This Mini Keto Sheet Cake is the perfect dessert for an intimate gathering. It’s a rich almond flour chocolate cake with a delectable cocoa glaze, and has only 3g net carbs per serving.
Sometimes too much of a good thing really is too much of a good thing. Take my Keto Texas Sheet Cake, for example. It’s loved by readers far and wide, but it’s a large cake that serves 20 people.
That’s a lot of cake if you just want to enjoy a little bit of dessert with your honey. The leftovers freeze well but you may still find yourself overwhelmed.
That, my friends, is where my keto desserts for two come in handy. Mini versions of some of my most popular dessert recipes. I’ve got everything from keto banana pudding to a mini version of my Keto Ding Dong Cake.
And now I present a mini version of the classic Texas sheet cake. Easy and delicious, and only 6 servings!
Why you will love this recipe
I called this recipe “for two” but it actually makes six servings. It’s the perfect amount for a few days worth of dessert for two people. And cutting sheet cake down anymore than that isn’t easy!
Don’t let the lengthy ingredient list fool you, as this little dessert is very easy to make. I followed the traditional style of Texas sheet cake by boiling the cocoa with the butter and water. This method creates an incredible fudgy texture.
And since you pour the boiled cocoa glaze over the cake while it’s still warm, the two layers almost meld together. Absolutely heavenly.
One thing I’ve always loved about sheet cakes is the cake-to-frosting ratio. The cake layer is thin, so the frosting or glaze really stands out. And that helps lower the carb count too!
Ingredients you need
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- Almond flour: If you want to be nut-free, you can use sunflower seed flour. It’s a one-to-one replacement with almond flour.
- Swerve Sweetener: You need granular sweetener for the cake and powdered for the frosting.
- Protein powder: Protein powder helps the cake rise a little better. But it is such a small cake that you can skip it if you absolutely need to.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter in both the cake and the glaze.
- Cocoa powder: This chocolate sheet cake takes cocoa powder rather than unsweetened chocolate. I prefer Dutch process cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Heavy cream: You need a few tablespoons of heavy cream for both the cake and the glaze.
- Glucomannan: The glaze is quite thin after cooking, so use a little keto thickener to give it more structure. You can use xanthan gum in the same amount, if you prefer.
- Chopped nuts: I love the crunch that some chopped pecans give to the finished cake.
- Pantry staples: eggs, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract
Special equipment
Small batch recipes like this one require smaller pans. I used a mini sheet pan from USA Pan that measures 9.5 inches by 6.5 inches.
But don’t fret if you don’t own such a thing. You can bake this cake in an 8×8 inch pan as well. It will be a little thinner, so watch it carefully.
Step by Step Directions
1. Prepare the cake batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients, and then bring the butter, water, and cocoa powder to a simmer. Add this to the dry ingredients along with the egg and whipping cream.
2. Spread in the pan: Transfer the batter to the pan and spread evenly. Then bake about 15 minutes, until the top is just firm to the touch.
3. Boil the glaze: The glaze for Texas sheet cake is a boiled cocoa frosting. Bring the butter, water, cocoa powder, and cream to a simmer, then add the powdered sweetener. Use a little thickening agent to get the right consistency. Pour over the warm cake and spread to the edges.
4. Sprinkle with nuts: Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and let cool 1 hour to set the frosting. Then cut into 6 servings.
Expert Tips and FAQ
This Mini Keto Texas Sheet Cake is an ideal dessert for diabetics, as it has less than 3g net carbs per serving. There are no added sugars in this recipe, and no starches or grains.
I haven’t tried this recipe with dairy-free alternatives but I think coconut oil or another oil would work just as well as butter. For the cream, try using full fat coconut milk.
The cake should be fine with any granular sweetener. However, the glaze really requires a powdered sweetener like Swerve. Using another sweetener like allulose may change the consistency and make it harder to set.
Other keto mini cake recipes
- Mini Yellow Cake
- German Chocolate Cake for Two
- Strawberry Cheesecake For Two
- Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Dirt Cake
Mini Keto Texas Sheet Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup (84 g) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (60.67 g) Swerve Granular
- 1 1/2 tbsp (1.5 tbsp) whey protein powder, or egg white protein powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) salt
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tbsp (1.5 tbsp) cocoa powder
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tbsp (1.5 tbsp) heavy whipping cream
Glaze and Garnish
- 2 1/2 tbsp (2.5 tbsp) butter
- 2 tbsp cocao powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp (1.5 tbsp) heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp (1.5 tbsp) water
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (91 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/8 tsp (0.13 tsp) glucomannan, or xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup (27.25 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325ºF and grease a mini sheet pan (9.5 x 6.5 inches) very well. You can also bake this cake in an 8×8 inch metal pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, and salt. Break up any clumps with the back of a fork.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, and cocoa powder, stirring until melted. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Add to the bowl.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and cream, and stir until well combined. Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan.
- Bake about 15 minutes until the top of the cake is just firm to the touch.
Glaze
- In the same saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, cream, and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the powdered sweetener and whisk vigorously to dissolve any clumps. Whisk in the glucomannan and let cool a few minutes to thicken.
- Pour over the warm cake and sprinkle with the pecans. Let cool until the glaze is set, about 1 hour.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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This cake was good the first day. It wasn’t overly sweet, which is my preference. The second day, it was absolutely delicious, and I will definitely make it again. The only difference wa# that I didn’t use Swerve, which I hate, I also used an eight inch pan. It was perfect for two and there were leftovers. At first I thought it would be too flat, but it wasn’t. You know your stuff! Thanks for an excellent recipe!
Could you use a 6inch round cake pan?
it already looks pretty thin, I wouldn’t want it any thinner…
Unbelievably good! I made this today. The only addition was 1/2 tsp espresso powder in the batter. It was wonderful and I’m sure to make it again.
We are preparing to be iced-in in Texas for a few days and this cake is what is going to get us through. It’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe and I decided to switch it up a bit this time. After the cake was baked and cooled, I mixed up some cream cheese, sour cream, sweetener, and vanilla to make a no-bake cheesecake mixture. I spread it on the chocolate cake and let it chill before finally adding the cooled chocolate glaze on top. I don’t even have to wait til tonight to taste it, to tell you it’s going to be amazing! I love your recipes and always know they’ll be a success.
Stay warm!
I have been on a low carb diet for a little over a year and this was the first dessert that did not end up in the trash. It is DELICIOUS! The only problem is limiting myself to one piece a day. Thank you!
This is a great replica of the original sugar version. Next time I’m going to try substituting some peanut butter for the butter in the frosting. I’ve made this a few times for church and family picnics and potlucks. It’s always been a hit. Thank you for all you do!
I loved this recipe so much that I purchased the USA mini sheet pan for it. Do you have any other recipes where this size pan can be used?
Love your recipes. Really appreciate these that are for smaller servings. Thank you!
I made the Mini Texas Keto Sheet Cake for Mother’s Day for me and my husband. We both loved the flavor and texture – I’m glad/sorry I didn’t make the full sized one! I promised hubby that next time I’ll try to come up with a sugar free boiled peanut butter frosting to top it!