipes thank you
Carolyn says
Happy to hear it!
Angela says
Hi
I am making the low carb Italian Cream Cake for a friend who is doing Keto.
However, I am doing WW and I am trying to figure out how many points.
Would you happen to know?
Thank you
Angela
Carolyn says
I am sorry, I have no idea how WW works.
Shelby says
I made this last night for my birthday and it was Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfect and not dry and all. Frosting tasted like cool whip. I will definitely be making this one again, thank you!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Jennifer Dobbs says
This was an awesome cake. Love the flavor and will definitely use again.
Rosanne says
Hello wondering if I can use the Swerve Packets, and if so how many? or could I use just 100% erythritol. Thanks so much for your time and for the delicious sounding recipe
Carolyn says
The Swerve packets don’t hold much Swerve in them. Not sure how many you would need, but you would have to empty them out into a measuring cup to get the same amount of Swerve I use here.
Wendy says
OMG, my first Keto Cake.
And we were not disappointed.
Followed your recipe to the letter, family absolutely loved it.
Will definitely make it again.
Carolyn says
So glad!
Catherine B Khalili says
Just made 1/2 recipe of this and didn’t put on frosting and it is yum, yum, yum.
Thanks you!