This low carb cake is subtly sweet, flavorful, and packed with blueberries. The moist cake has a tender crumb thanks to butter and heavy cream blended into the batter. This gluten-free cake recipe is lower in sugar and carbohydrates.
Blueberry coffee cake often comes to mind when it comes to blueberries and baking for someone with a sweet tooth. This low carb blueberry cake is delicately sweet, studded with blueberries, and visually and texturally resembling a coffee cake. It uses almond flour, unsalted butter, and heavy cream.
While this recipe calls for light brown sugar, you can swap it for a sugar-free alternative to make this cake keto. Unlike most cake recipes, this recipe is made with the biscuit method - this means minimal mixing and a tender crumb.
This small-batch low carb cake recipe is perfect for a quick dessert or afternoon treat with coffee. Like my banana cake, the almond flour base is nutty in flavor and texturally delicious. Low carb blueberry cake is moist and flavorful. Serve it for brunch, dessert, or a special occasion.
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Low Carb Blueberry Cake
Low carb cake is equally as delicious as a traditional cake when made with quality ingredients. This easy cake recipe uses butter and heavy cream to create a rich flavor and tender texture. Brown sugar provides a delicate sweetness, while lemon offers a citrus taste—the whole cake bursts with sweet, tart blueberries.
- Quick and Easy - This recipe uses basic ingredients, requires little mixing, and bakes quickly.
- Low-Carb - One serving of low carb blueberry cake has only 20g of carbohydrates and 14g of sugar per slice —this is half the quantity of carbs and sugar in traditional cakes. Similarly, there is 7g of protein and 3g of fiber per serving.
- Delicious Cake - This gluten-free blueberry cake is delicately sweet and bursting with berries. The fluffy cake has a tender crumb and nutty flavor from the almond flour.
Ingredients
- Almond Flour - Almond flour provides the base and structure of this delicious cake.
- Light Brown Sugar (packed)
- Baking Powder - Make sure the baking powder is certified gluten-free for a gluten-free cake.
- Salt
- Lemon Zest
- Unsalted Butter (cold and cut into pieces)
- Large Egg (room temperature)
- Heavy Whipping Cream (cold)
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Blueberries (fresh)
- Turbinado Sugar - Turbinado sugar finishes the cake with a crunchy top and desirable texture.
See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.
Instructions
Make this cake with the biscuit mixing method versus the typical creaming method you see in most cake recipes.
STEP 1 (PREHEAT) - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-in springform pan.
STEP 2 (DRY INGREDIENTS) - Mix the almond flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl until combined.
STEP 3 (CUT IN THE BUTTER) - Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized pieces remain.
STEP 4 (WET INGREDIENTS) - Whisk the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract in a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the blueberries.
STEP 5 (BAKE) - Pour the cake batter into the prepared dish. Spread the batter into an even layer and sprinkle the turbinado sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, and the top of your cake is golden brown. Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the pan.
Substitutions
- Blueberries - Raspberries, Blackberries
- Light Brown Sugar - Dark Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar
- Lemon Zest - Orange Zest, Lime Zest
- Vanilla Extract - Almond Extract (use half the quantity)
Variations
- Keto Blueberry Cake - Swap the light brown sugar for a sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener, Stevia, or another low-carb sweetener. Add the dry sugar to the dry ingredients at the beginning of the mixing process. Sprinkle the cake with Truvia instead of turbinado sugar.
- Cinnamon - Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Add Chocolate Chips - Stir in ⅓ cup of sugar-free white chocolate chips with the blueberries.
Try my banana cake with peanut butter frosting for another almond flour-based cake.
Suggested Equipment
Storage
Tightly wrap the cake or store cake slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. For a longer shelf life, store the cake in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Can you freeze the low-carb cake? Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil—or place slices in a freezer bag. Freeze the cake for up to 3 months — thaw it entirely before eating.
Other Delicious Blueberry Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffins
How to Serve Blueberry Cake
Serve at room temperature or warm. Place one slice of cake on a microwave-safe dish and heat for 15-30 seconds. Top cake slices with zero-sugar whipped topping. You can also slather slices in room-temperature cream cheese or butter. For added decadence, make a batch of my chantilly cream but swap the sugar for monk fruit sweetener.
Expert Tips
- Use cold butter and cream. This cake is made via the biscuit mixing method, which means cold butter is cut into the dry ingredients. The cold butter melts in the oven, creating pockets of steam and tender cake.
- Check the expiration of your baking powder. The cake's leavening relies on baking powder. Check the expiration date before using it for a good rise.
- Grease the baking pan well to prevent sticking. You can also line the pan with parchment paper round.
Frequently Asked Questions
While almond flour and almond meal are made from ground almonds, they differ in color and texture. Almond meal is made from raw (unpeeled) ground almonds, while almond flour is made from blanched (peeled) almonds —which means almond flour is lighter in color and has a finer texture. Use almond flour in this recipe, not almond meal.
No, do not use frozen blueberries in this recipe. Frozen blueberries will make this already tender cake too moist and soggy.
If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #sugarylogic, and share them with me on Instagram or Facebook.
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Cake with Blueberries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ½ tablespoon turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F degrees. Grease a 9-in springform pan and set it aside.
- Mix the almond flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
- Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two forks until pea-sized pieces remain.
- Mix the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Fold in the blueberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth and sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top of the cake is golden brown. Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the pan.
Nutrition
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