This post is sponsored by ChocZero. All opinions are my own and I only share products I personally love. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this site possible! This sugar-free keto German chocolate cake is a stunner, with three layers of rich chocolate cake and classic coconut pecan filling. While it’s made with keto-friendly ingredients, this cake could fool anyone. Add it to your list of keto dessert recipes to try!
What Is German Chocolate Cake?
German chocolate cake, which actually originated in the U.S. by a man named Samuel German, is a chocolate layered cake with coconut pecan frosting [*]. Unlike most regular chocolate cake recipes, German chocolate cake uses actual baking chocolate instead of cocoa powder. The “frosting” is a custard, made with condensed or evaporated milk, shredded coconut, and pecans. As you might guess, this dessert is not normally keto friendly, but it can be with this keto German chocolate cake recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for easy keto German chocolate cake, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
For The Chocolate Cake:
ChocZero Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Chips – These sugar-free dark chocolate chips are my favorite… and you would never know they are sugar-free! I also tested the cake using their milk chocolate chips, which is delicious if you like milder chocolate flavor.Butter – Use unsalted butter. Coconut oil is fine to substitute if you like, but you’ll also need dairy for the filling and substituting there won’t work as well.Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This keto sweetener is what I use in all my cake recipes, because it makes them super moist and won’t crystallize. Plain allulose is fine to use instead, but you’ll need 33% more. If you want to use something else, check my sweetener conversion info here. But, be aware that the result with most other sugar substitutes, including erythritol and most brands of monk fruit or stevia, will be more dry.Eggs – Use whole, large eggs. Flax eggs may work as a substitute, but I haven’t tested to confirm.Vanilla Extract – For flavor.Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – This super-fine almond flour ensures the best texture in your keto-friendly German chocolate cake (many brands are too coarse or inconsistent). Unfortunately, coconut flour won’t work as a substitute here, and making this cake nut-free is not realistic since pecans are also a key component. If you need nut-free options, browse my nut-free keto recipes here.Baking Powder – I like this non-GMO brand.Sea Salt – Balances out the sweetness.
For The Coconut Pecan Filling:
Keto Sweetened Condensed Milk – Gives the filling luscious flavor and thickens it. Just be aware that this doesn’t exist in stores, so don’t go looking for it there. Simply make this sugar-free condensed milk recipe instead (using butter, heavy cream, and Besti Powdered), then use it for your cake filling.Butter – Again, unsalted. Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – My low carb brown sugar substitute; I haven’t found anything else that comes close in terms of flavor, moisture, and sweetness. More importantly, unlike other brown sugar substitutes, Besti Brown will dissolve completely, so your filling will be smooth. If you can’t get your hands on it, it’s best to opt for a powdered sweetener, but you’ll lose that brown sugar flavor.Egg Yolks – Yolks only, no whites for this part. (You can use the leftover whites to make keto bread, coconut macaroons, or sugar-free angel food cake.)Vanilla Extract – Same one used for the cake.Shredded Coconut – Make sure it’s unsweetened coconut, like this brand.Pecans – We’re using chopped pecans for the filling and whole pecan halves for the topping, so I just buy halves and chop what I need for the filling.
How To Make Keto German Chocolate Cake
This section shows how to make German chocolate keto cake with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Storage Instructions
Store: Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.Freeze: You can freeze this sugar-free German chocolate cake recipe by wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and storing in freezer for 2-3 months.Thaw: Let the cake come to room temperature on the counter, or thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Keto Cake Recipes
If you like this keto German chocolate cake recipe, you might also like some of these other keto cakes: Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it! (Serving size might sound small, but it’s a big, tall cake that’s very rich and filling.)
